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How should I prepare for my knee replacements?
Joint Replacements | Last Active: Sep 1, 2022 | Replies (30)Comment receiving replies
Hi MercuryRose, I had my first TKR done on 4/1/21 and my second one done on 11/10/21. The outcome was like night and day with the first one having the recovery longer and more painful. What did I do differently on the second one?
three things: I religiously did the exercises to strengthen my muscles and tendons EVERY DAY before my second surgery, I rented an ice machine to use at home for a month following my surgery. It was easy to use and I used it round the clock for 3-4 days post surgery and then 3x a day for the rest of the month. The third thing was a prescription of Celebrex. My surgeon would not let me take it the first surgery as I thought I was allergic to sulfa so I asked my primary care doc to do a trial run of it a few weeks before surgery and I was not allergic to it so I could safely take it. I also continue to do the exercises my PT gave me on both knees. Best of luck to you on your surgery.
T
Replies to "Hi MercuryRose, I had my first TKR done on 4/1/21 and my second one done on..."
I agree with you. I had both knees done at the same time (not a great idea unless you meet certain criteria - but it’s over). Amazingly, I was using a cane in about three weeks and could walk short distances unaided inside. With two knees to deal with, the PT exercises often were painful and I had back off and could handle them everyday. I would especially advocate for pre-op work. Leg press work would really help. Good luck to all who need this surgery.
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Hi, there @ggst. Thank you so much for reporting how successful your TKR recovery was because of the pre and post-surgery exercises. I also found the results to be very encouraging. It wasn't long before I was walking around the house forgetting that I had surgery. And then I was driving....and then I was going up and down stairs.....and then I was doing yoga. Can you stay with Connect just to shout encouragement to all the pre-TKR folks? It is appreciated.
May you have happiness and the causes of happiness.
Chris