re: Six week Knee Replacement Update

Me too but I wasn’t a dumbass. Congrats?

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Me too but I wasn’t a dumbass. Congrats?

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Clearly we weren't doing the same things. No reason to be an idiot.


Let's just say that I was very rough on my body when I was younger and now I'm dealing with that.

My left knee has reached a tipping point over the past year. I'm trying the Knees Over Toes program that was suggested by someone here. Hoping that produces positive results or I may have to pursue medical avenues. (In just two weeks, I've already experience minor improvement.)

My mother had 1 knee done and then the other done 4 months later. She was 84. She lived alone and was able to stay in the hospital a week because of living alone. That made both knee replacements easier on her because they could feed her, bathe her, and PT came to her room 2 times a day. Made it easier on me too because I didn’t have to do all that and stay overnight with her at home. She had no problems with recovering from each one. She has always walked all her life so I think that helped the recovery. She’s 93 now and going strong and very active socially and mentally. I have to constantly tell her not to do things for fear of her falling. I am facing surgery now. Trying to set up an appointment with doctor. If you want to know the best doctor to use talk to a physical therapist because they treat patients that use different orthopedic doctors. I have a niece that is a PT and she suggested the best to use in different towns and ones to stay away from because of infections in patients and lack of taking issues seriously. I’m in central Louisiana so I got suggestions for Alexandria, Monroe, and Shreveport.

The quick discharge after joint replacement is common for a couple of reasons. 1 - studies show that it results in better outcome if the patient is fit like you. 2- Is all about costs and insurance, the hospital and arrangements between your docs and the hospital. In/out quickly assures it's coded as outpatient surgery.

Figured I would give you one more update at 10 weeks

I have one more PT session this week, and that will be it.

I'm not pain free, but its manageable and not all the time.

I can now kneel on the knee for a few minutes at a time on a bed or pillow, but only for a few seconds on a hard surface like the floor. Trying to desensitize the knee.

Also doing strengthening exercises twice a day. I finally got to 0 degrees on straightening my knee last week at PT, which for me is a huge milestone. I got shots in that knee for 8 years, so that knee hasn't been close to straight since 2017

I'm also starting back at my home gym, so will do a lot of strengthening there. I'm walking about 5-7 miles a day, and can do most any of my tasks as long as I don't have to kneel for long. Glad too, because it's about time to prepare for mowing season, and I have to hook up a trailer and unhook it each time I mow.

I sleep pretty well most nights, but I do still have nerve pain off and on all day and night. It's not bad, but sometimes it hurts pretty good. I've learned how to rub it across the lower side of my knee cap and it goes away. I reposition a lot sleeping, so I wake up, but most of the time I can fall back alseep and get maybe 4-6 a night, and that's pretty normal for me.

No more pain meds of any kind including tylenol, and I already feel better. I have 6 weeks till we go on vacation for 2 weeks, so I'm trying to build up all the strength I can, and will try to do some exercises while we are gone.

I still sit with my leg on another chair in my office to stretch it and I ride my exercise bike 4-5 times a day. It still stiffens up on me after sleeping or sitting for a while, but the bike really helps.

Doctor says that at about 12 weeks I should be 80% healed, and entire healing can take up to a year.

It's been a bit of a journey, especially with my popped stitches, but I feel like I'm finally on the downside of this, and am glad I did it. I'll be really glad when I don't have any stiffness anymore, but that can take up to a year, so I just have to be patient.

My other knee will need done in about a year, which for me is perfect, I should be ready for it by then.

If you are considering one, I recommend not waiting too long after your joint needs it. I think waiting so long is why my recovery has been more challenging. When the doc says the other knee is ready, I'm having it done soon after.

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If you are considering one, I recommend not waiting too long after your joint needs it. I think waiting so long is why my recovery has been more challenging. When the doc says the other knee is ready, I'm having it done soon after.

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My MIL had both done at the same time in 2024. She was rocking and rolling within 8 weeks, but she is hard headed as well. Had a couple set backs from trying to be all that she could be, but overall a decent experience.

For the first few days after the good medicine wore off she was cursing herself for doing the surgery, but as the pain subsided and she got stronger, that went away. She was walking on the beach by the end of the summer and has made a few Disney trips where she walked several miles a day. Considering on how she was before, she was like a brand new person.

I will always advocate for having this done. I know that you only did one, but I also always advocate on getting both done at the same time if you have the means and ability to.

Congrats to you and your recovery. You will have a much better quality of life moving forward. "Motion is lotion." Most people agree with you on "I wish I would've done this sooner"

Good luck. Bend and straighten your knee (within reason) as much and often you can. Gain a bit each day.

Quad sets are your friend. If you start to have bad nerve pain, consider what I said innmy OP, either wrap with cling wrap, or buy "leg sleeves" from Amazon. They provide minimal compression, but seem to help with the nerves stinging.

Glad you are healing well. Continued good luck!

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My other knee will need done in about a year, which for me is perfect, I should be ready for it by then.

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You aren’t joking about being from Kentucky.

Folks in Deep South would never say it like that, here it’s “My other knee will need surgery in a year or so.”

Not bad or good, just an observation.