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Kneeling with artificial knee
I have touched on this in other messages, but not in a focused manner. As an avid gardener, kneeling is essential for me. Almost 3 months after TKR, things are generally going very well. I have forced myself to get used to the weird, “ball bearing/metal” feeling in the knee by not avoiding, but embracing times when it can be pushed/bumped against surfaces (soft, like side of mattress while making bed, hard, as in kitchen cabinet doors while cooking), and I sense a semi-acceptance of the odd sensation. I know many/most people simply don’t do it or can’t do it... I’m looking for those who are as stubborn as I am and want to find out how you managed to ultimately feel normal-ish.
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My TKR is February 2025, and I've been worried about the loss of flexibility everyone is speaking about. My surgeon said he tries to put his patients own knee cap back in place, versus placing the 'button' when he can, to circumvent the kneeling challenge. I want to be able to do yoga, and squat again, but I'm getting a bit discouraged by what I'm reading here.
Don’t get discouraged, just keep stretching. I stretch my knee every day. Yoga and squats might not look like what they used to for us, but before the replacement we could hardly bend anyway. I try to tell myself that when I get depressed about it. Can’t say it always works, but it helps
I had my kneecap scraped of arthritis and put back- I don’t think I’ll be able to kneel on it though. Definitely not the same abilities.
Our healing processes are all different, so if you are in the early stages of recovery from surgery, don't get too discouraged. You won't be able to do knee related yoga positions as efficiently and with as much bend as before, but keep working on your recovery PT stretches and bends and try to hold a deep bend for about 30 seconds, just before the edge of pain. You can't make flex gains without pushing the stretch, but it should be discomfort, not pain that you feel.
I am able to sit yoga cross-legged (knees a little upright, no longer as flat) and also do child's pose, folding forward over my knees - I can't get as low as pre- TKR, but still get a good stretch. The best cheat I use is to kneel on a foam cushion, with my knee caps extended over the edge into air, so the weight is on the shin bone, below the knee cap itself. I avoid putting weight on the actual kneecap because it really does feel metallic and uncomfortable. When I garden, I often use a square boating safety cushion for sitting or kneeling if I have to be low to the ground, otherwise there are many types of garden stools which work well too.
Not everyone can end up with the same degree of ability to bend their knees, but the possibility to continue yoga, even if adaptive poses is there.