It kind of ocurred to me the other day, I've seen lots of comments about the knee being 'heavy' and like concrete, and hard, and lots of other adjectives.
Maybe it's because that's exactly what it is...HEAVY....
Prior to my operation, the sister on the ward explained everything and had an example of the new joint (exactly as would be used to replace my knee)....Which she gave me to have a good look at and sort of 'play' with for a few minutes....I remember thinking at the time..."Jeeees...that's one hell of a lump of metal"...And it was...it was very heavy!
Now I'm no expert on the structure of bones, but I'm pretty sure the bones in our body are fairly light structures, although 'generally' incredibly strong, and it seems to me that the knee replacements are nothing like as light.
I'm wondering if that's why most contributors to this forum refer to their knee as feeling 'heavy'...etc.....Maybe that's because that's exactly what the new knee is...HEAVY!!!!
Any thoughts?
Hi Pete
you are so right about the weight of the metal
we also had a joint passed around and both myself and my daughter were surprised at how heavy it was
i suppose we all describe the knee as feeling heavy ...if that was the only issue we would get used to carrying this lump of metal around...it's the pain that's hard to deal with and the sleepless nights.
Jean
hahaha....Yes Jean...I get that as well....Although the sleeping has definitely improved of late....and I'm not taking nearly so many pain killers, just a few paracetamol as and when I feel I need them, which isn't every day.
But going back to the weight. I'm not sure whether it's just habit or what, but lets say to put a pair of socks on, I find myself lifting my leg (with my hands) onto the bed, rather than just lifting the leg, because it 'seems' overly heavy. Maybe it's just that I need to build the muscles up more in my thighs, I don't know.
I think we don't realise that we've not been using the leg muscles properly for years so they need building up.
Yes, I guess that's a valid point!
Thank god for that. I wondered why I hadn't lost as much weight as I thought! I am officially heavy boned.
I'm sure we have to build up our muscles again and my hamstrings have all tightened because I wasn't walking properly before the op so that doesn't help. Must admit I can get it on the bed ok but I can't bend it to paint my toe nails! 😃
Yeah....I have a nightmare painting my toes too....
Lol my daughter painted my toenails for me
and Oh! Dear ...I've lost quite a bit of weight since the op and the weight of this joint means I've lost even more than ever ....Where's the Chocolate. Need it 
The only part of this surgery I am looking forward to (having TKR on the 28th) the weight loss. Will weigh myself the night before I go in, and hopefully will feel well enough to weigh myself as soon as I am up on the ward, that way I may be able to report back the difference in the weight of metal as apposed to bone! Still dreading the aftermarth of the surgery.
Hahahaha....Maybe it's me, but I do sometimes have some 'random' thoughts. I was actually going to ask the surgeon if I could keep the parts of bone they cut out....I have no idea why....Just a random thought I had.....I suppose it was loosley related to having 'bits' of me taken away, and the finality of it, and not being able to get them back...Is that weird?...Actually yeah. It probably is.
In regard to the aftermath of the surgery, I suppose looking back (had mine back in May)....The pain and troubles I and everyone else has, has just gotta be better than the pain I was in prior to the operation. Because before the operation, there is no end...and it's only going to get worse. Whereas the prospect of getting back some lind of normality (eventually)...at least there's light at the end of the tunnel.
I'm a week in front of you Liz my TKR is 21st November
All the best to you and. Liz
Hi,
My surgeon recently showed me an example of the 'Vanguard' knee which he had put in me! I commented on the weight and he told me that I would be surprised just how heavy what he had taken out was, and that the two were balanced - so that my 'net' weight would be the same!!!
I wasn't aware there were different types.....Do they vary?.....never heard of the term 'vanguard' before.
Pete as I have mentioned several times I had to have a revision (replaced the original tkr) in Jan 2013. The day after I got carried away with things as to be mobile and getting on with the program. I was attempting to put on some underwear without help and fell and broke the femur on the bad leg. Next day theu put in an 18" plate with 4 screws in the knee and 4 screws in various areas that went nearly all the wayy through the femur. It was supposed to be a lifetime insertion but it got to the point the skin my knee was so inflammed they went ahead andd pulled the hardware 10 mnths later. I did talk the doc into saving me one of the screws from the knee ( 2 1/2" inches long), I have been working on the wording for a plaque commemorating the way I got screwed at that medical facility
I agreed to go on a survey for my surgeon and the new knee was made specifically to fit my knee ...well if this knee is special they can keep the bloomin thing ,... It's causing me untold pain ...
Was I screwed or was I not
the screw made my knee really hot
in they went causing me pain every day
so here on this plaque they're on display
Hi Peter you make a very good point there. I think perhaps we are so caught up with the pain, not sleeping and excersises that we forget we do have quite a heavy foreign body in place of a knee to contend with. I wonder if I will ever be the same again? I'm not afraid of the new knee giving way. But I do know its a damn site different from the real thing. Take care from tucks 12weeks.
