👯‍♀️👯‍♀️Hips and Knees part 4 👯‍♀️👯‍♀️

First I walked around the house (like a teddy bear!) then I began to walk around the garden then I began to use our first escape stairs up and down. All good practical real exercise! After all that's what our legs are for.

After TKR the hospital physio preached exercises, forced my poor leg into all sorts of painful positions. Sent me away with an exercise sheet. After a couple of weeks I took my knee and the exercise sheet to a private physio who has known me and my various problems for ten years. She was horrified. Said throw it away. Gentle stretching, ice and elevation plus normal walking around was recommended. I followed her advice and all was well. My surgeon agreed with her at the six week check, said nothing more needed.

Walking round the garden ( like a teddy 🐻) is enough for now.
I know you are keen but really, please don’t overdo things so early on.

I think I probably overdid the exercises yesterday, so just going to have a quieter day today. Will walk round the garden and just be a bit lazy.

I'm always saying on this thread that you don't have to do physio exercises. I've had one tkr where I faithfully did them and needed a manipulation under anaesthetic caused by the inflammation this gave rise to and one with just icing, elevation and walking about. Forcing a swollen knee simply doesn't work. I discussed this with the surgeon and he agreed with me and pointed to the research supporting this. Don't let physios make you feel bad. You should never have to take painkillers before physio.

For those waiting for appointments.
Because my initial hip referral was ‘lost’ I asked and was referred to a local private hospital (on the nhs,) by my surgery and was seen fairly quickly.
I would have preferred my local nhs hospital but was in pain and couldn’t wait. From the first appointment to my operation was 4 months.

crazyH I would get on the waiting list asap. A lot depends on where you live but in my neck of the woods, the lists are ridiculously long. I waited 11 months for an ENT appointment and that was just to be seen.

Please choose your surgeon carefully.

It’s my left knee but I am now on the Suffolk hip pathway ( I ask you!) for my right hip.

So am I - will need one sooner or later. My Right Knee is giving me a lot of trouble

Watching with interest - TKR due early next year.

Those who have had recent knee replacements exercise when the leg is elevated and that helps to keep the dreaded DVT at bay. It need only be rotating your ankle hourly and doing SLRs (straight leg raises) for more movement. I still do it and my last TKR was 2018.

I cannot walk more than 1/2 mile and that is for other reasons + I am not a spring chicken.

Sounds like you are doing well grannysyb. Early days, keep using the ice pack.

Still at DDs, managing to walk without crutches in the house and am trying to do the exercises, hard work! The hospital gave me ice packs which are put into a bag which is strapped round the knee, these help a lot. I find one of the worst things is being so stiff in the morning. Going for a dressing change and physio on Thursday 2 weeks post op, and then I will go home

I wasn’t suggesting running a marathon at 11 day I think your body knows what it is capable of but some sort of movement even if not weight baring keeps the blood pumping to aid with the healing process and lessen the odds of blood clots

Yes , use it or lose it is right , but at 11 days go easy

Sounds curt but remember the old saying use it or loose it. Two hips down the line and forgotten they are not my own but i know people who don’t exercise and do their physio who never really get back to relative normality.

Love your name DiggingDoris I’ve only had a hip done years ago , but I remember the first fortnight with less than delight !
I agree , do the minimum exercises , but do some

3000 posts, so far, so a great deal of experience of hips and knees, well probably more about hips as that’s what I was having when I started the thread last winter, but knees have joined and are most welcome.
I would agree about not overdoing exercise so early DD, take it slowly and keep moving but not too strenuously.
18 months on, I wouldn't be without my long handled shoe horn. In fact I have acquired a selection of different length shoe horns.

Diggingdoris That last message was intended to have your name on it from me!

My new right total knee replacement was 9 February. Then I had right total hip replacement in August. I too have husband in not good health, so understand your frustration.
You just have to take a day at a time, make sure you have equipment to help you, try and do your exercises, even a little. The meds are strong in the early days, it’s hard to get decent sleep. Speak to your GP. I came off Codeine and was given Naproxen. Now I just have paracetamol when needed.
Keep writing on here, I found a wealth of useful help.

Diggingdoris your DH is not in his 1st flush of youth and neither am I. Do not overdo the exercises, it will not get you anywhere. Ice and elevation are the best. Time also is a good healer.

DD you are barely 10 days post op and don’t need a kick anywhere. Hope the physio appt goes well tomorrow and you can ease up on the medication. 💊

Thank you silverlining a great support group 😊

Thank you for setting up page 4.

Yes my knee is new. Operation was 15/11 so very early days.
I'm trying to be good and doing exercises every day, but not as many as they suggest. My first session with the physio tomorrow so will see if all is well. The medication zonks me out so I feel lazy and lifeless all the time. I'll discuss that tomorrow as well.
Good luck to those of you in the same boat as me. Patience is a virtue, and I remember from 7 years ago when the other one was done that it's slow and sure that wins the day! I'm just getting frustrated as my husband is in ill health so can't/won't do much to help. I so want to be back to normal!
I need a kick up the pants!