topic Re: Question About Total Knee Replacement in Wellness

Question About Total Knee Replacement

fortune — Tue, 18 Nov 2014 20:51:51 GMT

When one has a total knee replacement, does it make it easier to climb stairs? TIA!

Re: Question About Total Knee Replacement

violann — Tue, 18 Nov 2014 22:07:00 GMT

Not trying to oversimplify, but if you mean that you are finding it difficult to climb stairs because you have severe knee pain when you try to move from one step to the next, it will be easier when you have a new, bionic knee.

Re: Question About Total Knee Replacement

wismiss — Tue, 18 Nov 2014 22:14:13 GMT

If you are able to climb steps now but do not because of the pain, then you will be able to use steps. After I had my knee replaced that was one of my goals with physical therapy and so we worked on it during physical therapy. 3 1/2 days after surgery, I had the choice to go home and receive physical therapy at home, or transfer to the skilled nursing floor. I went to the skilled nursing floor, as I was able to have physical therapy two times a day and occupational therapy once a day. I was in skilled nursing for six days and before I went home we had worked on accessing stairs. You will be surprised how quickly you are able to do things that were so painful before.

Best wishes for a successful surgery and a speedy recovery.

Re: Question About Total Knee Replacement

Bubby Mommy — Tue, 18 Nov 2014 22:21:05 GMT

I had both my knees replaced - not at the same time but four years apart. I would do it again in a heartbeat. It's like having a new life - you can walk and climb stairs and live practically pain free. However, you MUST do your exercises both alone and with your physical therapist or your knees will stiffen up, and your recovery will not be as successful. Best wishes to you!

Re: Question About Total Knee Replacement

RedTop — Tue, 18 Nov 2014 22:49:02 GMT

Yes, the new joint does make climbing stairs easier. However for me personally, I have never shaken the feelings of hating to climb stairs, and I avoid them still. The only steps I use regularly in my home are 3 steps in my garage, and I still climb those steps the way I did before surgery. Prior to my surgery I had developed a limp due to the deterioration of my joint. My physical therapist pointed out that I still wanted to limp after surgery, so I had to work as hard mentally as I was physically, to stop the limp, which was a habit, not a need. When I encounter stairs, I still want to climb them the way I did before surgery, which is not a fluid climbing motion of left, right, left.

Re: Question About Total Knee Replacement

qvcfan526 — Tue, 18 Nov 2014 22:56:53 GMT

I think it all depends upon you, your doctor and your rehabilitation.

My Mom had both knees done and had years of pain free living.

My husband had one knee done and would never have the second knee done, and he has pain every day. He really regrets having the surgery. Cannot wait til I can retire and we can move to warmer climate.

Re: Question About Total Knee Replacement

151949 — Wed, 19 Nov 2014 01:08:50 GMT

That totally depends on the patients general condition and the condition of their other knee.

Re: Question About Total Knee Replacement

tansy — Wed, 19 Nov 2014 01:31:04 GMT

On 11/18/2014 qvcfan526 said:
I think it all depends upon you, your doctor and your rehabilitation.

My Mom had both knees done and had years of pain free living.

My husband had one knee done and would never have the second knee done, and he has pain every day. He really regrets having the surgery. Cannot wait til I can retire and we can move to warmer climate.

I dreaded having my second knee done but am so happy with mine now. See if the surgeon does the nerve block. It made it easier to get around after surgery. This one was easier to rehab, too, even if he moves to a warm climate, a bone on bone knee will hurt.

Re: Question About Total Knee Replacement

Noon — Wed, 19 Nov 2014 19:07:44 GMT

Fortune,

Knee replacement has been moving from off-the-shelf to custom knees in the last couple of years.

Search on line for information on 3D Printer knee replacement.

If one is medically eligible, the process begins with an MRI of the knee.

A 3D Printer model of the knee is made from the MRI.

Then measurements are made to construct a custom jig for removing just the right amount of bone.

A metal replacement knee is also custom made from the model to the exact size and shape of the original healthy bone.

All is well tested before surgery to be sure the leg will be straight and functional.

Surgery is shorter and following surgery, "there is more mobility, less bleeding, much less trauma to the bone.

Patients have reported faster recovery times and less pain than with traditional knee implants."

There are some excellent print articles on line about this procedure.

There are also videos of the surgery on line in all their gory glory, but great for letting you know what you are getting. (Don't confuse with 3D animations)

The most graphic video came up on a Bing search. It is called "Real Stories, Real Life in the OR". (Graphic warning!)

Try this link and choose from the video results:

http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=3d+knee+replacement&qpvt=3d+knee+replacement&FORM=VDRE%23view=detail&mid=E7F585EEFF84E2EF0014E7F585EEFF84E2EF0014#view=detail&mid=E7F585EEFF84E2EF0014E7F585EEFF84E2EF0014

Other videos show patients giving encouraging, even amazing, testimonials. This is just the kind of thing I have been waiting for, so will be looking into it with my doctors for myself - and for climbing stairs again.

It's a new replacement world out there. May the best be yours.

Re: Question About Total Knee Replacement

fortune — Wed, 19 Nov 2014 20:45:14 GMT

Thanks, Noon for going to all the trouble to research and post this amazing info!!! I'm going to one of the top clinics in this area for knee replacement on Nov. 25. I'll be sure to ask them if they use this procedure! You'd think that they'd have the knee thing figured out by now--since they just landed on a comet!!

Re: Question About Total Knee Replacement

sfnative — Thu, 20 Nov 2014 06:14:04 GMT

(I really wanted to reply when you first posted, but had horrible issues trying to log in. After a week, called customer service and they fixed the problem.)

