← Return to 8 weeks post op TKR , is exhaustion normal still

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Profile picture for Sue, Volunteer Mentor @sueinmn

@skakle Yard work in not a "normal activity" after joint replacement - it is well down the road to total recovery! I would like to personally shake every surgeon or their staff member who tells you "You'll be recovered in 6-8 weeks" when what they mean is "Your surgical wound will be healed and the path recovery to normal will be underway in 6-8 weeks."

Joint replacement surgery is a BIG deal. You undergo anesthesia, they cut into your flesh (wound), they move your muscles and tendons around (irritation), they cut your bones (trauma), they mess with the nerves (irritation/inflammation), they cut and pound on your bones (more trauma) and introduce metal and possibly glue (foreign bodies.)

Now, reread the previous paragraph, take a deep breath, and give yourself permission to recover at your own personal pace. After my first hip replacement, I was only 54 years old. I went back to work from home at 2 weeks, into the office at 4 weeks. It was tough, but I was young, dumb, and "on a schedule" so I had my second knee replaced at 6 weeks. I was in a BAD way for 3 months! Lesson learned.

If you read much here on Connect, you will understand that from 4/6 weeks until 4/6 months after joint replacement surgery, fatigue and discomfort from PT or pushing too hard is completely NORMAL as your body heals fully. Give yourself grace to heal at your own pace.

When to be concerned? Sudden back-sliding in the absence of overuse or a fall. Sudden swelling without any apparent reason. Lack of progress in PT.
Does this make you feel any less frustrated?

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Replies to "@skakle Yard work in not a "normal activity" after joint replacement - it is well down..."

@sueinmn Thank you for your response. I think everyone has a different “normal”. I wouldn’t consider weed whacking for a half an hour anything remotely difficult or energy draining but it knocked me out. I have been physically active all my life and an avid hiker. with a fair amount of energy and vitality. Thank you for the words of support. I’ve been trying to understand why I’ve been getting so knocked out and have to lay down in the middle of the day. I’m 72. Many of my friends are 65-80 and are mountain climbers and long distance cyclists. I just want to get back to my old self and don’t know when enough activity is enough for the day. How do I know when to push a little more and when to stop? That’s the question I keep asking myself