Total knee replacement (TKR)

I am getting a TKR May 6th. Any additional advice on not over doing it would be appreciated. I have a cottage in Gorgian Bay, Canada, on an island with boat access of course and a steep hill to climb up to the main cottage.
If Surgey is May 6th will I be able to get up there mid June or any ealier?

Being true to your physical therapy is your key as to your progress and how you will feel. I believe that you should be able to do it. If you have any doubts talk to your doctor during your postoperative visits.

@marieolds
Impossible to say until you have the surgery and the nerve block wears off but it will be challenging. You will be about 4 or 5 weeks post surgery. If your recovery is pain free or a minimal pain recovery and/or you have excellent post surgery ROM/Extension you will be able to do it but I don't see how you can predict that.

@steveinarizona thanks Steve for the encouragement I am focused on recovery but praying it goes smoothly and quickly. Is there anything you did that helped most?

@steveinarizona Every person reacts differently to knee surgery. I don't think there is any way you can predict how and when you will heal. I have an 81 year old friend who had double knee replacement and she was walking 10,000 steps 2 weeks out. I did not have that experience. I had a good recovery but it was slow and steady. Good luck!

@marieolds
Surgeon selection. Having an extraordinary surgeon gave me confidence that I would have a great recovery and I did -- no pain and initial ROM of 122.

If you already have your surgeon, I would say that a lot of icing with compression from an ice machine during the first two weeks will help a lot to bring down the inflammation and bringing down the inflammation makes the rest of recovery easier. My surgeon's recovery protocol is to essentially rest the first two weeks using the walker and then to start PT in the third week. It is similar to the Hospital for Special Surgery's Quiet Knee Protocol. That worked well for me and when I first started PT they put me on the exercise bike for five minutes and I was able to do full rotations.

But, I also believe that one has to follow the advice and instructions of one's surgeon. We are lay people and this is very complex surgery. If your surgeon has you starting PT right away, even though I agree with my surgeon's approach, I would follow the instruction. But I would make sure I was doing the regular icing (half hour on/half hour off) those first two weeks.

If you are able to rent the NICE ice machine (https://getnice.com/) it will make it much easier to do what I am recommending as it acts like a refrigerator to cool the water inside so you don't need to add and replace ice. It is way to expensive to purchase but might be available locally as a rental.

Great advice. We chose our surgeons because we believed they were well qualified. My first ask would always be to my surgeon. Recommendations for
“ how to’s” ( get in and out of a car, etc.) are great to find here. Everyone has given such terrific suggestions. Best advice I’ve seen ( over and over) and was given? Don’t be a hero. Take the pain meds before you are in agony and stick with your PT! Thank you everyone for sharing your tips - they have certainly helped!!

@marieolds I had my TKR on March 9 so I am at the end of 5 weeks out. I can walk, cane helps, but I doubt that I could climb a steep hill. My range of motion is very good but there is still some pain. I agree with those who say to take your meds before you absolutely need it and ice all the time. I think by mid-June you should feel pretty good but just not sure about climbing.