How long to recover from a total knee replacement?

[Steven Green]

I've looked on the forums and seen more than a few folks who have had this procedure. My question to all of you is how long did it take you to get back to real shop time? I know I'm impatient but not impatient enough to do something dumb. I'm about to lose what's left of my mind with boredom. I mentioned a ladder to my orthpedic surgeon and it took a while even to get him accepting of the idea that I will be on ladders sooner or later.
Bottom line is... How long did it take to be able to be active again?

Thanks

[Ralph Boumenot]

I had my hip replaced and I feel your pain about the boredom. I used the time I couldn't go into the shop to read, surf the internet, and plan my first projects for when I finally got back to the shop. I understand knees take a while longer to heal up then a hip, but I was able to go to my shop 2 weeks after I got home. I couldn't do anything, but it was nice to just look at things and dream.

[Jim Matthews]

Three months, if you do the prescribed post-op therapy.
Longer, if you rush it.

If you can do your shop work seated, on a bar stool, you can get back to joinery and finishing.
You'll end up back in the hospital if you try to throw sheet goods around.

It's the bending and straightening of the joint that concerns the medical staff,
if you over do things and the joint rotates or dislocates - "revisions" are rarely what anyone would call a success.

http://www.wmt.com/kneesite/patients/postopex.asp
http://www.hipandkneeadvice.com/index.php/knee-procedures/revision-knee-replacement/

The real worry in knee surgery is infection - if you're in an environment that you can't keep scrupulously clean, your risk rises.

If it was me (and it isn't) I would spend lots of time in the pool for rehab.
Did you know that they've got pools where women swim, practically nekkid?

You can claim that you were there on Doctor's orders, if The Boss objects.

[Rich Engelhardt]

Did you know that they've got pools where women swim, practically nekkid?

You can claim that you were there on Doctor's orders, if The Boss objects.That sounds almost as good as the time the urologist told me to drink a lot of beer to get rid of a kidney stone :D.
My only problem w/that is that every time I get in a bathing suit, some bunch of Greenpeacers try to drag me into the water screaming about how they "beach themselves for no reason"...

On topic - my good friend Bill had a whole knee replacement go bad on him about five years ago.
Knowing Bill, he rushed getting back on his feet.
He never fully recovered from it & was forced to retire on a disability.
I'd listen to the people above about not rushing it.

['Jacques Malan']

Don't rush it.

My father had one last year, fortunately he listened to the doctors. He is almost back to normal now. He used the free time to teach himself Gimp and to drive me crazy.

But stay of the ladders.

[Robert McGowen]

I had one 5 years ago due to an injury. It took 4 years and 2 subsequent sugeries to completely heal. The problem won't be getting back to the shop physically, it will be getting back to the shop when you are not on pain meds. Also, your knee will swell if you stand on it for very long. It can do this for a very long time, like a year plus. As others have said, do not rush it or you will be asking for trouble on down the line.

[bob svoboda]

I had mine done 7 years ago. I was back riding my bicycle within 3-4 weeks. Best thing I ever did. DO YOUR PT!

[Ed Barnes]

Steve. I've had both of mine replaced. The first in 1997 and the second in 2010. Recovery time will vary with the individual, but the quickest path to being back in the shop is to faithfully do your PT in the therapy center as well as at home. Pain meds were not an issue for me. I used them for about a week, post surgery. The pain was soooo much less from the surgery than it was from the knees prior to surgery there was no comparison. Oh yes there was some pain but my knees did not hurt. Kind of like the old commercial, "Plop, plop, fizz, fizz oh what a relief it is". :) Once your range of motion is back to 100 - 110* your mobility will also improve. Give yourself a few months and you will feel good as new. In time you will also find yourself on a ladder again. Heck you might even find yourself skiing down a snowy mountain side. DAMHIKT.

Best of luck in your recovery.
Ed

[Jim Mackell]

Do your PT, the amount of flexibility you get is pretty much determined in the first few weeks. After that, it's building strength. For me I was about 90% recovered in 6 weeks and fully recovered in about 8 to 10 weeks. Stairs and ladders still make me nervous but it's more in my mind, than in my joint!

[Larry Frank]

I think that a lot depends on your age and your physical condition before the surgery. I have not had a knee done but have had my hip replaced. It took me 3 months before I was able to walk pretty normally and a full year for complete recovery.

I did all the physical therapy and exercises. My doctor warned me about too much activity too soon. He said that the original surgery was one thing but that if I fell and hurt it or damaged it by doing too much too soon that surgery to fix that damage would be much worse. I did not want to go through it again.

[Pat Barry]

Larry, my wife is due for a hip replacement in April and she is very worried about everything. Many people have said they regret not doing it sooner, but 3 months seems like a long time for recovery, sorry it took so long for you to recover. What would you say is the thing that kept you from recovering sooner? Was it the pain from the procedure, or the doctors cautions to take it slow? Also, where was your incision? Anterior or posterior?

[David Helm]

hip surgery recovery is not linear. After about two weeks my wife was able to do most things. It wasn't till about a year later, on a fairly steep hike (coming back down hill) that she was able to consider herself back at 100%. I think adhesions broke loose on that hike.

[Steven Green]

I'm sure part of the problem is that I'm approaching old as dirt. I do pt at home and three times a week at the center as well. Today was the best day I've had so far and I actually got some stuff done. Then the knee swelled up like a poisoned puppy but I pretty much expected that. My fervent prayer is that two or three weeks down the road I can start on the interior of the shop, get turning again, and get some cabinetry finished thats been leering at me for months.
Thanks for the opinions guys everly little bit helps.