In the beginning…considering TKR

Good evening @persia, and a special invitation to get some additional and important information about your planned TKR. You are fortunate to have a caring husband and a "lovable" orthopedic surgeon. So let's start by jumping to your major issues.....how hard is the rehab and how much pain will you experience?

The post-surgery pain will be directly related to the quantity and quality of your pre-surgery exercises. It is extremely important that your leg be strong and supportive. That TKR knee will need the best support you can muster, You don't want to begin the next chapter in your life unprepared.

And, you will want to continue exercising post-surgery to avoid scar tissue build-up and i-band discomfort. Actually, you can have a nerve block which makes the surgery pain very faint for the first day or so. Your surgeon will sit with you and explain the purpose of the post-surgery medications. You may wish to have a walker or rollator to help get you out and about quickly.

One other subject....and that is the type of material used for the replacement. You can now have a non-metal material that has been designed to fit your knee. You will also appreciate having a robotic type of surgery which guarantees greater accuracy and completeness.

How do I know all this? I have had two TKRs about 10 years apart. Today the knowledge is greater and the technology used is designed to make your surgery less of a struggle, guaranteeing greater success.

Some time ago, I opened a discussion entitled "I'm Still Learning......" You might find it helpful as it was written after the 2nd TKR.
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/tkr-2-lessons-i-am-learning/
Please let me know when you have additional questions or concerns. I am sure that you will find more troublesome TKR posts on Connect. Please remember that thousands are pleased with their TKRs and return to a new life of painless activities. However, they don't seek out a forum to help with problems that just don't exist. So you will see a higher percentage of "problem" posts.

Here is a knee photo taken after my second TKR. The one on the right is the new one.

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

The first few months were rough....and yes, the pain hurts. It's different for all but it takes time. I took the pain meds and to be honest didn't help much. During the day I got up after 45 minutes to an hour and walked to the front door and back to my chair. Each day I increased my walking. After a week I could walk for 10 minutes at a time and it kept increasing. Walker for two weeks, then a cane for about a month. I changed my therapy to outpatient because I got to much more out of it not to mention they did stem and ice after I was done with the therapy. They have machines and other things that you won't get doing home therapy. I highly recommend going if you can. My first appointment was 4 days after surgery. Personally I would have something s well for constipation from the pain meds (I did a bowel prep at day 9). The pain meds can do a number on you and you don't want that on top of everything else. Sleeping is also difficult for the first few months. Make sure to have a raised toilet seat if you don't already have the higher ones because it makes getting up and down easier. Once my staples were removed after 10 days that is when things started getting better for me as far as moving and bending my knee. I drove 45 minutes back and forth to therapy 3x a week and and drove at 4 weeks. It was my right knee. I am a year out and still some swelling and stiffness but it gets better each week. You can do this....just know it's a process and there will be pain. A therapy band really helped me be able to get in and out of the chair without bending my knee for the first 3 week for so until my ROM was better. It's different for all so keep that in mind....you may have few issues. Another person in my therapy was doing amazing only 5 days out from his surgery. With all this being said...go for it. It needs to be done and I'm glad that I did it. No more cortisone shots every 3 months and no more pain and baker's cysts.

Thanks so much for the details and encoragement. It’s a huge help! When you said “outpatient” therapy, did you mean going to a facility?
They told me they would send me home with an ice thingy and some kind of rotating machine.
I really appreciate your post!

Thanks so much. Very helpful.
How do you strengthen your muscles presurgery?
Will check out your discussions

Well keep the outcome in mind. If you have a great surgeon and work very hard, you will be rewarded almost all the time. Not always, no promises, but most of the time.

So assuming you get your A1C in line, I suggest hiring a trainer or PT before surgery to strengthen the muscles around the knee - primarily the quads and hamstrings. You may actually get some relief just by doing these exercises.

Immediately after a TKR, right out of the recovery room, they will have you take a walk with a walker for assistance. Yes, right after surgery.

And the very next day, you will have a set of exercises/stretches to do 3x/day. Will it hurt? Yes, of course it's a major surgery. But stick with those exercises! Within a week the pain will start to lessen.

I'm a 68 y/o male and have had both knees replaced. It takes a lot of commitment and help to recover successfully. But you have a supportive partner, know what to do, and you will do it. And in 3 months you'll most likely be very happy you had the knee replaced. And if you need to lose weight fast, cut out all refined sugars - soda, candy, pastry, all of it. You don't need it and the reduction of weight will be good for your knee.

I know you can do this. All the best!

Thanks. Appreciate the info and inspiration. Will look into a trainer and PT. Good advice!

I had both knees replaced ten years ago and they have been pain free since! After surgery I took pain pills for quite a while but ice was the best pain reliever for swelling and pain. After 9 weeks of PT I returned to work and driving with no problems. It is well worth it. My knees are titanium and it get cold really quick in winter. Newer materials would likely be more comfortable in a cold climate. Best wishes on your surgery.

Thanks. We been living at our Canadian oceanfront cottage. The ocean freezes 6’ thick! It gets cold!!!
Got it. No titanium!!! Lol

The bone on bone pain is gone after the surgery. Yes the surgical pain is there for 3 to 5 days, but your leg starts to respond to treatment and it gets better. Ice is your friend. Good luck

Thanks!
Got it! Ice! 🙂