Good evening @tracy70, Thanks for getting back to me. I can explain robotic surgery a bit. The surgery I had was called Mako Robotic. The advantage is that an exact model of your knee is made by a 3D printer from images. The surgeon studies it and decides just how the approach should be handled. Then, the robotic screen shows him/her where to enter the knee and how to move around the surgical area in a minimally invasive manner. If she/he goes outside the line, the robotic instrument stops immediately and waits until everything is on track again. This assures that the plan for your surgery is being followed exactly.

I also get the feeling that you underestimated your level of pain. Remember that this is major surgery. There is quite a bit of sawing and cutting away of bone and other tissue. A hip replacement is essentially a ball and socket. The knee replacement is much more complicated. And with that said, you can see how much effort you must exert to support the recovery. There are muscles and ligaments and other forms of tissue in the area. All of it needs to heal.

I don't know if you have seen the extent of the surgery. Did you have X-rays taken after the surgery? Here is what you might have seen. The white prosthesis area is the replacement that has been fitted in the space cleared out by the surgeon. This is much more involved than even I would have imagined.

The folks who can tell you step by step what exercises and equipment you are using and how it will help with your recovery are your PT folks. In my case, when my knee became painful from the exercises, they also knew that I would be going to an MFR (myofascial release treatment) to manage the pain.

What else can I do to help you cope with what appears to be a very difficult time for you?

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

MFR is myofascial release. It’s a massage done by a PT.