knee replacement op?

I found it very easy with the crutches, much better than the walking frame, but when I went to physio they took my crutches off me and made me have a stick instead, Grrrrr!!

It is important to keep moving but not to over do it. As Charleygirl says, start by going to the garden gate and just a little further each day.

She should, increasing the distance each day. She may just make it to the garden gate when she first goes out but it does not matter, she is getting exercise.

Ladies who have had the knee op do you remember if in addition to the knee exercises whether you were meant to walk outside with crutches each day...I did with my hip but could be different with a knee, suey has a lot of bruising on the outside.

Wishing her a speedy recovery.

Great news and ... bonne chance.

We fetched Suey from the hospital this morning so she is now home , has daughter and son in law on hand and others available to help her get around. Was very pale when we picked her up but a chat with family and being back in her own place has put some colour in her cheeks . She knows she must do her exercises and walk when she can .

Good news. The Bupa hospital on Gartree Road had a huge revamp a just before we moved- if I remember well.

Great to know your hip replacement was a great success. Hips are very 'simple' to do, 'just' a ball and socket- knees on the other hand are very very complex in comparison.

Spoke to her this am , feeling a little after effects of operation but I have told her it can only get better from now on...I believe it was a NHS op carried out at the old Bupa hospital on the Gartree Rd . Staff sound to be good and that is only from phone calls with them and you can visit at most times.

She will be 71 in a few days time think the other knee may also need doing.

I had my hip replaced four years ago at the Leic Gen'l and they made a super job of it, don't need a stick to walk with at all some friends who had it same time are still using a stick.

Thanks ginny. It's just that my mum's was a total disaster, and another person around here had a really bad experience... Of course my mum's was quite a long time ago, in the early days of knee replacements, and things have improved no end since.

Very hard to decide when to get it done. An artificial has a max life of about 30 years, and nowadays still can't be re-done (unlike a hip)- so can't do it too early. I am amazed though that here they often replace knees in people in their late 70s or 80s- which I think is too late for most people, as to get the best results you need to be fit enough to do all the hard work afterwards, both physically and mentally. Definitely want to have it done when I am still in my 60s. The other knee will probably have to be done too- as it has had to 'carry' my damaged and much shorter leg for all my adult life (had car accident in 1970).

Any news Bimbadeen? Where did she have it done, RI or LG?

Yes, you are right Deedaa. I have no pain in the knee that has been done but it feels stiff even though it is moving well. I think it is the inside bruising and the muscles getting used to working properly again.

I found it took a long time for my knees to feel normal again ginny not painful or anything, just odd. So glad I had it done though, it's made such a difference.

Bimbadeen.. my recovery is going well. 4 weeks tomorrow since the op'.
I am using just one stick now and trying not to use it indoors .
Still working hard at the exercises which can still be a little painful but are paying off. My knee in general is not painful but still feels stiff. This is probably due to the bruising inside and the swelling, which although less now can take months to go down.
I am amazed with the look of the scar, very neat and seems to be fading quickly.

Granjura... don't dread it. I am already feeling some benefits. The first few days are the hardest. I need to have my other knee done ( probably in around 6 months) and this one hasn't put me off.

Bimbadeen thinking about you and your sister and all goes well and she recovers soon. Send news when you can (I am due for a knee replacement in a couple of years- due to damage in a car accident when I was 19- and I have to say I am absolutely dreading it).

Ginny sorry forgot to ask how are you doing, it's not so long since you had the op is it.

Hope all goes well.

Ginny thanks for the interest suey has the operation just now ie it was scheduled for today Monday at 4,30pm I will be visiting her and will post on progress.

Bimbadeen

Has the op' been done yet ? Do let us know how it goes and if we can help with any further questions.

I bought two "Kool Paks" last year when I had a bad shoulder and arm. They cost just under a £5 each and came with a small bag to put the pack around your joint with a velcro tab.

Because they are made of a gel substance they are flexible and comfortable to "wear." IMO they are far better than a hard ice block or bag of frozen peas and very good value. I think I bought mine in our local coop chemist.

www.koolpak.co.uk/products/reusable-hot-cold-pack-5/

I would fully recommend them. Two are best one on the joint one in the freezer.

Can't help with this sort of ice pack. I used ordinary 'picnic' ice packs wrapped in a clean tea towel. 3 or 4 times a day at first and now 18 days post op' , about twice a day usually after lunch, as I am now moving around much more, and when I go to bed.

I found the stairs one of the easier things to do after the firs few days so you may find you are able to get to your freezer easier than you now think.

I used my ice pack for pain relief and swelling round the incision - this does happen but it easily dealt with. The one the hospital gave me was good because it has straps and Velcro, so stays in one place. But in your case, suey you'd need at least two, and if they don't supply them they are expensive. But maybe two might equal the cost of the instant ones? It is called an Aircast, and they have them on Amazon. Of course.

Please has anyone used nstant cold packs ? I live alone so will not be able to get downstairs to get to the freezer(kitchen on first floor, freezer on ground floor). I know they are very expensive but....
How big should an ice pack be? How often do you use icepacks for and how often each day? I want to know how many to buy.

Ladies a very much appreciated thank you to you all for your advice for suey , the latter comments particularly useful as they are all current from ladies recently operated on.

Ice pack is brilliant.

I am now 15 days post op and can see small improvements in movement of my knee every day. I have been doing all the exercises and I know that the physios' can tell if you have been !

I am managing most things on my own and although I still have crutches I am trying not to put too much weight on them.

I am taking co-codamol , first thing in the morning as knee feels quite stiff and this enables me to push a little more with the exercises and then another in the afternoon but only if I have been very mobile .

My knee is still quite swollen but I am told this could take a while yet to go down.

The thing that amazed me most was that there has been no bruising on the outside at all.

Isn't it all amazing, Deedaa? I now have over 110 degrees of bend in my knee!

One other thing - the hospital supplied me with an ice pack / compress, and for the first couple of weeks it was so useful to settle pain and swelling. Because it has Velcro straps it meant it stayed in place.

Hip next.....