Anyone else feel like TKR has aged them ?

I'm 80, had a TKR of the right knee 3 years ago. Like you arthritis was the main culprit for the pain. I work, play and enjoy everything about my life on the farm including culling trees, plowing, planting, gardening, welding, etc. Home repair of all kinds are also on the list of tasks I'm needing to accomplish, so I think I qualify as being busy.
I went into surgery with 5 goals:
1. Walk and sit without pain
2. Sleep without pain
3. Walk up stairs without pain
4. Walk down stairs without pain
5. Get down on my knees without pain
Tasks #1, #2 & #3 all were good within the first few days and weeks. Task #5 was a little different because of the lack of feeling in the kneecap and the weird feeling it had I adapted the task by using knee pads. It took months to be able to do task #4 with some degree of success but after a year all tasks except #5 are now well within my wheelhouse. You have to remember that surgery is very hard on us more mature folks, even active ones. When not used even for a few days muscles tend to get soft, blood flow has decreased. I learned that the top portion of your calf muscles act like tiny pumps helping blood get back to the heart, hence keep walking.
During my 12 month checkup I told my doctor about my list of goals and how I was doing with each. He told me the knee replacement was the roughest of all the joint replacement surgeries and to give it time to heal. Today I'm even better with all except #5 and I'm OK with that. We've all heard that old saying "Everyone heals differently", so keep up your spirits, give yourself permission to be a little slower and take each day as they come and go live your life.

Trust where you are have faith and never stop trying to achieve your goals. Start setting small goals for know. You will get there. Im 67 and I cant do what i really want to do the mind says yes the body says na. But i still do and enjoy the things i can never give up.

@actalking At four months, your body has just about recovered from the trauma of the surgery itself. Nobody talks about "trauma" in joint replacement, but they are cutting flesh, sawing bones, and inserting foreign substances - all very hard on the body, even if you are not in a lot of pain. Now you can start rebuilding back to your former self.

Over the past 20 years, I have had about a dozen major (mostly orthopedic) surgeries, and several "minor" procedures; most recently I had a TWR (total wrist replacement.) Every time, it has taken weeks to months to get over the physical effects of the surgery, then a few more to get all the muscles, tendons, ligaments and nerves healed and strengthened.

What I have learned is that recovery is not linear - there will be ups and downs - and that it is not automatic - you have to put in the work to "get your old self back".

For example, at 3 months post-wrist-replacement, I have excellent basic use, strength and flexibility, but I figure it will be about 9 more months until I hit full recovery. Two years ago, I think it took me 18 months to fully rehab from a massive rotator cuff repair - one day I just realized it was "all better." I had similar experiences with other surgeries, but it does take longer now than at 55 or 60.

Bottom line - please be patient with yourself, do your PT, and rest when your body demands it - you'll be back to your old self eventually.

Yes, I’m 72 , 11 weeks post op. I ended up with blood clots and two PE I haven’t had any Physical Therapy since finding them, I’m stiff and sore my ankle hurts and hips because I’m walking strange. Can’t change it now but I wouldn’t have never done it. I even look older in the mirror. My sister has done it twice she did great.

@steve161 I had my right TKR eleven months ago. I can do all five of the listed activities and was able to do them after only a few months. However, it is somewhat hilarious (to others) when I then stand up after getting down on the ground.

I am an 81 YO male. I told my surgeon that I wanted to be back on the golf course by the end of four weeks. he replied that it was an aggressive target but he was up to it if I was. I was. He was. On the 27th day after my right knee replacement, I returned to playing golf. At my six month checkup he told me I had no limitations from the surgery. I am a big believer in shared targets.

However, when doing PT I discovered how truly bad my balance was. On either the surgical leg or the non surgical leg. One of the PT exercises was to stand on a lumpy pad in one foot and not touch the bar in front of me for 30 seconds; then the other leg; then repeat the entire event two more times. I almost always failed and had to touch the bar.

I used to swear on the golf course if I hit a bad shot and it went into the rocks. Now I simply tell myself "it's only a ball" and abandon it to the rattlesnakes. But the knee replacement didn't cause this issue, it merely made me realize I had it.

First, four months is early to start complaining about your recovery aging you. Some recover faster than others.

You should have a functioning knee once you finish recovery. However, you may not be as good at activities such as tennis as you were before your knee started acting up. But that is also a element of aging and undergoing any major surgery. If your surgery went well, you should be getting most of your old self (before your knee started acting up) back. But NOT at four months.

I understand how you feel about the aging. I'm just about 5 months.out from TKR. I was told it can take 18-24 months. for all swelling to go down. I can straighten my knee now but retracting is more challenging, feeling like some swelling behind the knee is preventing that retraction and maybe nerves firing from ankle up to the knee. I do start out my morning doing about 10 min. of leg stretching and bending, leg raises, straightening and bending my knee out and in before I get out of bed. Then do 20 -30 more min of sitting and standing leg, knee & ankle exercises in addition to squats and sit-stands without using hands/arms to assist. Doing these exercises first thing help my back and hips as well as my knee. I also walk 30-40 minutes without pain, but slower than before surgery. I do notice sitting/standing too long does bother my knee. I feel much better than at 5-6 weeks and basically can do most tasks as prior to surgery. I am quite a bit older than you so probably you will recover quicker. Best to you in your healing.

Steve161 has some great comments here. After about 60, our bodies do not spring back like they did! And if you aren't able to keep up your lively activities, muscles atrophy at a much faster pace, I have found. (I believe in taking hyaluronic acid - I get gelcaps from Amazon - once/week to lubricate my joints. Works for me.) Also, there are new studies showing dramatic effects from anesthesia for us elders; I always experience a "slowing down" after being sedated.

Thank you Laura. Do you experience a PERMANENT slowing down?? That’s what I’m worried about— that I’m not going to be able to shake this.

@pat9892 I think the morning stretching is a great idea!!!