Knee Replacement Issues-Help Please!

My first tkr I struggled to bend just like you manipulation 6 weeks after tkr , made it worse…. I did a lot of pt was getting nowhere…. My dr told me I was not pushing hard enough that the pain was holding me back …. At about 9 months I had enough I was doing everything I could and getting nowhere…. I went for second opinion on first appointment I took original dr
x-rays ….well needless to say that day found out I would never get anywhere my knee was too big… within 2 months I was getting a revision…. It was best thing I ever did right out of surgery was able to bend more than when I went into surgery….for me revision recovery has been so much better than original tkr…..so I am wondering have you gotten a second opinion?

About 45 days in my PT said he felt a “hard stop” and he opined that me knee was too big. Got a second opinion and he thought everything looked good and that I had a “scar tissue build up issue” from previous surgeries.

My wife thinks you are correct. I think I have a physics issue where my leg bone is going under the knee. IDK but very depressing

I am contemplating a total knee replacement.
I am very reticent to do it.
I don't have severe pain and get along fine in most situations.
I have difficulty with stairs because of a lack of stability, not pain.
My knee is not going to miraculously mend, but I don't want to make matters worse.
I am 81 years old and very active. I go to the fitness center five days a week.
The surgery will keep me down for at least eight weeks.
I am open to opinions.

I am 61 and at 16 weeks. I put my gym membership on hold for another 3 months. I walk about 5-6000 steps a day, do my home exercises at PT dismissed me at 12 weeks and since I feel my knee gets sore more as I don't have the machines to work on and the gym I go to does not either. I don't think at 8 weeks you will be doing what you were at the gym. However you didn't say what you do at the gym. I do water exercises and was told I cannot jump or run in place for at least a year even in the water as the do not want me to displace the knee. I am also very active and this has really thrown me but they say by 6 month to a year I'll be good.

I supposedly went to the “best” for my first knee replacement. That experience, never seeing the surgeon again, too many pain pills, etc… it goes on.
After 2/12 years I needed the other knee replaced. Original
surgeon took 3 weeks to respond to an MRI result, that was it for me. When I called to inquire the nurse said, oh, it’s in some pile of papers on his desk to review.
So yes second opinion, and yes I’m finished and a much more pleasant experience this time around. Lesson learned, those claiming to be the best, because they do the most surgeries, is all BS. The “cattle-call” was no longer for me.

Plan on a year, I don’t care what “anyone tells you”, it’s a good year!
Period!

Personally, I found the older we get, the more difficult the recovery. While I respect your hesitancy to move forward,
if you are that active at 81, you’d better get it done now. By the way, 8 weeks is also a bit of a misnomer. Everyone is different, but, I’d say 8-weeks at the very earliest. Don’t be discouraged if it’s longer.
Been there twice now, just doesn’t work that way.
Vince

I am 73 and was in similar situation as you. No pain, but instability and knee bowing out. Surgery was on Jan 3, 2023. 10 days after surgery i swore i would NEVER do surgery again. Knee was very very stiff and swollen and it hurt. Hard to go from No pain to pain and stiffness. And the surgery was hard on my whole body. And I am healthy and take no medications etc.
Now 23 days after surgery my range of motion is 120 degrees, pain is when i am stretching and strengthening. I am walking without a cane and can go up and down steps.
I am thinking i may do second knee but waiting to see how my total outcome is on first. Hope this helps.

I was not able to say my TKR was successful until 20 weeks. I am now at 22.5 weeks and although there is no pain when inactive, I still feel stiff at times and sore when I go to gym more than 2 consecutive days. Having said that, I KNOW my left knee is stable and strong now. I have to slow it down because I need the right knee done and it can’t keep up. I swim (walk) 3-4 days per week and walk track/ride bike at gym 1-2 days. I have heard that the older you are the easier it is to recover as there is less muscle mass. Regardless, I’ve had multiple ortho surgeries and can honestly say it takes a full year to feel ‘new normal’. I will definitely have my right knee done.
I am 64.

They did tell me six months to a year. I'm hoping more for the six months lol