hi. i had surgery done two weeks ago for a TKR and also he fixed a bow leg that apparently i had also but was unaware of till after surgery. i was discharged two days after surgery and in the hospital i was able to walk somewhat. Now that i am home i seem to be swelling up like crazy even tho i am icing the leg and still unable to walk or lift the leg at all. it also at times hurts just having a blanket or pj touching the bottom half of my leg below the knee. It is becoming very difficult to due the exercises that i am able to due to the leg seems to becoming very stiff felling. i went to the hospital, all checked out no issues. has anyone else had this experience? how long before you could actualy walk? i feel horrible and was in a better position prior to surgery even tho i know doing the surgery was the rifht thing to do i am regretting it currently. looking for a lit advise and support of others who may have gone thru this stage too. thanks
hi . firstly congratulations on your new hip .
the swelling is perfectly normal - all part of the healing process of the hip. as part of would healing normally you get inflammation but based on what they actually did during the op this swelling is enormous. mine started abt the 2 week mark but I got both legs swollen - not red or warm may I add. anyway I gained a stone in weight very quickly. at the time the stool I had to lift my leg onto was too high ( hurt hip to try) so I went and lay on my bed abt 4x a day with my leg elevated on pillows. once I’d got the right size stool I just elevated one leg at a time most hours. within 2 days a fair bit of swelling had gone and I’d lost 8 lbs in weight. I had trouble bending my knee enough to get up stairs but I managed it slowly. I’m now just 19 weeks and the dwellings all gone. within abt 6 weeks of the OP my leg had settled it was just my feet and gradually that’s gone too. it does settle. use something to lift your leg up if you can - I got a firm material band thing meant for lifting legs off amazon which helped.
I had the same thing abt anything being on my leg and foot - just slept with my leg uncovered for weeks but it was the summer. try covering just that leg if you can with something very light and thin if you need to cover it. think it’s just your surface nerves in your leg going into over drive 
still try to walk if you can. I’d read you need to move the joint at least every 2 hrs. I didn’t have a problem as such as I live alone so it was a case of I either get up for a cuppa or I go without lol.
one of the best things I did and am still doing t o an extent is keep a diary. that way you can look back and see the progress you’ve made. the first 2 weeks for me were the worst but after that every day there was something new that was better. now it’s probably weekly.
this forums great for any advice and help so dont worry abt asking . theres always someone who’s had the same thing happen
BEST WISHES for your recovery
keep with the icing. Once your bruising has come out you may find it easier. Also elevate your legs, lying flat so that your legs are above your heart. You swell up a bit after the op anyway and it should soon go. Try doing exercises on bed bed first. Also sleep on side of bed, so that operated leg goes off bed first, when you need to get off and use a dressing gown belt as a hoist. It does help. I also used it to help with some exercises. Give it time we all heal differently. You will get there.
Hi Johanna, you mentioned TKR, so is it your knee that you’ve had replaced? If it is your knee, swelling is a big problem, and you can get a special knee ice machine from Amazon. All the best with your recovery.
You would of been given instructions etc before you left hospital. Only putting partial weight on your leg and keeping it elevated. Make sure you keep hydrated it helps with flushing out the drugs given during your operation and also the build up of inflammation. A dear friend of mine still gets swelling on and off two years after her operation, but still managed to walk on cobblestone roads on a recent tour to Scotland.