Life After total knee replacement

It is so wonderful to be able to just stand up and walk and it's not sore! I'd just got so accustomed to hurting that my knees got into a pretty bad state. Its a much more traumatic op than you're led to believe but it honestly is well worth it.

I am nine weeks post op and pretty much back to normal. Such a joy to be able to walk again. My surgeon said the new modern joints may do 25 years? Hopefully will see me out anyway ?

Lloyd - see your doctor if only to keep in the system.

I had one TKR two years ago and it was fine. My surgeon doesn’t believe in physiotherapy and ordered me to ‘potter” as much as possible with gentle stretching. Knee bends while waiting for the kettle to boil, standing on tip toes while washing up and walking up and down stairs, that sort of thing.

I was back in our sailing boat within three months although by then the other knee was playing up. This interfered rather with the recovery of the first knee.

Had the second TKR at the beginning of last June and recovery this time, with one good knee already, was rapid. Again I just pottered with gentle stretching. Recovery this time was more rapid.

The knees became ‘mine’ very quickly, although I can’t kneel on hard surfaces yet and need a cushion or pad. But before the ops I couldn’t kneel anyway and certainly couldn’t get up! And I can now run for a bus - and get on it!

I would say go for it before it gets too bad as recovery is quicker. My surgeon says he’s been doing TKR’s for 20 odd years and only had to re-do two. And don’t shake your surgeons hand if you can help it - they have a very strong grip!!

so sorry to hear- but really, don't ask here but go and see your doctor and ask if you should have a post op check with orthopedic surgeon.

TKR - 5 yrs ago - I can kneel now but not sit back on my calves - other than that I do Pilates, Yoga, ride horses and climbed up a jungle mountain in Tanzania the same year - utter joy - well worth the post op pain which was hell. I did do massive amounts of physio with a practice that supply physios to the Olympic Athletics lot and international rugby squads!!! You would never know I had had the op and that appalling pain is a distant memory. Just play with painkillers til you get what suits you - for me paracetemol and ibuprofen were the answer - morphine was useless as was everything else.

Sorry to hear that lloydy4 . Have you had your post op check ..? Might be worth speaking to the doctor about it.

Lloydy - sorry to hear things are so tough. Sometimes it just takes a lot longer. Do not push the exercises too hard because that can really slow your recovery if you cause inflammation. Ice can be good to reduce the swelling and pain (everyone in my house knew not to actually eat the Basic range peas!).

Have you checked out the knee replacement forums at Bonesmart? They have a lot of useful advice and people going through the same thing.
bonesmart.org/forum/view/knee-replacement-recovery-area.9/

I don't often talk about my tkr here because I know it was a lot more complicated than the average tkr that most people have had here. I still have pain and swelling almost 6 years on - however it is better than what I had before

18 weeks since Tkr op. Still find in hard not to limp. It was my right knee I had done. Still can walk properly and find right side of knee swollen and not right. Is this normal. At mo feel I wished I’d not had it done. Doing exercises etc. Having a bad day today

Thanks ladies, input much appreciated. Am going to checkout waiting lists.....

I have had two tkn was fine easily within three months. Was 72 with last one. In two days. Lady on my ward 86 years. Go for it.

I absolutely refused to do the pointless physio exercises but rehabbed myself very well by just daily living including walking and stairs, sitting and standing naturally. No inflammation or adhesions just a smooth easy recovery.

As has already been said, no two experiences are the same. I had a TKR (including patella) at the end of March 2018. It has been amazing. The post op pain lasted about six weeks but was easily controlled with painkillers.
I can do everything pretty well, including kneeling.
My only restriction is that the new knee is only designed to bend to 120 degrees so I have to be careful to park with enough space to open the car door sufficiently.
You will have been told that you MUST do your exercises. I think that living in an ‘upside-down’ house meaning that I had no option but climb up and down the stairs several times a day was a great help.

