Who has had total knee replacement surgery?

R Q

R Q

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 4, 2005
Location
Charlotte
I am going in for total replacement tomorrow. I've heard all that the doc and staff have told me.
For those who have had it or are close to someone who has, how long after will it be before I can get around pretty well on my own?
Also doc said I can't drive for 3-4 weeks, mainly due to liability but realistically how soon?
And how does riding for more than short trips feel? They will have me up same day and next walking and doing stairs before they will release me to go home.
 
My FIL had it just recently (within a month) he's healthy for his age and was walking around with a cane 4 days later his doc wanted him to use a walker. Less than a month and he walks with a normal stride no walker or cane. Dr says his recovery is actually the norm, that overweight and unhealthy people are the problem cases. He's driving now and was taking hour or so car rides. He has told me that constantly moving it and exercising it helps. He also said the worst part has been at night. He would wake up in pain because of lack movement.
 
I had my left knee done in 07 with donor ACL and MCL, and lots of titanium parts. Procedures have changed a lot since then, improved I would say.
Main thing to do is the physical therapy. It's was hard but helped tremendously, unfortunately I was young, hard headed and needed to get back to work since I didn't have short term disability insurance (another young dumb move)
As soon as I could walk okay I begged the doc to realize me to work. Really about 1.5 months too soon. I should have continued the PT and would have been fine. But I have tore it up again over the years and will soon need another surgery.
Stick with the PT till the end!

To this day, when it feels bad and pops out a lot I can do those exercises for a week and it feel much more stable. Been going to the gym for the last month though and it helps a ton.
Strong toned muscle helps keep joints aligned and I can tell the difference.


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My mom had both knees done several years ago. I remember it seeming like she did really well with it but would have to ask her for specifics. x2 on the physical therapy, especially because aftermarket joints works differently than OEM. ;)
 
Well I just got home from replacement surgery. They did it yesterday Thursday, and had me using it today, I already had to climb stairs to be released. its a little swollen but all in all I am impressed with the process. Right now I'm using a walker but will progress to crutches in a day or two. have good drugs for pain so Im good!
 
You gonna get a knee scooter? I see people with those now and think dang I woulda loved one!

I guess those are more for breakage and ankle stuff than knees.


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My dad had a double knee replacement Aug 30 this past year. He went skiing in Colorado on Dec 26th with my brother and I. The first 3 or so weeks were hell... for my mom. He waited till he lost almost 50lbs and was in better shape.

He wasn't able to drive for about a month. But I swear he now looks 10 years younger and feels 20 years younger.
 
77GreenMachine said:
You gonna get a knee scooter? I see people with those now and think dang I woulda loved one!

I guess those are more for breakage and ankle stuff than knees.


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I can't use a scooter, it's too sensitive. I'm getting very good at the walker. Physical Therapist just left and measured my flexibility. He said I'm way better than most of his patients.
But boy the pain has really ramped up today!
 
The pain was my Dads biggest beef with the whole deal.
The "liability" comes from the drugs for the pain mostly.
Dad had his left knee done October 26, was cleared for extended travel week before Christmas and has since driven to Arizona from Illinois. No problems.
The biggest thing he was told is some folks refuse to do the excersizes "because it hurts". Get over that hurdle you will be fine.
 
Hope yours goes better than mine. I had a total replacement in October of 2013. I still have issues with it.
But to answer your question I was driving in the 3rd week. Long trips were fine as long as I had room to stretch it straight and bend it. There was a point where it seemed to be getting better, then it stopped and went down hill since then.
 
upnover said:
Hope yours goes better than mine. I had a total replacement in October of 2013. I still have issues with it.
But to answer your question I was driving in the 3rd week. Long trips were fine as long as I had room to stretch it straight and bend it. There was a point where it seemed to be getting better, then it stopped and went down hill since then.
Click to expand...
Sorry to hear that. I'm doubling on my PT and the PT guys said I'm doing better than most they see so hopefully mine will be good.
 
I have had the left one done twice, first one came loose after 4 yrs. second one took half the recovery time. couple of months. Took about a year before I grew into it. Bone growing around the Titanium takes time. well worth it. waiting to do my right shoulder Very soon desperate again, can't come soon enough. Good luck
 
Update: 5 days out: I'm continuing PT as directed. Pain is there and am still using the meds. The swelling is what has surprised me but docs and therapists say it's normal. I really can't accomplish anything due to needing to keep it elevated and iced. I had little tasks planned for throughout and have not been able to do any of them yet. I hate being a couch lizard, actually that would be LazyBoy Recliner Lizard! :D I've had a shoulder pain for a few weeks before surgery and now with the use of the walker and crutches, it's amplified it so much that I have an appt today to try and figure it out :mad:
Time to get on with life, I'm a bit impatient! :gitrdun:
 
I always like when people update their threads so I will also...
Yesterday was 3 weeks out from replacement. I had a few set backs mainly from not icing and elevating enough, I didn't understand how often and how high they wanted me to elevate! And the Oxycodone was tough on my system but I had to have it for the pain and to be able to sleep.
One mistake made by the anesthesiologist and nurse was they never turned on my "pick" line delivering pain meds straight to the nerves in my knee. Once they realized it wasn't turned on, I was about to leave hospital and once I got home, it came apart so I never got the benefit of the best pain med of the process.
I've done all exercises as directed and PT guy says I'm doing great every time he comes.
I get Gout occasionally and I have gotten a pretty bad case of it with the Scoped knee a few weeks ago and just this past week with the replaced knee. That's as painful as the operation itself!
I was off of the walker in a couple days, on crutches for maybe a week and then a cane for a couple days and now can walk without anything.
But I have NO stamina! I worked on cleaning up a truck yesterday for a couple hours and had to come in and take a nap! lol
PT guy is going to release me today and my post op appt is next Wednesday.
So now I just have to get meds out of my system and build up my stamina and get back to my exercise routine...and learn to sleep regularly again...
 
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