Having knee replacement: how to prepare and questions about PT

I love they electric ice pad I used. I was able to do recovery with no narcotics.

Hi ronnie3716. My therapy started as soon as I was out of recovery. They don't want your leg to get stiff. I had surgery on Fri and my formal therapy started on the following Monday. 🙂 Good luck!!

My PT began following day and they overdid it grossly. I am still in<br />
constant pain after 4 years. Be careful!<br />
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I had a knee replaced 1-1/2 years ago. I have always been active walking and<br />
exercising so that was of great benefit. My physical therapy started the<br />
same week, within about 2 days after I came home. Everything went well. I<br />
never used a walker or cane after discharge from the hospital.<br />
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Good luck to you!<br />
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Blessings,<br />
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DOT<br />
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The things we take for granted, others are praying for!<br />
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My dad had both knees done at once.he spent a week in the city where he had his surgery.then transferred to anlocal hosoital for 6 weeks for therapy and then came home and still had another 4 weeks of therapy. It was a long road...not as easy as he had thought.he is doing great..6 years later.best thing he ever did for himself but very difficult.be prepared and make sure you have lots of help. Good luck.<br />

I'd recommend starting PT now if you haven't already. Then they started PT<br />
in the hospital, and I continued once I was released. It is tough, but the<br />
stretching, etc, that they teach you before surgery will help with your<br />
recovery!<br />

Go to Youtube and search for pre-operative knee replacement exercises. Most important try to lose a lot of weight,don't worry if you can't. I also recommend stationary biking before and after. Make sure seat is pulled up high enough so there is not too much bend. Keep resistance low and increase gradually as you recover...spin rather than push. You can probably find on Youtube the correct way to ride stationary bike,i.e.angle of knee bend which is a function of seat height. I have had two knee replacements ,one full one partial and a hip at Mayo.Mayo did not put a lot of emphasis on PT, though they had me walking with assistance the same day and next day taught me how to walk up and down steps...very important to try to avoid steps as you put 3 times your weight on your knees when you use steps. The full knee was very difficult for me,partial easy and hip easy. I went to physical therapy a couple times but quit as the therapy was not good. As an active Iyengar yoga practitioner I knew what they were doing was wrong; I went back to my yoga practice and if interested you will understand better why by searching Iyengar yoga, its not like flow hatha yoga, props are used in Iyengar. PT is in great demand because of the aging baby boomers and because of this after an initial session with a therapist they hand you off to an assistance (usually a young person) who in my opinion lacks the experience that is needed for good PT. That is why Mayo probably doesn't rely heavily on PT...they recommend basic walking and stationary biking and staying OFF steps. Mayo is of course #1 in orthopedics and by searching "knee replacement Mayo" much info will pull up.You can also do same on Youtube for videos After two replacements and hip at Mayo .I'm a very active 70 senior (big guy 6' 225 lbs.) who takes daily Zumba classes yoga and Pilates three times per week...blessed with good genes, except for arthritis and fortunate to being able to go to Mayo, Minnesota...I live in Richmond. p.s. Since your operation is not until June I would make sure your doctor is OK...get two more opinions if you can. All doctors not the same and I encounter people many times who have had problems with knee operations. Remember there is much demand because of baby boomers, many dollars to be made. Two doctors I saw for the total knee replacement in Richmond recommended immediate surgery. At Mayo after getting much better diagnostics the doctor told me to do NOTHING. I could wait and I would KNOW when I needed the surgery (pain,mobility etc.). Mayo doctors are not paid on commission but salary so they have no incentive to "push" operations.So I was able to put off my surgery for another 2 years...the older you are the greater probability you will die before you will need additional surgery...my doctor told me that there is a 1% failure rate after each year of surgery so that means after 25 years a probable 25% failure rate. Don't rely on me discuss with your surgeon and do online research...Credible web sites can help you understand.

sorry, see my posting where I discuss PT

I had knee replacement at Mayo Clinic Rochester, i started theraphy the<br />
next day after surgery, and just dont do anything foolish before your<br />
surgery. walk some 15 min. everyday.<br />

@niazumbanut
You mention:
"full knee was very difficult"
Can you share with me what was difficult? I am 65, mid-active, and gained 26lbs since the knee went south, it hurts just to walk. I have a brace now that allows me to walk and I'm out every day walking.
Perhaps I can learn from your difficulties. Is there anything you might do differently if you, hope not, had to do it again? thank you for posting!