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Truth about Total Knee Replacements
Your new knee will never feel as good as your original old one
For most people it takes a full year to get most of the benefits of the surgery
Many people experience a clicking sound when walking for years or forever after the surgery
You should do physical therapy for a year after the surgery to get the best range of motion results even though your therapist will discharge you after several months.
There are no studies which will tell you what activities you can do after TKR. Is doubles tennis OK? Golf? What you read online varies. There are no clear answers.
Many surgeons are finished with you after the surgery. If you have issues with the surgery's aftermath, they may not be that helpful.
The scar is big, and no amount of ointment (vitamin E, etc.) will substantially reduce it.
Good news: If you had bad knee problems before the surgery your knee will feel a lot better after the surgery.
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Ah, yes, Rick. Often we rehab from surgery, injury or illness, begin to feel better, and Poof! we just quit.
Staying in shape is a lifelong effort, not just a moment in time.
6 years my hip replacement, while dealing with other health issues, I became quite sedentary, stopped going to the health club, etc. About 6 months later I had a raging case of bursitis and the ortho reminded me as he injected the site that "stretching is forever" - I have been fine ever since!
Sue
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2 ReactionsMy knee flex is 130+ but I still do the range of motion stretch just to keep it good. But I will stop that in a month or two. (I'm 11 months into a TKR). I do leg straightening stretches almost every day because I still need 2-3 degrees there.
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1 Reaction@rickraleigh I have never had a problem with leg straightening at all, it's just the flex. It's so tempting to have the lysis procedure but the thought of rehab and not being able to exercise much during that period is discouraging.
I'm surprised that squats don't bother me. I realize I am not squatting as far down as people with no knee replacements can, but I can get pretty far down. I'm much better at those than I am at lunges.
JK
STRESS TESTS Pre TKR (Scroll to end for long story short.)
I apologize upfront for inserting myself into this conversation because my questions are not directly on the topic of issues emerging from TKR. However, I reckon that this group will at least have had sufficient personal experience to answer questions on prerequisite eligibility for the surgery itself. I'm a prospective patient awaiting a slot for TKR.
[Age 79, recently diagnosed with A-fib, though that discovery was made after my first ER/ambulance visit. I had been dosing myself with ever-increasing NSAIDS (most Aleve and Diclof. Sodium for years); had slight abdominal bleed and resultant anemia and then atrial fibrillation was noted].
I have bone on bone osteoarthritis in both knees since just before Covid (!) lockdowns in 2020. I now walk with a cane, and over a year ago was awarded one of those cardboard "disabled" signs to hang on my rearview mirror to help me avoid having to walk huge distances from my car to my destination. Small compensation for inability to stand upright for long periods.
Finally, in spring 2021, I met with a reputable local orthopedic surgeon and graduated into a queue list for end August 2021 surgery - and felt great relief. I had only to "pass" various tests and get through rehab before I could gradually begin to live again, or so I thought. The "tests" required were lab work, X rays, a Cat Scan, and appts with various new doctors (ENT, Pulmonologist, Cardiologist..). to be sure all was well, and, of course, the pre-op exam with my PCP. But there's the rub. All went well except my pre-op, which was done by an unknown-to-me RN in my PCP's office (My PCP was away on pregnancy leave!! Just my luck!)
I see I 'm getting into the weeds here, sorry. Bottom line, this RN has insisted I get a stress test. Not the stress tests I aced in my middle years by running on a treadmill (when I could still run), but the stress test that is given by injection of a medication that artificially increases your heart rate to simulate running on a treadmill. Scary. Months ago I had spoken with my PCP about this stress test, and she advised I meet with a cardiologist of her choosing to see what he thought of a stress test. I was a little reluctant, but finally agreed just to get the show on the road!
