Recovering from knee replacement

Good evening @molly7234, Yes @molly7234, I am pretty familiar with knee replacements. I had my first TKR on the left side, 13 years ago. My right side TKR was done 2 years ago. The second one was so much easier than the first one. Here are a few of the differences.

1. The 2nd TKR was a Robotic, conducted in a same-day surgical center. I had a nerve block to help with the 1st 3 days post-surgery. That was after I took part in several weeks of pre-surgery strength training which was very helpful and reduced my recovery time considerably.

2. The center did require an "attendant" family member or hired professional for three days to ensure that your needs were met and you were helped with supportive caregiving. It also may be possible to spend the first three days in a care center near your home.

3. It will be helpful to have a walker or rollator so that you can begin to practice moving around.

4. You will need someone to assist with the preparation of your ice packs. You can purchase one online designed for the knee that lets you or your assistant refill iy with frozen sheets of ice.

5. You will also find it helpful to have someone bring your medication in every few hours.

6. Then, I don't know which knee you will be "fixing", but you will need to have someone drive you to the surgeon's facility/office for post-surgery care.

7. You will also need a ride to your post-surgery PT several times a week wherever that may be. Those sessions last about an hour.

8. And.....of course you will need someone to prepare and serve your meals or perhaps you would prefer a delivery service. That can work also.

You may find that Medicare can help with post-surgery care as well as your PT.

If I left anything out......please respond with the request for pertinent information. By the end of week three, I was able to walk around with just a cane or trekking poles. I began to drive as soon as my stitches and bandages were removed. And finally, I learned how to walk up and down stairs. My partner made signs for the front and back of the doors indicating which foot goes first.

May you be safe, protected, and free from inner and outer harm.
By the way....I was 79 for this second TKR.
Good luck to you. Let me know if I left anything out. I will be thinking about you and wishing you well.

Chris

Good evening @molly7234, Yes @molly7234, I am pretty familiar with knee replacements. I had my first TKR on the left side, 13 years ago. My right side TKR was done 2 years ago. The second one was so much easier than the first one. Here are a few of the differences.

1. The 2nd TKR was a Robotic, conducted in a same-day surgical center. I had a nerve block to help with the 1st 3 days post-surgery. That was after I took part in several weeks of pre-surgery strength training which was very helpful and reduced my recovery time considerably.

2. The center did require an "attendant" family member or hired professional for three days to ensure that your needs were met and you were helped with supportive caregiving. It also may be possible to spend the first three days in a care center near your home.

3. It will be helpful to have a walker or rollator so that you can begin to practice moving around.

4. You will need someone to assist with the preparation of your ice packs. You can purchase one online designed for the knee that lets you or your assistant refill iy with frozen sheets of ice.

5. You will also find it helpful to have someone bring your medication in every few hours.

6. Then, I don't know which knee you will be "fixing", but you will need to have someone drive you to the surgeon's facility/office for post-surgery care.

7. You will also need a ride to your post-surgery PT several times a week wherever that may be. Those sessions last about an hour.

8. And.....of course you will need someone to prepare and serve your meals or perhaps you would prefer a delivery service. That can work also.

You may find that Medicare can help with post-surgery care as well as your PT.

If I left anything out......please respond with the request for pertinent information. By the end of week three, I was able to walk around with just a cane or trekking poles. I began to drive as soon as my stitches and bandages were removed. And finally, I learned how to walk up and down stairs. My partner made signs for the front and back of the doors indicating which foot goes first.

May you be safe, protected, and free from inner and outer harm.
By the way....I was 79 for this second TKR.
Good luck to you. Let me know if I left anything out. I will be thinking about you and wishing you well.

Chris

Very helpful. I am 69 and scheduled for L TKR on May 23rd at UCSF. My heart condition/new heart med/anesthesia are my main concerns. Strongly considering how to get as strong as possible in my pre surgery days. I am a swimmer and it really hurts to walk any distance. That said I am very motivated. What was your presurgery exercise strengthening routine? Thank you very much for sharing!! P.S. I do have access to a wonderful P.T. If he can fit me in.

Good evening @molly7234, Yes @molly7234, I am pretty familiar with knee replacements. I had my first TKR on the left side, 13 years ago. My right side TKR was done 2 years ago. The second one was so much easier than the first one. Here are a few of the differences.

1. The 2nd TKR was a Robotic, conducted in a same-day surgical center. I had a nerve block to help with the 1st 3 days post-surgery. That was after I took part in several weeks of pre-surgery strength training which was very helpful and reduced my recovery time considerably.

2. The center did require an "attendant" family member or hired professional for three days to ensure that your needs were met and you were helped with supportive caregiving. It also may be possible to spend the first three days in a care center near your home.

3. It will be helpful to have a walker or rollator so that you can begin to practice moving around.

4. You will need someone to assist with the preparation of your ice packs. You can purchase one online designed for the knee that lets you or your assistant refill iy with frozen sheets of ice.

5. You will also find it helpful to have someone bring your medication in every few hours.

6. Then, I don't know which knee you will be "fixing", but you will need to have someone drive you to the surgeon's facility/office for post-surgery care.

7. You will also need a ride to your post-surgery PT several times a week wherever that may be. Those sessions last about an hour.

8. And.....of course you will need someone to prepare and serve your meals or perhaps you would prefer a delivery service. That can work also.

You may find that Medicare can help with post-surgery care as well as your PT.

If I left anything out......please respond with the request for pertinent information. By the end of week three, I was able to walk around with just a cane or trekking poles. I began to drive as soon as my stitches and bandages were removed. And finally, I learned how to walk up and down stairs. My partner made signs for the front and back of the doors indicating which foot goes first.

May you be safe, protected, and free from inner and outer harm.
By the way....I was 79 for this second TKR.
Good luck to you. Let me know if I left anything out. I will be thinking about you and wishing you well.

Chris

Hi, Chris -

Two questions. Any thoughts on robotic vs non-robotic? Also, was your robotic “minimally invasive” by any chance?

Thanks!

Very helpful. I am 69 and scheduled for L TKR on May 23rd at UCSF. My heart condition/new heart med/anesthesia are my main concerns. Strongly considering how to get as strong as possible in my pre surgery days. I am a swimmer and it really hurts to walk any distance. That said I am very motivated. What was your presurgery exercise strengthening routine? Thank you very much for sharing!! P.S. I do have access to a wonderful P.T. If he can fit me in.

Hi, Chris -

Two questions. Any thoughts on robotic vs non-robotic? Also, was your robotic “minimally invasive” by any chance?

Thanks!

Good evening @zacklucy, Two questions. Sorry, I forgot these items. First, yes the robotic surgery was minimally invasive. I am quite an advocate for "Care that Fits".

And the robotic process improves the surgical accuracy. Because of the multitude of images used to create the 3D image, the surgery automatically stops when a line is crossed by the surgeon. This means that there are no surgical "accidents" that might show up during recovery. My surgeon spent a great bit of pre-surgery time showing me videos of the process. It was quite fascinating.

May you be safe, protected, and free of inner and outer harm.
Chris

Hey Chris, Joe here. I have to disagree that robotic TKRs are "minimally invasive". When I think of minimally invasive, I think of an arthroscope with very small incisions.

A TKR requires about an 8" incision, the quad is cut to release the patella, and surgical hammers are used to place the femoral and tibial prostheses. Full recovery can take up to a year, but with a motivated patient, normal movement is restored as quickly as 6 to 8 weeks. It's a great procedure with or without the assistant, but it is a traumatic procedure.

Anyway, just curious why you affirmed a robot-assisted TKR as minimally invasive. Thanks!