TKR #2..... Lessons I am learning

Posted by Chris, Alumni Mentor @artscaping, Aug 13, 2021

Yesterday, I had a Total Knee Replacement on my right knee, 10 years after having a successful TKR on my left knee. 28 hours later I realize I have learned a lot with more hints, suggestions, mysteries, and solutions to be discovered along the way. I want to list these items for your review. Please let me know if you agree with my assessment and anything else you want to share that will help others making the same trip. What else should we be mindful about?

When was your TKR or when are you planning it? Thank you for sharing your creative and helpful ideas Here are my 24-hour learnings.

1. To be well prepared, do the pre-op exercises. I know it is 300 unique exercises held from 1-2, or 1-5 seconds in 2 sessions every day. And then there is that 5-10 minute one at the end. You will be so happy that your surgery leg is strong and sturdy.

2. Take the medications as prescribed or with approved substitutes if needed because of allergies. If you have any doubt about dosages or synergistic medications, please ask. Just because the pharmacy sheet or the internet describes a medication one way, know that there are good reasons for choosing the ones on your list. One antihistamine was kind of funky.....it just didn't fit. Then I found out that while it was listed for treatment of itchiness, it also dissipated my major pain medication, Dilaudid more quickly. Know that you must wait for anesthesia-related medications to disappear before you can move on to after-surgery dosages.

3. To prevent swelling, make sure your knee is kept above your heart. I sure didn't remember that one and it is so good to know. Use ice as directed. Just refrain from wrapping an ice pack too tightly around the surgery knee. I made that mistake .......oweee.

What assists will be most helpful? Do you need a walker....yes you do. And the worst thing that can happen is a fall. Walkers prevent falls. A raised toilet seat is a must to prevent strain and injury.
Be careful though.......we have only 21 inches in our commode room. Have you seen the stools for showers and the movable grab bars? Remember the goal is to prevent falling. As my surgeon said, "don't fall, I can't fix you."

And finally. Take time to heal......You cannot expect to be back on the volleyball court or in the swimming pool right away. Gold and tennis will have to wait. And you will be better off finding new and less rigorous activities to replace those that are no longer part of your activity itinerary.

What bothers you the most? What do you still not understand?

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

Chris

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Joint Replacements Support Group.

july1955 | @july1955 | Aug 20, 2025

Addressing "Lessons I am learning" --
I was told to have a recliner available for my return home. Only much later did I read anywhere that a reclining chair, NOT a reclining sofa, is needed. In a reclining chair you have two arms to push yourself up. I hurt my back by twisting in an attempt to get up from the reclining sofa because I could only use one arm. A couple of weeks later, when I thought I had recovered sufficiently, I did it again, and again hurt my back. I'd only ever hurt my back once before, YEARS before, and I was nearly 69 when I had the TKR. Trying to perfect walking again with pain in my lower back set me back considerably. Using the walker, and then a cane, is necessary, but can also affect muscle memory. I've read that over 50% of us who have had TKR have back problems after the surgery. It is generally blamed on the fact that we have been favoring the bad knee and have to adjust. I'm sure that plays a part, but it has taken just over a year for me to realize that for me, the sore back was due to the way I was walking. My knee healed just fine, but the tension in my back made walking difficult, even painful. I walked about a block and a half and arrived dripping in sweat from the exertion! I finally realized that MY problem was I had stopped swinging my arms when I walked! I started using a slightly exaggerated step and arm swing around the house, and in only a couple of days I had significant improvement. I had pretty much given up on ever getting back to normal, but now I have no doubt that it will happen very soon. I still have to remind myself to swing my arms when I start to feel the tension, but the distance I can walk at a normal pace, pain free, has improved dramatically.

kimmy1970 | @kimmy1970 | Aug 20, 2025

I had a double TKP in 2017. Left knee is great. Right knee has had pain since day one. The docs say the exray looks fine with just a bit of overhang on one side. I spoke with a revision doc, but he said that would have to do another TKR and that the second is not as good as the first. Since the first didn't go so well, despite them not knowing why, I will not do another TKR. I was at 110 within the first month. I am now at about 90-100 depending on the day. I was on gabapenten for 6 months for the nerves. I can definitely walk better and I learn to live with the pain.