Most total knees are done on patients who are "bone on bone." This means that the cartilage on the end of your thigh bone and on the end of our shin bone has worn away. Because of this, walking up or down stairs is very painful for most. Because most of those having total knees have changed their gait and are probably not as active as they were prior to the joint going down hill, muscles in the thigh (front and back) become weakened.

When you've had a total knee, the part of the thigh bone and shin bone where the cartilage wore off and caused such pain is removed and an artificial joint installed. You will no longer have the bone-on-bone pain; however, you will have the post-op pain of really sore muscles, tendons and ligaments. You may find the underside of your knee cap to continue to be sore, if it was that way before.

Walking upstairs: I had my TKA in May. Before the surgery I had to walk upstairs strait-legged, one stair at a time. Now, after rehab and strengthening my leg muscles, I can comfortably walk upstairs. I still have a bit of an issue going downstairs, but I'm just 6 months out and it's getting better all the time.

Yes, as others have said, every case is different. But---I would say, every recovery is different. The important thing is that the offending bones surfaces which have lost their cartilage have been removed.

Please come back with more questions. 60% of what I did in my job before I retired last year was Ortho. I can't tell you how many total knees I assisted in and how many I simply viewed (we were a teaching hospital).

I wish you the best.

Re: Question About Total Knee Replacement

kismet — Fri, 21 Nov 2014 05:58:34 GMT

Before I had my knee replacements I could barely do stairs. I would walk up with the better knee first. It was very painful too. Now I can walk up stairs with no problem. I take them whenever I can. I do find it's easier to walk up than walk down but still put one leg in front of the other and not walk one at a time like I did before. I don't have stairs inside my home so I don't walk them daily.

After PT I used The Step to exercise on. I even raised it higher to work out more. I feel things get better over time and now walking my outside steps without any banister is so easy. It took awhile not holding onto something but now it's pretty easy. Before I couldn't even walk up with a cane.

Everyone is different and I think making sure you do your PT gives the best results. Good luck.

Re: Question About Total Knee Replacement

goodstuff — Fri, 21 Nov 2014 06:03:43 GMT

It really does depend on your general age and condition and how hard you're willing to work to rehab the knee after surgery. I can climb stairs now that I've had double TKR, but since I had avoided stairs as much as possible for a long time while I had severe knee problems, I lost a lot of strength in my "stair climbing muscles". I'm also in my 60's and overweight, so stair climbing won't be as easy for me as for a 40 year old who weighs 130 lbs. I live on one level, so I don't climb stairs on a daily basis. I need a handrail to feel secure, especially when going down. I could work on this and improve, I'm sure.

Re: Question About Total Knee Replacement

hayseed00 — Fri, 21 Nov 2014 18:16:42 GMT

I am having a right total knee replacement on wed. nov 26, all the info here really helps. I have been off work now for 2 weeks because the knee pain and mobility became to difficult. I'm 60 years old, I have a great surgeon, but still nervous about the surgery. It's good to read that others feel better after the knee replacement.

Re: Question About Total Knee Replacement

RedTop — Fri, 21 Nov 2014 19:34:41 GMT

Best wishes to you hayseed00 with your surgery. Just wrap your mind around the fact this is what you have to do to get your life back, and be determined to let nothing get in your way! Attitude and determination are everything with this surgery and recovery. I only used a walker from the time I left the hospital, thru the first week of therapy, before my physical therapist said I was steady enough to use a cane. My surgeon was blown away to see me walk into his office on day 15 using a cane. You can handle this challenge!

Re: Question About Total Knee Replacement

fortune — Mon, 24 Nov 2014 03:51:39 GMT

On 11/21/2014 hayseed00 said:
I am having a right total knee replacement on wed. nov 26, all the info here really helps. I have been off work now for 2 weeks because the knee pain and mobility became to difficult. I'm 60 years old, I have a great surgeon, but still nervous about the surgery. It's good to read that others feel better after the knee replacement.

Best wishes to you, hayseed00, with your surgery!! After being off work for 2 weeks because of knee pain should help motivate you to have that fixed once and for all!!! I never realized how painful an arthritic knee can be!!!!! I will be thinking about you and sending up my prayers!

I'm so glad I started this thread! I've learned so much from those experienced with TKR!!! Thanks again to everyone for sharing your valuable info!!!

Re: Question About Total Knee Replacement

hayseed00 — Mon, 24 Nov 2014 17:17:58 GMT

Thanks everyone for your good advice, I'll keep you posted on how I'm doing after my surgery this Wed.

Re: Question About Total Knee Replacement

goodstuff — Mon, 24 Nov 2014 17:38:20 GMT

I wish you the best with your surgery and am sure you won't regret it. I'm able to do so much more and have so much less pain now. TKR is not a fun process -- but well worth it!

Re: Question About Total Knee Replacement

slimjudi — Mon, 24 Nov 2014 17:41:41 GMT

I had both knee replacements done 2 years ago. It has really helped me and am so glad I did it. My doctor did one knee first and two months later did the other knee. I would think it would help you if that is what your doctor recommends. The only thing I would have done different is to try and talk him in to doing both knees at once. I found that one knee is usually worst than the other. My first one was more painful than when I had the second one and I have heard other people say this. Good luck to you and I think you will be happy after you heal.

Re: Question About Total Knee Replacement

MrsRef — Mon, 24 Nov 2014 18:57:06 GMT

I had both of my knees replaced together in 2007. Best thing I ever did. My advice is to do the PT. It makes a huge difference in the outcome. Recovery takes a while, don't push things and you will do fine. And keep exercising after the pt is over to maintain all the hard work you put in. I am now able to chase around my 5 grandchildren who are all under the age of 5. Would have been a different story before my surgery. Good Luck!