Compression stockings

Bones, joints and muscles
1

Is anyone wearing compression stocking after having TKR , I have severe swelling and wondered should i wear a stocking

2

I only wore for a few days after surgery . I found ice and elevating almost non stop helped swelling . Hope it comes down for you . It's all so concerning at the early stages .

Debbie x

3

Hi Marie, I am one week out from a TKR, and have compression stockings up to the knees, which I was told to wear for 4-6 weeks.  Elevation and ice really helps, and I've found that the slight compression of the ice held on with a proper strap, also makes a difference.

Good luck, it's so hard but this forum helps immensely

Susie

4

I had to wear them on both legs, even though only one was operated on. I was told it was to prevent DVT (Deep Vien Thrombosis...Blood clots), nothing to do with swelling prevention.  I had to wear them 24/7 but I did 'allow' myself a half hour each day with not wearing them.

At one point, I was in so much pain wearing them, I went to the hospital for them to check things were ok.  Immediately the nurse saw how tight they were, she made me take them off, and said I'd been given the wrong size, and got me some bigger ones.  In hindsight, it was probably the fact that my leg was swelling anyway (it's still swollen 2 years on now), and had sort of outgrown the stockings.

That's my experience anyway.

5

Hi Marie,

​I'm 6 weeks post TKR today. My leg swelled up like a ballon following surgery with such severe bruising. I wore the stockings for two weeks as was more concerned about DVT than swelling. The stockings become uncomfortable so changed them as agreed with the physio for a tuigrip bandage. They was more comfy for me. Hope everything goes well with  your recovery x

6

Thanks Suzie, saw my doctor today and forgot to ask re stocking, he said I was doing good but he added he had never seen so much swelling and could not give a reason why, just told me to keep it elevated as much as possible, i have had two massage sessions and that helped plus she also strapped the top of my leg and that kept the swelling down quite a bit for four days, so when i have massage again at end of week will get that done again, after reading this forum I realize it is going o be a long journey   

but now i just tell myself it will be worth it.

7

At two weeks my local doctor sent me for scan as he was concerned the swelling was a blood clot, but all was clear plus it showed the bakers cyst i had had also burst, so I think I must accept that this swelling is very common and just be thankful that nothing is really wrong and just give myself time to get better, I guess I am just an impatiant cow,,,lol

8

Hi Marie!

I had LOTS of swelling with my left knee TKR! My compression stockings were on for the first two weeks following surgery and came off the day my staples were removed two weeks after surgery. It sure felt good to get those compression stockings OFF!🙌

I iced and elevated, BUT neither really helped much with swelling. ON MY OWN I decided to TRY the compression stockings once again. (I had hand-washed them, line-dried them and put them away thinking I MIGHT need them in the future.)

I put them back on with quite a bit of difficulty, BUT my legs felt better almost immediately, so I knew I had made a good decision to try them again!

I followed this practice whenever swelling occurred for the next several months. I could not achieve success with JUST ice and elevation. The compression was what I needed. Maybe you will find this to be true as well.

Here are some other things I found helpful during g those first months:

1) Drink LOTS of water. It flushes out impurities and extra salt from foods.

2) Take it easy with the salt shaker. We need salt, but too much will cause water retention and SWELLING.

3) Lay on the floor, and put your legs up the wall to REALLY get ELEVATION! (This is my oldest son's method following his long runs and post-competition events.) He showed me an adaptation where I sit at the head of the bed, rotate and put my legs up the headboard to elevate. Works WONDERS as getting down on the floor can be pretty scary for me these days!

I hope these ideas help!

For me, the wearing of the compression stockings provided another bonus-- I was able to GET MOVING which helped me to feel SO MUCH BETTER because I have arthritis in my back, shoulders, hips and fingers. Sitting with ice on makes everything else HURT.

Gotta love all we go through as we age!😲

9

Hi Marie

I had to wear them for 6 weeks on both legs after my TKR.  No dea whether they helped or not but I was too scared not to.

liz

10

It's up to your surgeon. Mine have always mandated 6 weeks but others so they aren't important. As for me, it's a small price to pay for helping avoid blood clotting

11

I was told that I have to wear mine for 6 weeks with only an hour off a day

12

Kathryn, and did wearing the stockings stop the swelling

13

I think it would be fairer to say that they control the swelling. It's still there but manageable. A couple of times I have overdone the walking and the swelling has become so uncomfortable that I've had to take them off but that has been self inflicted ! In general, I never thought I'd say it but when I've had my hour off I'm glad to put them back on !!

14

Thank you Kathryn

15

If you can wear them it is good however I was unable to wear them because they hurt my knee too much. It always swelled anyway.

16

 I'm on my fifth week. I haven't been able to use, I have a lot of inflammation and larger size does not fit me.

 

17

Hi, Marie.  I am 11 weeks post right TKR and use over the knee compression hose on that knee at night when it is swollen.  Lately it has been several nights a week.

18

By the way, the hose really feel good and reduces the swelling tremendously!

19

Thanks for this, I think I will go get one no harm in trying, I will try anything  to get this leg normal,,,lol