Knee replacement. Help!

Spinal with sedation which sounds like the best thing. Apparently I'll fall asleep but its not a GA. Phew!

Bravo- try not to get to het up and be positive. So are you going for GA or spinal/femoral block? x

Pre op assessment visit today. Very comprehensive. Staff very helpful and keen to give as much info as humanly possible -slightly too much for me. So its all set for next week!

Re knee exercises at home pre op you should spend 5 minutes every couple of hours. Post op it is longer but hourly. Post op there are more exercises to do.

I agree about the up and down legs in breaststroke gj. That's how I do it. No knee replacement yet but I gather the proper way is not good for the knees. It's quite slow moving but that doesn't bother me. I also do a lot of backstroke and, at times, just walking up and down the pool. Obviously the pool is the same depth throughout.

Almost impossible, and in most cases counter-productive to do 'froggy legs' so get a float so you can swim with up and down legs. I use short and wide physiotherapy flippers (you can find at Decathlon for instance) - so I trained myself to swim breaststroke with arms, but up and down (crawl) legs - it takes a bit of getting used to- but using the flippers make the leg movements stronger and keep you afloat.

Very lucky to have found a new pool in France with water at 29C where they allow the use of flippers in two lanes- really helps.

Jane - good idea! I'm not doing enough though I straighten my leg a lot, even on the bus stop bench! The consultant said to swim or walk in water, months ago. I went to the local baths to find it closed due to an 'accident'. It never re-opened.
Charley - thank you!

The very best of luck Elrel and Jane

hihi- good idea to work with both knees indeed ;)

I've been doing leg raises so much that I'm at risk of developing a huge right leg like one of those lobsters with one huge claw!

Elrel my pre op is on Thursday. Op itself on 26th. We can do our exercises together as we check on the latest GN posts. Did anyone hear from Henetha yet? Nearly 2 weeks since her op.

Grandjura - doing one right now!!

Got a physio appointment for 7th Nov, so not too bad, 3 weeks.

Great news- do your strengthening exercises every day (simple leg raises from chair, for instance).

Pre-op was ok so still scheduled for Thursday 27th! Touched at so many kind good wishes, many thanks!

Elrel good luck.

Elrel ...... good luck. Break a leg

And Bonne Chance from moi x

Very best wishes for it all Elrel!

Good luck Eirel

Pre-op tomorrow!

I've had 8 or more ops under GA, hate the after effects, several under local and one with a spinal block. The spinal block was by far the best as far as recovery goes and lack of any sensation during the op.

I had my first replacement under GA it was OK apart from throwing up when I came round. When I had the second one the anaesthetist came to see me and said he always used a spinal block. I was completely appalled - but he was very lovely so I went along with it. It was absolutely fine. I was a bit worried when they started as I could still feel my toes, but I never felt a thing and slept through most of it. Spent half an hour chatting while the spinal block wore off before we had to switch the morphine on. Definitely the way to go if you hate the whole GA thing.

Advice overload, your surgeon/anaesthetist will advise you.

I'm amazed about this comment about GA. All the doctors I discussed this with (and for all sorts of reasons we meet very many) advised a spinal with femoral block- as t
he side and long term effects are pratically zilch.

Bravo the NHS for ensuring patients are well prepared for the return home - bravo. BTW you will be much better in an armchair than a settee afterwards so you can push on both arms.