Knee Replacement Tips

[RustyTub]

Knee replacement surgery is planned for beginning of next month. Hay is in, feed is bought, shots been given. Anything else y'all can think of as I race towards using a walker for a couple of weeks? Wife is a trooper and is going to be a huge help with chores. PTL for her.

 

[kenny thomas]

I just had major repair but not replacement and i can tell you to do what they tell you.

 

[RustyTub]

I just had major repair but not replacement and i can tell you to do what they tell you.

That's been the consensus from all I've heard from. I certainly plan to.

 

[Brute 23]

My mother goes in for knee replacement surgery during Thanksgiving, also. Some other family members have done it and they said they wish they would have done it sooner. They felt great after.

Good luck. Let us know how it goes.

 

[Redgully]

One of the blokes down the road had his done, walked out the hospital and back at work a week later, went back and had the other done as soon as he could, reckons hes doing things he hasnt in twenty years pain free. Only thing he wont do is climb ladders, reckons the knee loses control on ladder for some reason.

 

[farmerjan]

I had both done at the same time and the biggest complaint is not being able to kneel on them as the nerves are not the same on the front of the knee when they put it back together... I also find that they don't react the same ... not instinctive movement.. like with balance so I understand the guy not wanting to climb ladders..... my chiropractor has a name for it.. so balance sometimes is not quite as good... but overall the lack of pain is the greatest thing... can walk and stand without hurting anymore...
DO THE REHAB and exercises and all that no matter how much it hurts at first... and if you can do pre-op exercises all the better... get the muscles as good as possible so they work better and faster afterwards...
Yep, wish I'd gotten mine done sooner...
One thing, they say that the newer surgery that cuts from the side instead of down the front of the knee does not cause the same super sensitive nerve reaction in the front of the knee... would have liked to have had that done instead... but going forward from here...

 

[farmerjan]

I used a walker for about a week...and went to the crutches as I am just more confident on them... been on them MANY times over the years.... but was down to just using them for a week or 2 and then just a cane for the stability...

 

[Travlr]

Knee replacement surgery is planned for beginning of next month. Hay is in, feed is bought, shots been given. Anything else y'all can think of as I race towards using a walker for a couple of weeks? Wife is a trooper and is going to be a huge help with chores. PTL for her.

The wife has had both done and as others have said wishes she'd done it sooner. GREAT results... and I think because 1. she found a great surgeon... and 2. because she took her exercises VERY seriously.

As mentioned by @farmerjan she can't kneel on the knees. She had a spot that was numb for a couple of years. She was told to be careful about jumping or stepping off high places that might jar the knees. Other than that I can't think of anything worrisome.

The SIL has had a couple of issues with hers. She went to a surgeon that turned out to be a hack. Pain and itching, and hairs suddenly growing where they never grew before. Some kind of nerve issue which was discussed and was considered as a reason to redo the knee. She went to our surgeon, who redoes knees others have messed up, and he told her the problems were related to her hip. He did her hip and the nerve issues disappeared.

My wife went to PT one time, and when she came out she said she could do what they did at home. So she did. She was diligent about it and I think it was important to BE diligent. Now she has a great outcome because she focused on her PT. But if you aren't likely to be rigorous you should go to the professional therapist to do the PT.

 

[wbvs58]

Hope all goes well. I walked out of hospital without any aids and was driving a manual vehicle within a week. I did do my exercises as instructed but I really think it is your attitude, I had work to do so just got on with it, I had no time to convalesce. My surgeon said very few people recover as well as I did.

Ken

 

[SBMF 2015]

Have a neighbor who has had both done this year. One in February so he was back in a tractor by planting and the other after first cutting of hay. He religiously did his pt and what the dr told him and has gotten along great.
One thing he found out (at least in Illinois) you can go to the DVM and get a temporary handicap sticker for your vehicle when you have knee/hip replacement surgery. Saves some steps going to pt.

 

[Nesikep]

I had both done at the same time and the biggest complaint is not being able to kneel on them as the nerves are not the same on the front of the knee when they put it back together... I also find that they don't react the same ... not instinctive movement.. like with balance so I understand the guy not wanting to climb ladders..... my chiropractor has a name for it.. so balance sometimes is not quite as good... but overall the lack of pain is the greatest thing... can walk and stand without hurting anymore...
DO THE REHAB and exercises and all that no matter how much it hurts at first... and if you can do pre-op exercises all the better... get the muscles as good as possible so they work better and faster afterwards...
Yep, wish I'd gotten mine done sooner...
One thing, they say that the newer surgery that cuts from the side instead of down the front of the knee does not cause the same super sensitive nerve reaction in the front of the knee... would have liked to have had that done instead... but going forward from here...

friend of mine is a house builder, he says exactly the same thing, do the physio, and if you have to kneel, always have kneepads because you've lost feeling in the knee and won't know when something ought to hurt
He had one done, then the other, both times he walked into the clinic in the morning, walked home in the afternoon.. pretty dang amazing really

 

[MurraysMutts]

Ride them fences one more time.

And don't forget to mow your lawns!

Best of luck to you!

