How long after TKR will it continue to hurt to do stairs?

I am a 76 year old female.
In 2017 and 2019, I had my hips replaced.
2 years ago my left total knee was done, and 1.5 years ago my right knee was replaced. I walk 4-5 miles several days per week, often with a walking group, with no pain or trivial pain in my right( second) knee.
Immediate postop PT, consistent home exercise, a positive attitude, lots of walking plus going to the gym prior to and since my surgeries, a healthy weight and diet, a top notch surgeon and hospital, all have contributed to my recovery.
Have any of you been told that you might wear out your new joints? Do they last 20 or more years?? I doubt they will wear out, , and enjoy my ability to walk and enjoy my life.
Best wishes to others on this site.

I did stairs slowly about a month but know I’m dealing with what I’m told is a floating patella see my doctor tomorrow I have to get this fixed what’s involved?

It has been over 4 yrs since my tkr and I can go downstairs, but still have pain going up. I’m in pt, but it’s a slow process.

It is a slow process. I can do up with lots of pain. Down is a challenge. At least the pain I was having before surgery is gone

"Normal" is such a relative term - there are a lot of individual variations, especially in how long it takes to regain "normal" function. Stairs for me presented the biggest challenge, and it took quite a bit of time until I felt totally comfortable doing stairs. Even at the one-year mark postop, I was still noticing some subtle changes/improvements - things I could not do before that I can now do, and doing certain things (like stairs) with much more ease. Hang in there and keep at it!

It’s probably different for everyone. In my experience I came home 24 hours post op and had stairs up and down in my house. I had a lot of anxiety about stairs preop but was so lucky to have an awesome physical therapist teach me how to preop. I just learned up with the good leg down with the bad and didn’t have any trouble doing it every day, then I can’t remember but one day 3-4 months in I think I wasn’t thinking and went up and downstairs normally. I think having stairs at home help because you use them all the time. I had an awesome surgeon and awesome dr of physical therapy. After surgery it was my therapist who addressed all my issues and I felt after 4 months or so I was good but stayed with therapist till he released me. I did 6 weeks pt prior to get certain muscles strong which after a previous reverse total shoulder I didn’t and I believe that helped me tremendously. I was zero degrees extension and 64 degrees 2 days post op. Recovery is not a sprint but a marathon, hang in there put the work in. I was fortunate to have my same therapist at every visit. Still keep up with exercise regimen 3 years post op. During recovery used cryocuff ice machine, special bolster to elevate leg to decrease swelling, deep tissue massage, taping, cupping, muscle stimulator , stationary bike, etc was used during recovery. Used walker for 13 days then walked on my own wasn’t allowed on uneven surfaces like grass for a while. New knee is great to date and remember it takes time not a sprint but marathon

My second knee was done January 2023, and I am still having to sort of pull myself up with the railing as I go up steps to our bedroom. It is an old farmhouse, so the steps are a bit steep. I cannot go up any steps without a railing. But this is much improved over six months ago, when I had to go up one step at a time. At least now I can alternate feet! 🙂 So hopefully, I will continue to improve over time.

I’m at 14 months and I still have to hold on to the rails as it does hurt most times to walk up and down stairs. I have behind the knee pain and above the knee in my quad and I think this has something to do with going up and down stairs!

Update - It's now 2 years and 3 months. Progress has been slow but there has been progress. A very brilliant sports med doc concluded that scar tissue is impeding my ability to bend and surgery to remove the scar tissue could precipitate even more scar tissue and less ROM. Therefore, surgery like MUA is not an option. Instead, using UltraSound to guide him, he inserts a long needle into the TKR knee and tries to separate the scar tissue and get it to "line up". After 1 year of this procedure (every 4-5 weeks), I increased my ROM by 2-3 degrees. That doesn't sound like a lot, but every degree helps. I can walk down stairs w pain level 4 versus pain level 10. For the first time in more than 2 years, I can put pants on by lifting and bending the TKR knee. He treats my other knee, non TKR, with a steriod and Hylaronic Acid. Quite frankly, this doc has made the best out of my disastrous experience w knee surgery. FYI, I exercise 6x per week, 1.5 hrs per day, using weight machines including treadmill and bike. If I lead a sedentary life, the TKR knee probably would have worked out better.

You are a fighter, and an inspiration to all of us “strugglers”. Your workout routine is much like mine pre TKR. I’m only praying I can keep up the good fight like you after a mini revision/scar tissue removal surgery. Noted your comment about the sports med doc opinion on scar tissue removal possible outcome. My scar tissue is so restricting, I feel I have no other choice, but will ask about the ultra sound treatment. Since 85% of TKR patients “presumably” do okay without many issues, why aren’t doctors concentrating on successful treatments for us “15%ers” who have basically lost the use of our legs because of the results?