Knee replacement
- Thread starter ruxCYtable
- Start date
My wife had one and she is a wimp on anything physical and it went really well. Suprised me. 70 and over weight.
Mom had one a year ago and it went fine. She had some issues with pain meds after for a couple weeks but I think once that was straightened out it was better.
Make sure you have a comfy couch. That's where she spent most of her time with leg propped.
Make sure you have a comfy couch. That's where she spent most of her time with leg propped.
My dad had them both done in the last 6 months.
DO. THE. REHAB/PT. The first few days suck. Use the ice machine. Do the exercises. Stay as active as you can.
He's had fantastic outcomes but he was absolutely militant about keeping moving after having a friend that wasn't who ended up with a terrible outcome.
He's 6 weeks past the 2nd one and he wishes he'd had done it 5 years ago. Life changing.
DO. THE. REHAB/PT. The first few days suck. Use the ice machine. Do the exercises. Stay as active as you can.
He's had fantastic outcomes but he was absolutely militant about keeping moving after having a friend that wasn't who ended up with a terrible outcome.
He's 6 weeks past the 2nd one and he wishes he'd had done it 5 years ago. Life changing.
Push the PT to the max, short of causing more swelling. You can't hurt the new knee by doing too much, but you can delay the healing by overdoing it. The exercises will hurt at first, but power through and once it gets warmed/loosened up, it will feel better and you can do more.
P.S. verify all of this with your doc! I'm no expert, just a big believer in active healing.
P.S. verify all of this with your doc! I'm no expert, just a big believer in active healing.
My dad had it done a couple of years ago. It went very well for him (he was diagnosed with Parkinson's not long after, but the knee seems to be working fine).
Do the PT. He found that he had more pain when he was using the ice machine, so if you have the ice machine and the pain is still pretty high after couple of days, maybe stop using it for a bit.
You are probably younger than him (he was 72), but he did the surgery at a small hospital and where he could get admitted for the night vs. having it done as an outpatient. It made it much easier for him and my mom to have the nurses around for the first night and especially to get him up and walking.
But the most important thing is to do the PT consistently and for as long as they want you do. And take your pain meds---if you are in less pain you are more likely to get moving and help the healing process. No need to be a hero with the pain meds.
Do the PT. He found that he had more pain when he was using the ice machine, so if you have the ice machine and the pain is still pretty high after couple of days, maybe stop using it for a bit.
You are probably younger than him (he was 72), but he did the surgery at a small hospital and where he could get admitted for the night vs. having it done as an outpatient. It made it much easier for him and my mom to have the nurses around for the first night and especially to get him up and walking.
But the most important thing is to do the PT consistently and for as long as they want you do. And take your pain meds---if you are in less pain you are more likely to get moving and help the healing process. No need to be a hero with the pain meds.
Brother did one knee at 66, the other at 70.
He was very diligent with PT and had zero problems. He is super athletic and that is what happened to his knees, years of tennis, basketball, and running. He is usually a pain in the ass, but he was a great patient!
He was very diligent with PT and had zero problems. He is super athletic and that is what happened to his knees, years of tennis, basketball, and running. He is usually a pain in the ass, but he was a great patient!
My wife had one. As others say, follow all doctor orders. Get all PT done. And know that you will be getting around pretty good after several weeks but it is really about a year later when you finally feel like you are fully recovered, completely functional, able to kneel, treat it like a real knee, etc.
My left hip will be 15 years old on April 30, left 8 years old on August 28.
I played city league and over 30 league hoops until I was 46. Started officiating hoops at 48, high school the last 14 years. Had my first replacement at 51.
I should have had the first one 5 years earlier with the arthritic pain I was in. I had no pain issue with the second one but could feel it slopping around the joint. Hooked up with my ortho specialist/faculty member at UIHC. He examined it and asked when I wanted to schedule the replacement. Very little post-surgery follow up on the second.
Get in the best physical shape you can before surgery. That will mitigate the biggest post-op issue of soft tissue pain. Post surgery, the joint pain is gone. The stronger the muscle/tendon surrounding the joint, the easier the recovery.
I played city league and over 30 league hoops until I was 46. Started officiating hoops at 48, high school the last 14 years. Had my first replacement at 51.
I should have had the first one 5 years earlier with the arthritic pain I was in. I had no pain issue with the second one but could feel it slopping around the joint. Hooked up with my ortho specialist/faculty member at UIHC. He examined it and asked when I wanted to schedule the replacement. Very little post-surgery follow up on the second.
Get in the best physical shape you can before surgery. That will mitigate the biggest post-op issue of soft tissue pain. Post surgery, the joint pain is gone. The stronger the muscle/tendon surrounding the joint, the easier the recovery.