Hello everyone! I had left total hip replacement on April 5. Went for my eight week check up today and I'm doing amazingly well with the hip. Unfortunately my right knee was overcompensating for the left hip for about a year and a half. My right knee is bone on bone and I'm getting a total knee replacement around the end of July. I'm still out of work from my hip and due to go back on July 5. Has anybody gone through this? I have no idea what to expect from a knee replacement. Any help would be appreciated! Thank you and I look forward to the responses! 😎
While you are waiting start strengthening the quad muscles doing leg lifts and tightening the muscles. You can go on u tube and look at the proper method. The stronger your quads the faster the recovery from tkr.
I understand that hip replacements are a piece of cake compared to knee replacements. If you are not in a lot of pain with the knee I would say put it off as long as you can. If I had known how bad this was I would have kept my old knee. The recuperation is a lot longer. Never ending! Ice,rest,elevate and exercise. Day after day!!
Follow your surgeons advice and care. Exercise is important to keep the joint flexible. therapy is also included. Special knee support and Walker or cane is also needed. The recovery time is different for everyone depending on the extent of the damage from OA. Be sure to take pain meds on time . Get a good diet at least 2800 calories a day to heel properly. Most people think this is a good time to diet yet it's the worst time when our bodies need calories to heel.
Do not wait to check with your surgeon if at any point you feel pain, swelling, stiffness, or unusual movement in your knee. Of course, every person is different and recovery periods can vary, depending on a number of factors. A typical full recovery from a total knee replacement is three-four months.
is your knee replacement a custom made joint or a joint sized from the manufacturer that specializes in Several different sizes. Do you know the name of the manufacturer. Good to know then you can look up the components online to better give you a good idea on the size and shape of the components. My doctor took measurements of my knee and sent it to a California manufacturer to custom fit the components to my knee.
Your right on that one.but it goes by fast and my doc made sure I was always taking the appropiate amt of pain meds. I woke up with my knee in a machine moving the joint automatically. It was all explained to me ahead of time, so I knew what to expect.
Evening Lizard....
I had my my left hip replaced in Oct.2013 and all the while my bad hip was doing its thing my knees were paying the price. Changing how I walk and ultimately wore down both knees to bone on bone. My hip replacement was a breeze! Virtually no PT and was up and riding my bike 4 days after Surgery. I had my left knee replaced two weeks ago today and that's going really well. I will say this there is considerable more pain and pt than with a hip.My advise is to strengthen your quad muscles as much as possible before surgery. Stretch your legs every day and work on core strength. Now none of this has to be done but I believe the better strength, flexibility and general pt habits you have before surgery your pt and recovery will be that much easier. I think knees are just a different animal than hips. So plan on a more strenuous recovery and more frustrating times with healing. One thing I did different from my hip surgery than my knee is I got a spinal shot for my knee and opted out for general Anesthesia. I definitely would do the spinal again....you don't feel out of it when you wake up from surgery. So good luck and know it just takes a little more time to heal and every day,after surgery, you will improve and get stronger.
Hello, amazed to hear you could have a knee replacement so soon after the hip, good for you. I haven't got anything helpful to say as I am having my own TKR on July 5, other than to say that having joined this forum about a week ago, I feel totally different about the prospect of the TKR. So posiitve, so helpful and answers for literally every tiny point - I am doing the quad strengthening recommended and just doing something makes you feel like you are in control. I am sure I will rely on it a lot when the op is done!
Good luck, keep in touch and look forward to hearing how it goes.
Hi I have had both hips replaced now, the last one in October last year and I am now 4 weeks on from total knee replacement surgery.....Hips ops are really simple and if they go right easy to recover from, of course the body shock of the sawing, banging and cutting needs time but one the joint is in place relief is immediate.
Not so the knee...it's a bigger op and trauma ditto then the ligaments and muscles need to be exercised immediately, this is so important to maximise the amount of movement you will achieve post op so pain management is an important part of recover as this makes exercise possible, the swelling and stiffness need to be controlled with ice and raising the leg. My advice is have the op and then come back on here for advice and support as and when you need it. My hip op was the same side as my knee op and really has not impacted on my recovery in any way, in fact it would have impeded my recovery if it were not done, as my right knee is at the moment I hope this has helped and given you some courage, I wish you luck with it all Cheers
Hi there,
I also came from the hippie site over to here. I had my THR a year ago and subsequently fractured my trochanter.
My left knee has to be replaced and I'm thinking of going privately just to get the op over more quickly.
I do hope all goes well with you!
Keep us posted.
Annie x