Knee replacement recovery

Athrawes

I find these comments interesting - and scary! I have a 'crunchy' knee and I'm seeing a physio tomorrow [the same one who deals with my back]. I've had xrays at our local hospital and nothing was found. It's walking that lets me down but reading people's experiences about their knees I feel I'm not so badly off after all and I think you're all very brave. The exercises I've been given don't hurt - just an occasional twinge so I guess I'm pretty lucky really.

I don’t really know how bad my knee is or how bad you have to be to need a new knee.I’ve had arthritis in my knee for years’ struggled to walk at one time but an osteopath got me walking again. I have a friend that’s just had a new knee: she was in a walking group that walks in Dartmoor, something that I wouldn’t have been able to do.My doctor saw an x ray of a knee once and said ‘ blimey, whose knee is that’ and I replied ‘mine’.

Callistemon on no account 'work through the pain'. Its very early days yet. You can safely assume that anyone who tells you to work through the pain is an ill informed idiot who has never had a joint replacement.!

Aveline

Callistemon on no account 'work through the pain'. Its very early days yet. You can safely assume that anyone who tells you to work through the pain is an ill informed idiot who has never had a joint replacement.!

Thank you Aveline

I was just having a little shuffle back and forth with that leg and thought "That's enough!"

We are all so different. The day after my last TKR in 2018, a man came stomping into the ward having had both knees replaced the previous day. He had had a shower and wanted to be discharged as he was fine! I was lying in bed in agony so we are all different.

Re when you should have surgery- usually the decision is made when your knee is painful at night and the knee is grade 4, bone on bone. Because of pain I had problems getting to sleep.

Charleygirl5 We are all so different. The day after my last TKR in 2018, a man came stomping into the ward having had both knees replaced the previous day. He had had a shower and wanted to be discharged as he was fine! I was lying in bed in agony so we are all different.

Indeed, we're all different.

And for each of us, 2nd tkr is different to the first.

My second knee was considerably easier than the first (5 years on). I knew I had to push myself, I knew to ice constantly (it seemed), I knew to stay ahead of the pain with the medication. Most important, I was home quicker, I knew to begin physio first day home and keep trying no matter the pains.

One TKR down and on the way to another (via the muscular skeletal department and their insistence I attend a six week exercise course which will make not a jot of difference) I’m nothing but positive about my new knee and when the time is right will welcome a second replacement.

My surgeon explained that while prosthetics can never be the same as a natural knee they are infinitely better than constant grinding pain. Exactly so in my experience. The hospital physio plied me with exercises, some of which aggravated a spinal condition. The surgeons advice was just walk. In the end I did some exercises and walked as much as my body felt it was right to do. So fortunate in that post op pain was never a huge issue, lack of energy was for many weeks. I just went with each day as it came. Ice and elevation kept swelling to a minimum. A few visits to a private physio who has treated me for years helped, NHS physio was unavailable once I was discharged from hospital.

Joint replacement is major surgery, the body needs to recover at its own pace. Three years on I rarely notice my replaced knee is there. I think the majority of people go through the ‘what on Earth have I done’ stage, same after most surgery surely, go gently calli, you’ll get there.

Thanks cornergran

I try to keep telling myself that this will be a memory before too long and I'll be like a spring chicken in a few weeks' time.

It will.*Callistemon*. I think we all meet people who say they were up dancing the day of the op etc etc but that's no help. We're all different. Pain wasn't an issue for me luckily! My problem was the inflammation set up by me doing the beep beep physio exercises after my first knee. After a manipulation under anaesthetic caused by this I sacked all physio. Interestingly, for my second knee the physio dept had been disbanded. Research showed that physio after joint replacement made no more difference than just walking about. Give yourself permission to rest and recover your energy and introduce natural movement such as gradually increased lengths of walks and stairs up and down. But no rush!! Sleep and bowels can be often overlooked problems.

Thank you Aveline

The surgeon and the physiotherapist both recommended different things. Opinions seem to differ!

I have got a physio appointment next week but until then will, just try to walk around a bit.

I have my second knee replacement three weeks today. Can't wait. The thing I remember that brought the most relief with my first one (seven years ago) was lying the wrong way round on my bed with my operated leg raised against the wall, as high as I could get it. Elevated or what! It felt lovely, well relatively lovely that is. 😁

Gosh Mizuna very acrobatic! Very good for drainage of built up fluid though. Good luck with your second op. It's so much easier when you know what to expect.

'Gosh Mizuna very acrobatic!' 😂😂

My husband hired a 'passive exercise machine' and used it for (what seemed like) hours.
He's made a full recovery and can even kneel without any discomfort. It was quite expensive but well worth it. Try Google for companies offering this service.

I think the company he used was called 'Phoenix'

Those machines were completely discredited a while ago I'm afraid. Apart from anything else it's not very useful.to just repetitively bend the knee.
The NICE guidance on joint replacement covers all the various rehab activities including physio. It was my Bible!

In the 1970's those machines were used in some London teaching hospitals for most knee replacements. There were no problems then and the patients did not appear to have the amount of pain that some like myself encountered. I do not know how long they were used.

I'm currently bothered by bursitis. Same side as my most recent tkr. At physio I was reminded sternly to increase heel pressure when striding (or even walking) apparently heel pressure is key to better quicker recovery?

We use private physio, NHS physio is unavailable, regular physio is very important to proper healing (and heel striking, apparently).

Norah I completely disagree. However, if you think it helps in some way then go ahead. Maybe the physio exercises caused the bursitis? Something to consider.
Callistemon- leave your poor knee to heal.

'Bursitis is usually associated with over-stressing or repetitive use of the areas around your joints.'
So be careful!

Aveline

'Bursitis is usually associated with over-stressing or repetitive use of the areas around your joints.'
So be careful!

Indeed.

I'm quite careful.

My bursitis isn't thought to be caused by the tkr, just happens that life long I've had bursitis flares on the same side as the last tkr (few months ago). I trust that I'm being well cared for, my goal is skiing well, I still can.

Aveline

Norah I completely disagree. However, if you think it helps in some way then go ahead. Maybe the physio exercises caused the bursitis? Something to consider.
Callistemon- leave your poor knee to heal.

It's likely I completely disagree with you as well.

I'm believe in as much walking as possible, icing, elevation, rest, good physio, steps, heel strikes, and all that I have said. We differ, as do people.

Check the Bonesmart website

I've just remembered that after my knee ops I used to cut off the bottom of my stretchy trousers so as to let the fresh air get to my scar. Boy did I have to hide quickly if someone came to the door!

Aveline

Norah I completely disagree. However, if you think it helps in some way then go ahead. Maybe the physio exercises caused the bursitis? Something to consider.
Callistemon- leave your poor knee to heal.

Thanks Aveline

Having had plantar fasciitis a couple of years ago I think I'll give heel striking alone. It would be impossible right now, anyway. 😫

Leave not give