Knee Replacement

[Ronald Blue]

I had a knee replaced yesterday. I know doing exercises at home and all the physical therapy is crucial to getting back to normal. Well I should say hopefully back to a point where walking and steps aren't painful. As I understand it from my limited knowledge they've made great strides in joint replacement. This is basically a cap that fit's over the femur and tibia. It should when I hope after the pain subsides make it much easier to be active. I also feared that if I didn't get it taken care of I would overload the other knee because of using it more. Sometimes going up a ladder and occasionally steps using only the good knee to take the pressure off the bad one. As has been mentioned before getting old isn't fun. I try to tell young and new employees in my job that work smarter not harder. So don't be a "macho man" and lift things to show you can. Our trucks have cranes for a reason. I will do updates for anyone who might be interested. My first therapy session is this afternoon.

[Bill Dufour]

How does it work for insurance. Seems like they would say it is not too bad yet. We will not pay for a new knee yet. Was it a big fight to get the insurance to agree you need a new one?
Bill D

[Paul F Franklin]

Good luck with your PT! Several family members have had double knee replacements and results have been good. My 75+ year old b-i-l was a ranked table tennis player before his knees got too bad. He's returned to playing now, about 6-8 months since the second knee was done and is doing pretty well. He's easing back into it slowly of course. His wife is a retired occupational therapist so I'm sure that helped with his rehabilitation, but he was a real trooper with doing the prescribed exercises and stretches. I understand the first month or so can be pretty tough, but is also when the therapy is most important for good long term results. Again, good luck to you.

[Ronald Blue]

How does it work for insurance. Seems like they would say it is not too bad yet. We will not pay for a new knee yet. Was it a big fight to get the insurance to agree you need a new one?
Bill D

No issues with insurance. Approval was pretty quick.

[Tom M King]

My Mother had a knee done at 92, and a hip at 98. She got along fine with both. She said the worst thing about the knee was that she put it off too long.

[Michael Weber]

Wife loves both of her’s. Must be 15 years now and she couldn’t step off a curb or walk on uneven ground due to pain. A year later she was walking with me along the rough rocky coast of Oregon.

[Lee Schierer]

I have had two partial knee replacements and each one took a year to get "back to normal". My doctor prescribed 3 weeks of resting flat on my back, with my knee elevated most of the day and ice packs on the knee. I had several exercises that I was to do that started out slow and worked to get the knee flexing back to the original or better angle. I could get up every 2-3 hours and move around, eat, exercise etc. Then I had 6-8 weeks of rehab. No driving for 3 months. I used the pain killers for about 3 days. The second day after surgery was the worst of it.

Currently I can walk as far as I want when I want. I can climb up and down ladders, but prefer not to. I am mostly pain free, far far better than before. I can kneel down on my knees if I want. It is uncomfortable on harder surfaces. I purchased some really good gel knee pads that allow me to work on my knees as required. I can ride a bike. The suggested giving up running and jumping. I have as much or more flexibility than before. I used the cane and walker as advised. I extended the walking time a bit each day. I had full bending angle by the end of 3 weeks.

Two bits of advice. Do all the exercises and PT, I usually did 10% more than the PT guy wanted. The PT guy advised me to regularly massage the skin around on my knees so that it didn't attach to the underlying scar tissue (Move your skin on your knees by the incision around in a circular motion like your skin moved before surgery)

[Bill Dufour]

The 5-10 people I know who got a hip or knee repalced all said they wished they had done it 5-10 years earlier.
BIL had his knee repalced. Went to pt one time to learn the exercises. Rather then a copay every other day he bought a used exercise bike and some equipment like dumbells, pvc pipe, elastic bands etc. He did the math it was cheaper then the copays would pay for a month or two.
As others have said the trick is to do the pt and continue or it will never unfreeze. Many do the pt for a week, feel better, stop and never get back all the lost motion. They just get back to a little better motion then before but with no pain and feel that is good enough at their age. They think that is as good as can be expected.
Bill D

Joints, muscles and brain are all the same, use it or lose it.

[lowell holmes]

I feel blessed to not having experienced the pain you fellows have.
I don't normally complain, but I surely will not in the future.
When we read posts in the creek, we have no way of knowing.

I did have a heart attack over 20 years ago and after stents were inserted in my heart I read a book on fitness walking. I eased into it daily, but I normally walk 3/8 to 1/2 mile each morning.

[Ronald Blue]

Just returned from the first PT session. I'm hurting right now. Hoping it eases up soon. They gave me "homework to do. He said the pain I'm mostly feeling now is from the surgery. But as has been said you have to push the envelope to get full range of motion back. Today was going through the exercises and taking measurements so progress can be charted.

[Bruce Wrenn]

Just returned from the first PT session. I'm hurting right now. Hoping it eases up soon. They gave me "homework to do. He said the pain I'm mostly feeling now is from the surgery. But as has been said you have to push the envelope to get full range of motion back. Today was going through the exercises and taking measurements so progress can be charted.

Over eight years into bi-lateral knee replacements. Yeah, I had them both done at the same time. Once and done. Spent 11 days in rehab, and then at home exercises for a month. Took about five months for complete recovery. Still have some pain, especially across the tendon down the front of the knees, with right being worse than left. Most days you would never know I had replacements. On some days, others tell me I should consider having knees replaced, after seeing me walking. Standing in one place, as in line, kills my knees. 800mg IBP daily to ward off pain. Forget to take it, and next day I pay for it. Prior to replacement, by 2:00 PM, I was done for the day. Still don't stand for singing of hymns in worship service. Basically do what I want, but know my limitations.

[Frederick Skelly]

Hope you feel better soon Ronald.
Fred

[Ronald Blue]

Bruce that's a lot for one to do all at once. I'm not sure I could handle both being done at once. I've had several tell me it's much better a few weeks in. That stick to the therapy and home exercises and it will soon be much better. Fred thanks for the words of encouragement.

[Jim Becker]

Ronald, there will obviously be some pain initially...it's still major surgery in a sense that has some trauma involved. But almost everyone I know that's had the replacements has been very positive and recovery is remarkably fast with therapy and personal commitment. Please do keep us posted here in this thread about your progress. There are many of us who will likely face similar needs over time, myself included, so knowing how things progressed with you will be a helpful data point. Heal quickly!

[Bruce Wrenn]

Bruce that's a lot for one to do all at once. I'm not sure I could handle both being done at once. I've had several tell me it's much better a few weeks in. That stick to the therapy and home exercises and it will soon be much better. Fred thanks for the words of encouragement.

On the exercises, if they recommend ten reps, do them. Then later do them again. In rehab, my room was next to physical therapy area. During the night, when I couldn't' sleep, got up and did a a set of exercises. My home visits were ended when therapist asked if I could walk ( using walker) to area light at turn in driveway. (Our drive is 800' long.) Told her "Sure, as I had just went out and got the mail." That was my last visit for therapy. One thing that helps is to get a second walker, and walk it up to toilet, and leave it there. This way you have a set of handles to help you up. When getting out of a chair, if you can't make it, just fall back into chair. Because I had bi- lateral, my conditions were different from yours. If doc doesn't order an ice machine for your knee, check with friends and see if anyone has one. Freeze water bottles and use them in place of ice.