 

[farmerjan]

@Nesikep ... it is not lack of feeling in the knees but intense pain and sensitivity in kneeling... feels like someone is sticking needles in them... totally HURTS to even put my weight on them... which makes getting up off the ground nearly impossible as I can't "roll over onto my knees to get up" so to speak. Have been told that is the case for many.... super sensitive nerves.
Still, It doesn't hurt to walk or stand and that was nearly unbearable before... I have been told that eventually the sensitivity will lessen...
Not liking it but still preferable to the previous pain and hurt.

 

[klm3030]

I had left knee replaced June 13, I did all the therapy (two weeks home and two weeks away) they said all measurements and movements are OK.
However I am not pain free, maybe 75%. Still can't sleep much at night and walking not fun yet. Overall guess I'm better off but not great.

 

[wbvs58]

@Nesikep ... it is not lack of feeling in the knees but intense pain and sensitivity in kneeling... feels like someone is sticking needles in them... totally HURTS to even put my weight on them... which makes getting up off the ground nearly impossible as I can't "roll over onto my knees to get up" so to speak. Have been told that is the case for many.... super sensitive nerves.
Still, It doesn't hurt to walk or stand and that was nearly unbearable before... I have been told that eventually the sensitivity will lessen...
Not liking it but still preferable to the previous pain and hurt.

Jan, I have that lack of feeling on my knee also and am reluctant to kneel on it. I also think the reluctance is that because the knee was cut down the front I feel vulnerable there thinking it might split open again and not having the feeling I am reluctant to put much pressure on it.

Ken

 

[birdog]

Had my left knee replaced in March. Back at work with restricted duties after 3 weeks. Full duty after 6 weeks. Had to sleep in my recliner the first two weeks as I'm a side sleeper and the pain kept me awake. Installed a grab handle within reach of the toilet to make it easier getting off the seat. Grab handles or bars in the tub/shower might be good. We already had them from when my wife had foot surgery.

 

[Nesikep]

@Nesikep ... it is not lack of feeling in the knees but intense pain and sensitivity in kneeling... feels like someone is sticking needles in them... totally HURTS to even put my weight on them... which makes getting up off the ground nearly impossible as I can't "roll over onto my knees to get up" so to speak. Have been told that is the case for many.... super sensitive nerves.
Still, It doesn't hurt to walk or stand and that was nearly unbearable before... I have been told that eventually the sensitivity will lessen...
Not liking it but still preferable to the previous pain and hurt.

for my neighbor that's not what he has, he can kneel on it fine, he can kneel on a nail and not feel it, which is going to cause damage..

 

[Lucky_P]

Had my right knee replaced in 2017... initial injury, playing high school football, back around 1973... with repeated blow-outs over the following decades, and one knee surgery in 1974 to remove torn cartilage and 'tighten up' joint capsule, etc. I didn't really have significant pain, but the joint was unstable, and radiographs indicated virtually no articular cartilage left.
Wife had one of those cold-therapy deals that circulate ice water through a cuff, from her previous bunion surgery, so we bought the knee cuff, and I used that non-stop for the first couple of weeks. Helped with pain & swelling - and we bought the shoulder attachment and used it when I had both rotator cuffs re-built 6 & 12 months after the knee replacement.
I strongly recommend the cold-therapy deal.

Never really had any significant pain following the replacement, and it's stable... but it is not 'my' knee... and I guess, never will be. Squatting... no way. Kneeling... no issue for me, Range of motion still less than the other 'original' knee, and there's less sideways rotation, to boot - I have a hard time getting my water skis on!
By all means, be religious about doing your PT.

I had loss of skin sensation over a large area following my 1974 knee surgery, that took decades to resolve, but haven't really noticed the same following replacement, and no residual pain.

 

[RustyTub]

I set and accomplished a goal of being back on the jobsite after two weeks. Checked on jobs and looked at new ones yesterday. Trying to schedule AM appointments and not hit full speed just yet. Was up and walking unassisted after three days. I looked like a cerebral palsy runway model, but hey , it's progress.

Couple of things they don't tell you before surgery. One, you're going to have to pee every hour on the hour. Makes sleeping soundly a bit difficult. Two, the place the Doc puts the tourniquet on your thigh is going to hurt like heck...for a long time.

PT provider really knows his stuff and is good at it. Keeping up with home exercises is a must or things just lock up after a day or so. I hit 109 degree reflection (sp?) yesterday. Now to just make it feel normal in everyday life.

 

[Travlr]

I set and accomplished a goal of being back on the jobsite after two weeks. Checked on jobs and looked at new ones yesterday. Trying to schedule AM appointments and not hit full speed just yet. Was up and walking unassisted after three days. I looked like a cerebral palsy runway model, but hey , it's progress.

Couple of things they don't tell you before surgery. One, you're going to have to pee every hour on the hour. Makes sleeping soundly a bit difficult. Two, the place the Doc puts the tourniquet on your thigh is going to hurt like heck...for a long time.

PT provider really knows his stuff and is good at it. Keeping up with home exercises is a must or things just lock up after a day or so. I hit 109 degree reflection (sp?) yesterday. Now to just make it feel normal in everyday life.

Ya know it's not a competition... right?

No one wins if you overdo it and hurt yourself.