After waiting weeks to secure an appt, I met with the Cardio guy; had an EKG (my third or 4th EKG or ECHO that I've had in the past two years - each doctor seems to demand them, took BP, heart rate and all the usual, which were fine. The doctor actually briefly checked my heart with his stethoscope, said a few words - asked what meds I was taking (only metoprolol and levothyroxine) and proclaimed, in so many words, "You're good to go for surgery." End of story.
But while driving home I suddenly realized that there had been NO mention at all of a stress test! And being a harried and anxious patient, in the best of times, I had forgotten to bring it up. I figured, naively as it turns out, that I'd gotten lucky - until this almost-2-months-later
pre-op meeting. But as it's less than 2 weeks till my scheduled surgery date, I knew there would not be enough time to get another cardiologist appt. So I've been told I will have to postpone surgery. Very risky now, due to Covid surge.
I want to make clear that, of course, I will get the test if the RN continues to insist to my surgeon that I have the stress test after all. I just wish I had been told about this earlier. Most importantly, I want more details about this stress test. I've read that certain medications to increase heart rate have caused patient deaths (!).
Has anyone here had this kind of stress test by IV? (IS it administered by IV?!) How long does it last?
Who administers it? Side effects??
OMG. Help.
Hi Toughchickie,
What a long (and unfinished) road to getting your TKR. Having said that, I'm glad your medical team is ensuring your safely. The stress test you are referring to is called a nuclear stress test. Here is more information from Mayo Clinic:
- Nuclear stress test: https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/nuclear-stress-test/about/pac-20385231
To learn more about what it is like from other patients who've had it, please see this discussion:
- Nuclear Stress Test: I'm afraid to do it https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/nuclear-medicine-stress-test/
When will you get the test?
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2 ReactionsI have no idea yet when I will get the test as, apparently, there is, as yet, nothing IN WRITING from the cardiologist or the RN TO the surgeon. Notwithstanding the fact that my current surgery date is next week, we're waiting for slow moving PAPERWORK!? The system sucks.
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1 ReactionIf I were you I would call your cardiology doctors office back, ask either for him to call you back or speak with his nurse and explain the situation as you did here. He should be able to talk to the other office if he doesn’t feel the need for it to be done. If he wants it done he should be able to answer all your questions and might get it done for you before surgery date. Best wishes
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1 ReactionI would do like @dmk suggests. Since you have such tight time constraints, you should do some polite pushing from your end pointing out the timing problems and having to delay or cancel the surgery if all the required tests don't get done. It's possible the RN was over diligent in insisting on the stress test, since the cardiologist never mentioned one, or maybe she is right and he just forgot. This needs to be cleared up quickly, and only you have the power to push for an answer from your cardiologist. They do have many patients, and despite best intentions, sometimes paperwork/data gets put aside to deal with other critical cases and they may not realize your urgency until you call them.
Yes. You make good common sense... The stress has made me a little (a lot?) nuts!
lol, I agree! I had mostly no issues, other than some discomfort in knees and back. Last year I had some minor feet problems but they were not debilitating, I walked long distances, climbed stairs, worked as I wanted to, then the damn knee went completely bad. Besides the excruciating pain for two months, everything seemed to be going ok. Worse pain in my life and I have dealt with a lot of pain. I worked diligently at PT, did what I was told. Started to walk again, and then 3 months after or before, I started getting so much pain, burning, numbness in both feet, ankles, calves that it was unbearable at times. Wanted to shoot my self. Surgeon completely dismisses any part of this. My knee is actually stronger now but when I walk more than 1 mile my feet explode. The PT person I now see is
Having me do extensions, etc following the McKenzie method. I am getting some relief from burning, and lower legs feel a little better but the numbness in ball, soles of feet are still very much there. My actual knee is doing OK, with good ROM, but the rest of my lower body is a mess. Long Story now made short. I curse the day, January 19, 2021, that I had this ……… TKR. Do your research and try and find the best to do your knee. They do not tell you anything about any issues or risks except it will hurt for 3 months!
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