Approaching Knee Surgeries

Hi dalewhit,
Thank you for posting this question. I too have a bone on bone knee (right knee) that needs to be replaced. However, I am 75 and also have heart issues so I might not be approved for surgery. Did your doctors want you to do a cardiac stress test before they would approve you for surgery?

I wish you well with your surgeries - I had a partial knee replacement done on my left leg in 2010 - and that surgery went well and was an easy recovery. My doctor was highly recommended and a good surgeon generally has patients that have good results.
I hope you get comments from many people who are happy with their new knees.

Good luck with your surgeries. I couldn’t be more pleased with my new knees and I had them replaced 6 weeks apart. I was a little skeptical about the closeness but my surgeon assured me I’d be ready and he was right. Great to get them both out of the way and be “good to go”!
Recovery was a breeze compared to I expected. I have excellent range of motion , no pain, and the scars healed very quickly. Physical therapy is key.
I hope you have an equally great outcome!
Connie

Hello healthseeker 77,
Thanks for your good wishes!
My heart docs say I can go forward with surgeries. I had a stress test a year ago that was ok. My big concern is the rehab stress triggering more antrial tachycardia events which occur intermittently now.
Thanks again and best of luck with your knee.
Dale Whit

Thank you connie609!
Your encouragement means a lot. I know about the importance of PT so am prepared for the hard work but given my advanced age and heart issues it is daunting. SO - it is very heartening to hear of your experience. Good luck with those new knees!
Thanks again and all best,
Dalewhit

Try to do PT prior to surgery and keep up with it post surgery. Walk, walk walk. I did PT after surgery for 2 months and home exercises. I then had pool therapy and then when I finished that I exercised on my own in the pool. I’m 3 years post surgery and a couple weeks ago I found out my leg extensions is 27 degrees. I have bent knees when I stand straight. I didn’t even notice it because I’m recovering from spinal fusion and have been in extreme pain for over a year. Point is even though I continued to exercise I wasn’t doing the specific knee exercises from PT that work on range of motion and leg extension. It would have prevented this from happening and my therapist thinks it’s permanent now.
Best of luck to you.

"My heart docs say I can go forward with surgeries. I had a stress test a year ago that was ok. My big concern is the rehab stress triggering more antrial tachycardia events which occur intermittently now."

Just thinking about heart issues is stressful in itself, so I understand your concern. If your doctor feels you can handle surgery, I would go with that and try to calm your fears as much as possible. As far as PT, the movements and muscle stretches are slow and deliberate, while sitting or laying down to start with. Make sure your therapist is aware of your cardiac concerns and will pay attention to any complaint you might have during sessions. Some of the exercises need to hold at extreme discomfort in order to stretch to an improved next level, but should stop short of actual pain. Knowing what to expect ahead of time may calm some of your concerns, so be sure to discuss and ask questions of your therapist before your sessions. If you don't think they are listening to you or you just don't "jell" with them, ask for another person. Since you had two successful hip surgeries, you already went through something similar, though knee rehab is a bit more time consuming. Good luck on your surgeries, and be sure to check in after the first one and tell us how it's going.

My mom had both knees replaced at 82…5 months apart and sailed through them both. My only concern is how close together you’re scheduling your surgeries. I’m not sure one month is enough time to get your first knee strong enough to support the other one after surgery. My mom’s surgeon said he wouldn’t do her other knee until at least 6 months after the first one but apparently she did so well that he did the second one 5 months after the first one. Everyone and every surgeon is different though. I wish you well with both of your surgeries.

I am so sorry that happened to you! A spinal fusion is a very big deal and of course that impeded the knee pt.
I will be sure to have a big focus on the pt.
Thank you so much for your reply.

Thanks so much for your advice and good wishes. It really is do helpful and supportive- your remarks.
It encourages me to go forward.
Best, Dalewhit
I will let you know how it goes!

TKR is such an individual surgery. I think 85% do pretty well, depending on the initial condition of their knee, genetic issues related to scar tissue, and approximately 15% do not have great outcomes. I am 74, was in considerably good health, except for AFib exercised daily for 35 years and now, because of excessive scar tissue am basically disabled. If I had it to do over, I would not, and don’t intend to do the other even if I have to be in a wheelchair. No one told me about the complications I’d have. Thankfully you are at this site where many of us go to as a support resource to get through this. Pray on this.