Best advice for knee replacement recovery.... - Page 2

TootyJane · ‎03-14-2010

On 6/5/2014 Desi said:
If you won't have someone with you full-time the first week or two, I'd see if your insurance covers rehab. My mother went for several week. There is no way my dad could have done meals, therapy, bathing, help to the bathroom, to the extent necessary. You may be just fine, in which case your stay might be short, but it's a good option. They don't release you until you can do all the chores you would when home. Standing, stairs, meal prep, etc.

Great advice. However, every person's experience with this type of surgery is going to be different. Your age, health and your own fitness all play a role in your recovery. My Mom (she is 87 years old) had total knee replacement done last October. She has been walking 3-4 miles per day since she was in her late 40's. Her hospital stay was 5 days long. It was 4 days before she could really stand up and put any pressure on her knee. After being discharged from the hospital she went to a local rehab facility. My Dad passed away 20 years ago and she lives by herself. There was no way she would have been able to go home. In rehab they work on getting your strength back and resuming your day-to-day needs. As soon as rehab determines that you are capable of taking care of yourself you will be discharged. Good luck with your surgery and wishing you a speedy recovery.

gazelle77 · ‎03-01-2013

There is no quick recovery. I am just one year out from having both knees done at the same time. I am now feeling great, but it was a LONG road to recovery. It is one of the most difficult surgeries to recover from...cutting, chopping, sawing bone. Still worth it. Best website for info is BoneSmart.org.

nagrom · ‎07-03-2010

I did not have a knee replacement but I had a total shoulder replacement. The circulating ice device is really something that made quite a difference. I used mine months afterward. After physical therapy sessions and exercises at home. I also was on a pain pump for the first five days and it allowed me to sleep and feel rested. This was in addition to pain pills. Feel free to take a pain med even when you think you don't need it. It is much easier to control pain before it gets too bad. For my type of surgery the recovery is from six months to two years. Knee replacements are much less recovery time. One thing my doctor recommended is to choose a surgeon that does 100 of these surgeries a year. These are the doctors that have more successful outcomes. Guess it is the practice makes perfect theory. Have a thorough discussion with your doctor as to everything involved before your surgery. Mine gave me lots of written information including what to expect and when to call if you experience any difficulty. It always feels great when all is said and done. Btw my husband is preparing for a total knee replacement. As a cancer patient he has more chance of infection than noncancer

patients. Also with a replacement surgery you will not be able to visit a dentist for six months afterward. If needed, see your dentist beforehand.

Glad wrap makes a stretch and seal plastic that works well in the shower to keep everything dry. It sticks to skin or bandages and is easy to remove without pain.

bun23 · ‎05-25-2010

If you have time before surgery, a few weeks, as your Dr now if he would write you a prescription for physical therapy before surgery. This will strengthen your muscles around your knee and make recovery a lot easier.

Desi · ‎03-09-2010

Just remembered something important. Ask about banking your own blood ahead of time. They will save it for you. Not to scare you, but you lose a lot with this surgery and may need a transfusion, so your own is best when possible. Line up relatives and friends with the same blood type too.

Also, that cooling machine mentioned is heavy. Looks like a small canister vac and you have to fill it with ice if I remember right - you'll probably need help lifting and carrying it around, especially if you are using a walker or cane.

151949 · ‎03-09-2010

I am a nurse and almost all doctors i know would tell you to stay out of the shower and instead have a sponge bath at the sink until the wound is healed and it can get in the shower. One - even sitting on a shower chair you can easily fall getting in and out of the tub and two - it is not an easy thing to get that plastic sleeve with the gaskets on the top over the knee wound and it is very tight and would hit right above the surgery. Just put a chair in the bathroom in front of the sink and sponge bathe there. Or sit on a high chair if you have one at the kitchen sink and you can use the sprayer to wash your hair, then take your sponge bath. When i had my knee surgeries i had to sponge bathe for 2 weeks each time until my stitches were out. better safe than sorry.If you need help with bathing or washing your hair at home ask the doctor for a home health aide to come in - you will already have a nurse and a PT but they don't help with this type of care. Do your home PT faithfully, ice as much as you can and DO NOT JUST LIE AROUND AND DO NOTHING. There is more here than just a knee to consider - if you don't get up out of bed into a chair and walk around as much as you can you will quickly find you will develop pneumonia or worse - a blood clot. Get up and get dressed every day- don't stay in PJs as that makes you think you are ill- getting dressed - even just t shirt and cheapo knit shorts makes you feel like you are recovering. BTW- I would buy a couple pairs of cheapo t shirt knit jersey shorts for while you are at home and then for when you go to PT - get kinda loose ones. Much easier for the care of the wound and for doing exercises in.

Some hospitals will rent you a machine to ice the knee with but ours did not so my DH kinda invented a system tying together the fabric ice bags they gave us to use so they would stay on the knee and not be sliding off all the time. I generally sat up in a recliner chair most of the time I was icing my knee, which is most of the time.

151949 · ‎03-09-2010

On 6/5/2014 bun23 said:
If you have time before surgery, a few weeks, as your Dr now if he would write you a prescription for physical therapy before surgery. This will strengthen your muscles around your knee and make recovery a lot easier.

Before you would do this be very sure that your insurance does not limit your PT visits as you don't want to waste them if they do - you will need them post op. this happened to me when I had blue cross and had a big ankle reconstruction. I would have had to pay out of pocket for some of my much needed PT but fortunately i had a secondary ins that was willing to pay for it.

Gooday · ‎03-23-2010

All excellent advice. The only tid-bit I would add: if there is any way possible to AVOID a rehab center - do so. It is a breeding ground for infection! If you have minimal help, have meals prepared, etc., you'll be okay. Medical and supplemental insurance should cover the blood work you will need for 3 weeks and your out patient therapy.

Best of luck.

Shiloh09 · ‎07-03-2013

I had both knees replaced two years apart. The most critical thing is the PT and managing the pain with the prescription med. it takes some planning too. I always took the med about an hour before my therapy and did real well. Do not be a martyr about the pain. While there is pain the one thing you want to avoid is scar tissue build up post surgery. I was in a twelve bed surgical hospital---went in on Monday for surgery and up walking (slowly and with walker) on Tuesday! Ask questions about everything you are worried about. These surgeries were life changing. Do the PT with fidelity and then use mederma to work the scar when the wound heals. My scars are hardly visible!

grandma r · ‎10-26-2010

Today is my 6 year anniversary for both knees. As mentioned before, this is not a quick recovery!!!!! I was in the hospital for two nights and so happy to go home. I did not go to a rehab center. You will need someone at home especially the first several days. A shower chair is a huge benefit. Take your pain meds when needed, especially 30 minutes prior to PT. Afterwards, elevate and ice your knees. Ice will be your very best friend. You probably won't have much of an appetite, but, keep fresh fruit on hand. It is refreshing and will offset some of the side effects of the meds. Make sure to do your exercises at home too. Yes, it hurts, but, the you have to do it. Forget what the booklets say, ignore the people who have never had it done but "know all about it". Your body will tell you what you need. Give yourself time to heal; everyone is different. Do not stay cooped up inside. If the weather is nice, go outside carefully. It will lift your spirits. And, if you are feeling down, go ahead and cry. Get it all out of your system. Then wash your face with cold water and tell yourself that you can do this.

I wish you the very best for your recovery!!!! If you need moral support, we are here for you.