New knee

Every time you sit down please make sure the leg is elevated and when it is, at least move your ankles. Your knee will feel very heavy but that is to be expected.

Hi again.
I have started to go out and about the last 2 days. My knee started to swell. I’ve put ice on and back on pain killers but what I’m most worried about is how tight it is compared to a few days ago. Sitting on the loo is painful. I know I’m not walking normally as there is this awful weight on my knee! All the physios seem happy how far I can bend it but it feels different. It’s been 4 week and 2 days. Am I expecting too much? I read somewhere that someone walked 3 miles after 3 weeks! I’ve hyper mobile hips so am unsure if that makes a difference. One physio was unsure! 🤞🤞Any comments gratefully received. Thanks

Bluedaisy

I’m in hospital now , had new knee Wednesday. Expect pain so you want to be loose and cool. Good luck 🤞

Both knees - my pain from TKR was over in 2 weeks, I went to physio often and was back on dog walks in a month. I drive and ski, all nearing 80.

Good luck - work hard at recovery, it's worth the effort!

Glad it’s all done Bluedaisy onward and upward.

This morning I did a 1 and a half mile walk. A little back ache at the end but 3 weeks ago I couldn’t walk more than a few yards without awful pain.😁

Home soon Bluedaisy? Take it easy.

I’m in hospital now , had new knee Wednesday. Expect pain so you want to be loose and cool. Good luck 🤞

Dinahmo

pen50

a piece of elastic half way up your thought will slip. Just love this!

Aargghh, the perils of predictive text.

More enlightened physios are now saying that exercise is pointless until swelling has gone down. Best things to reduce swelling are ice and elevation plus, of course, walking around. This helps to dissipate the fluids that have built up to protect the joint.
The very poor physio that I saw after my first knee used to say I should take painkillers first before forcing my poor knee. All wrong but I didn't know any better then.

Very interesting, Aveline. I think force makes it worse as well as not doing anything! Moving is best and gentle exercises.
I think we all know at this stage of life what works!! I will certainly take on board folks advice but also listen to my body!
Thanks so much 💐

Aveline I don’t believe physios would want you to not ice and elevate and walk. Force is not ever on the agenda. Or at least it shouldn’t be.

Completely disagree re doing the exercises! I did this with my first tkr and this led to inflammation and development of adhesions. I ended up having manipulation under anaesthetic. You simply can't bend a full hosepipe just as you can't bend a swollen knee. Concentrate on reducing swelling by icing and elevating and just walking about.
My next tkr I did NO exercises and just did as I said above. Absolutely no problems. The surgeon agreed with me. NICE guidelines research showed no difference in recovery patterns between those who did exercises as stipulated by physios and those who did not.
Take it easy. Never force your bend. Walking is what knees are designed for so keep doing that when not icing and elevating.

Day 3 and feeling fragile!
Off main strong killers and doing the exercises.
Abit scary and when home maybe more so! Hubby/ carer is poorly!
Thanks for your encouragements 🤞💐

I agree that nighties in hospital are much easier. You usually have ‘cuffs’ on your lower legs to prevent blood clots, making even loose trousers impossible. If they want you to get dressed then a lightweight dress or skirt is good. Once home then loose trousers or shorts are okay. Good luck!

As Deedaa says, DO ALL the exercises they give you, and frankly, try and do some extra.

Definitely nighties in hospital, less bother. I went for longer ones from M & S. You will also need something to wear for physio - long shorts if you can face them or baggy joggers although I think a skirt would be OK. The physio will need to see how your leg moves. Slippers with backs, not mules to help with walking.

At home, I lived in wide leg trousers but make sure they are the right length to stop you tripping over them. Soft fabrics that don't bash your knee are good. Good luck!

pen50

a piece of elastic half way up your thought will slip. Just love this!

I wore a nightie and dressing gown in hospital. At home either a skirt or baggy pj bottoms

I've had both mine done. Nighties and skirts/dresses are much, much easier. If you need leg coverings, get some hold up stocking from M&S (they do opaque 40 denier black ones) which are much, much easier to get on than a pair of tights (or indeed, trousers). Get them at the longer end of your size range and make sure you get the elastic right up to your crotch to ensure they don't slip (and don't use creams or talc round there). The photos they use lie; a piece of elastic half way up your thought will slip.

Mr GO had both knees replaced last year within the space of a few months. He lived in loose light weight tracksuit bottoms, or a pair of those trousers which zip off at the calf /knee, though obviously as a chap he wouldn't have wanted to wear a nighty or skirts.
Best of luck with it, and do the exercises after, as that makes a huge difference to how successful the replacement is - he has full function again and can kneel back on his.

Also re clothes: it was summer and I ended up cutting off the legs of my trousers to let the air at my scar and also because I couldn't bear fabric rubbing on it. Some unexpected visitors got quite a fright at the ghastly sight!

Blimey. Lots of input in France. Apart from a visit to the practice nurse to remove staples I had one phone call from the surgeon 8 weeks after the op to see how I'd got on. Luckily all was well after my second tkr.

My DH (aged 77) had a new knee back in May. He went to a convalescent home but hated it and so came home early. This meant that a nurse came in every day for 2 weeks to check on wound and, for a few days to give him an anti coagulant injection.

Since he came home he has had physio twice a week and is still having it. This is to build up the muscles in his leg which had wasted during the period before the op. He can lift his right leg backwards and touch his bottom. I think the physio is trying for a similar result with the left leg with the new knee.

Before the op he was walking with a stick for some time and then two sticks. Now he walks normally.

We live in France and are very grateful for this treatment. One of my friends in England fell over and smashed her right elbow. She is paying for physio because she can only get an appointment with the NHS once a month.

Good luck with your op. It will be worth it.

I wore a knee length nightie, while in bed after op because they often have a cryocuff, and pump machine and need access to it on your leg. Coming home I wore a maxi skirt, it took me months before I could bear anything like trousers on the knee

I had a new hip in February, my 2 room mates had knees done, we all wore nightdresses and loose dresses in the day, much easier to go to the loo in a dress, rather than tackle trousers up and down, also be prepared for a lot of swelling and dressings, best wishes to you for monday x

This made me laugh 😂