total knee replacement

JK: you seem to have been on the TKR sites for a long time, so you probably heard it all....... question: I was traveling a few days ago, long plane ride, followed by 2 train rides. The second ride, getting off, I suddenly had a really sharp pain in my hip on the TKR side, and I was limping for the rest of the day. My guess is that the extra weight (body weight about 128, backpack and carrying a full size suitcase + heavy winter clothes roughly 40+ lbs., so almost an additional 1/3 of my body weight added), caused my knee to refuse the load and transfer it to the hip? I can still feel it 2 days later, very stiff and uncomfortable in the morning, easing up some after exercise and slow walking. Knee itself is a little grumpy, but not bad............

@ellerbracke Actually, I have not heard that before but I think your own suspicions are probably accurate. That's a lot of sitting too. When I have been sitting that long I always feel it afterward. They recommend getting up and walking every half hour on airplanes but frankly, I am not doing that since they also say there are fewer germs if you take a window seat, so I generally do opt for the window seat. Not catching germs since I am on immunosuppressants is more of a priority for me. I realize the walking is also to avoid clots but I do wear compression stockings when I am flying and I do get up generally every hour or so.
I am sure your knee and hip will be where they were within a couple of more days. Your suitcase doesn't roll? The way I pack that's a necessity.
Sounds like you must be on vacation. Enjoy.
JK

Yes, suitcase rolls - but not on the steps getting on and off old-fashioned trains. That’s when the stress happened.

I moved-up my apt. with the ortho and went to see him yesterday. X-rays taken and he said my implant has healed perfectly. Bone has grown around new knee and kneecap is perfectly aligned and all angles are perfect. He showed me how my quad muscle has actually atrophied even after all the hard work that I have done. His first thought was to do more pt but I told him I have everything I need to do the same things at home or the gym and that I already had eight weeks pt after surgery last June. So he agreed that I need to go back to basic pt exercises at home using ankle weights etc. Then he told me he is going to order me a device called the e-vive CyMedica ortho garment. It is a electric pulse device worn on leg that is designed by an ortho surgeon and used by athletes and people like me that need to build quad muscle. I was really surprised to see my left quad is measurably smaller than my right side. The doc said it is pretty common post tkr and that this new pulse therapy plus a re-doubling of my own pt will build my quad muscle and will eliminate the pain of climbing stairs. I look forward to getting on with it and I'm very happy to see that the implant is perfect as I was wondering if some thing loosened. I will post after the e-vive arrives and I have used it for awhile. Has anyone else heard of this or tried it?

@jimk849 - the Evive product sounds interesting. Any idea of the expense? I'm having a TKR next Tuesday. This sounds promising!

@contentandwell, @jimk849 : both of you impress me with your bicycle routine. 30 to 45 minutes seems like major punishment to me. My old butt hurts after 15 to 20 minutes, so I get myself into the pool for more exercises and swimming. I’m only using the level 3 resistance, but keep my heartrate up consistently between 120 and 135, so definitely a cardio workout. The knee does not seem to like the recumbent bike too much, even though I make sure it is adjusted correctly, and that I keep the knee aligned. Perhaps in a few more weeks or months things will be different.

The company called me on Tues. and said they were waiting for ok from my insurance to ok it. Had not heard anything by yesterday so I called rep in late afternoon and got voicemail. I really don't know what the cost is as of now. It may be on their website. On a side note Rep told me wearing this garment on leg for 20 minutes is the equivalent of doing 100 squats. Good luck to you on Tues. I will post again when I finally get fitted and start using this thing.

I am also considering a knee revision. Was the consult at Mayo helpful?

Hi everyone I'm new to this group.
I'm 80 years old with a heart condition afib.
My left knee was replaced in 2015 exactly 8 yrs ago.
I have been having pain in the knee and felt something was wrong. Went o.s. Had drag that showed a loose Femoral component. The surgeon explained the decision surgery would be longer as well as recovery. I would like to hear from some of you that had the revision.

I hate to say but revision surgery is the same as having tkr all over again …. But for me the choice to stay with no flexion and the pain that went along with it was not an option … so for me was worth it …. My only regrets was my first choice of surgeon that put in wrong size knee …. My revision went well but I will always have issues with tightness and extra scarring because of first failed tkr…. So good luck it is a lot to weigh out ….