Will I be able to use the stairs after being discharged from hospital after my knee replacement?

Bones, joints and muscles
1

I am on the waiting list to have my right knee replaced in approximately 2 months time.

Can anyone tell me if I will be able to get up the stairs to go to bed?Luckily  I have a downstairs bathroom, but just wanted to know will I be able to get up the stairs or will I have to sleep on the settee?

 

2

Hi there

i moved to the bedroom downstairs to cater for my knee replacement. They teach u how to do stairs before you leave. You probably could very carefully and slowly but I'm thinking you ay not want to because for the first 2 weeks it is quite painful. I reckon you make up the sofa. With a bit of luck you'll be on enough medication that you won't care where you sleep. I was independently mobile on leaving hospital after the first week so I guessit would have been possible if I was in a situation where I had to but I'm glad I wasn't

3

Hi there

i moved to the bedroom downstairs to cater for my knee replacement. They teach u how to do stairs before you leave. You probably could very carefully and slowly but I'm thinking you ay not want to because for the first 2 weeks it is quite painful. I reckon you make up the sofa. With a bit of luck you'll be on enough medication that you won't care where you sleep. I was independently mobile on leaving hospital after the first week so I guessit would have been possible if I was in a situation where I had to but I'm glad I wasn't

4

You will no tbe discharged from hospital until you can walk up and down stairs. I slept upstairs and came down every day from the start. My wife had both knees replaced at the same time a few years ago, and she came down stairs daily. the exercise, though painful, is good for you.

5

Thank you Gloria, if at all possible I would like to sleep in my own bed upstairs! As I said my bathroom is downstairs so I can stay downstairs all day and just go up to bed at night if  I can make it?

6

Thank you Peter, it was so good to hear that you could use the stairs straight away!

7

Hi

I. Had knee replaced on 14.5.14, back T home since 21.5.14, I can assure you you will have no problem in using stairs.

Good Luck

Grace

8

Thank you Grace, hope you are recovering ok? 

9

you sure will , i worried about that too , had mine done in feb this year and have two lots of stairs to get to my bed one of which has a 180 degree turn , i found them no problem at all just one step at a time and slowly ,

10

Maybe not straight away. I was taught one step after a couple of days but that was only like a step that is as high as the step you use in aerobics. I managed that ok but if you have to go upstairs to your bedroom that maybe a bit different.  I was asked that question when I went to pre-admission clinic by the occupational and physiotherapist. Don't know what is is like in UK, i'm from Sydney but would imagine it would be the same.  Good luck.

11

hi kim , things must be a little different in the uk as were not allowed home till you have done a full set of stairs , im now 12 weeks post op and have two sets of stairs of which ive done every day since up and down , were got up the same day and are expected to walk to the bathroom on day two , find it interesting to see how other places do the same op and how the recovery takes place

 

12

Hi Debbie, I must confess now I think about it apart from the little step I did have to go up and down about 4 steps in the physio.  I was  also out of bed next day and walking with a  high frame, again expected to go to the bathroom but I didn't mind that as I'm not one to use a pan so that was ok by me. It also enabled me to get out of the room when I had visitors. i had a set back in hospital as the wound wasn't healing as it should, it was still leaking. I had this dressing called a Pico that had a transmitter attached to it. It was supposed to encourange the healing from the inside ???  I didn't have a drain as such. But with the wound not healing and closing it made my physio a bit behind as I had to keep the leg straight.  I had to go back in for a couple of days to enable it heal. Apart from the tightness and still a bit of swelling and the hot feeling I'm doing ok, still just the nights are uncomfortable but thats manageable. I'm hoping to start hydrotherapy soon. They say ( whoever "they" are) say that is very good. So I will keep doing waht I'm supposed to do and wait and see.  Cheers smile

13

that sounds good to me ,i had crutches the next day , was given a frame and only did about 5 meters with iy then my crutches all the time , i found sleeping on my back was best with a pillow under my knees . as for the hydrotherapy well thats great ,i did 6 weeks before  i had my knee done , was swimming up to 2 miles a day,now ive just got up to a mile a day so just taking time to pick up before the other knee , cant say im pain free but i do think when thats done i will get back to normal as my good knee is now helping the bad one and causing pain in both or so they say , enjoy the water its really nice .x