Thankyou jane it’s got a lot worse in the past few months, paracetamol isn’t really working and I know what I must do, ie check the waiting list!
Trouble is we have a big golden anniversary coming up and I rather hoped to be well enough for a a lovely holiday or three. Because of family health problems we havnt had much of an opportunity over the last couple of years.

I totally agree with Jane10 you are not doing yourself any favours by prolonging surgery.

I had other problems so my surgery could not be done when planned so I ended up with a valgus deformity of my tibia which meant another op at the same time as my knee replacement to correct it.

silverlining I decided that the pain before TKR was only going to get worse over time but TKR would be temporary pain and inconvenience. That's how it's worked out too. I'm glad I didn't waste time waiting. It's wonderful to be able to just walk, stand at bus stops etc and to be pain free.
Another factor is that the underlying tissues could be more and more compromised if you leave it too long and thus make recovery take longer after the op.

susiQ everybody is different- ask the consultant what his views are.

It is so long since I could last kneel I do not think about it now and in my case I would have done anything to get rid of the grinding pain. Not being able to kneel is a small price to pay in my opinion.

I too have been told I will need a knee replacement and am having trouble deciding when I can’t bear it any more. Sometimes it’s really bad other times I manage. I take paracetamol mostly before I go walking or know I will have a busy day.
My pain is just on the inner side of the knee, not the front, and have been looking online for advice without too much success I suppose.
But susiQ I did read that you can kneel with a partial replacement.

I'm meant to be having a partial knee replacement in March at UCLH in London. My pain isn't there all the time but when it is it's pretty bad. Have had 2 minor operations in the last 10 years and consultant has advised this surgery. I don't mind the surgery but am concerned about not being able to kneel. Didn't occur to me before. Does anyone know if this would apply to a partial knee replacement?

Hubby had a TKR in June 18, op went well 3 days in hospital he had quite a bit of pain over the months from his knee and hips.
Did the exercises religiously for months and visited the physio.
Thankfully 7 months later he is pain free and the good thing is he does not need a hip replacement at this point in his life.
He still can't drive for long distances though without a break.
Not everyone has a total replacement BIL had a part and he was on his feet very early after the op.

My OH had both knees done at the same time five years ago.
He was operated on in the afternoon so I was told not to visit until the next day. Late evening the nurse went into his room to check on him to find an empty bed. He was in the shower.
The main disadvantages of his new knees are setting off alarms going through security and not being able to kneel. Otherwise he is totally delighted with the lack of pain on walking.
You will be fine.

I have had both knees done, and the only drawback I have found is that I can't kneel down so it's not so good when it comes to certain jobs such as dusting or washing skirting boards. Apart from that it has been a positive thing, no more crippling pain in my legs, and also the back pain I got when I had to stand for any length of time. I didn't want to have the spinal injection, but I was coaxed round, and it was great. The first time I fell asleep during the op, the second time I was asleep before the op started and woke up while the op was still being done. Spent the time till it was finished talking to one of the nurses. Nothing to be afraid of. Really worth having it done.

After Total Knee Replacement Surgery, it can take six months to a year for you to make a full recovery.

Agree with almost all the above. I had a spinal with sedation for both my TKRs. That was fine. I woke up feeling like I'd had a lovely sleep.
However, the physio exercises after my first led to inflammation and development of adhesions. Result? I had to have manipulation under anaesthetic. OK after that but pretty traumatic. After the next TKR I refused all physio and made a rapid recovery. The surgeon confided that he wouldn't have exercised such a traumatised joint. The research evidence for physio just isn't there. Outcomes are the same for those who did it and those who didn't. Rest, ice, elevate and activities of daily living are all that's required.
Check the Bonesmart website for a host of international personal experiences and information.

Totally agree that getting rid of the dreadful pain is wonderful.
I slept through most of the op and the pain afterwards was manageable and well controlled.
I was 79 and only in hospital for 3 nights.
If needed I would have the other one done tomorrow.

I agree henetha I was talked into having a spinal anaesthetic and I floated through it all. I also have had both knees replaced, 5 years apart. Getting rid of the grinding pain is fabulous. Hopefully my Genesis 2 knees will "see me out".