Learning to walk normal after knee replacement

I had a double tkr surgery. My therapist told me to consciously walk a
normal stride with bend. I'm 4 months out and walk like a pro. Go easy
and slow… you have to retrain muscles.

Judi Maddock

@javajude I couldn't even imagine having them both done at the same time! Thanks for the input and encouragement! I'm just going to try that "stride with a bend" mind set and see how that goes. Thanks for the reply and I'm glad you're doing good.

I had to smile a little when you said you walk like your leg is made of wood. I said the same thing to my husband. I found that I just needed to try and walk with a normal gait. I was favoring my leg and trying to walk without bending the knee. Once I concentrated on walking normally things improved.

@cheris Wow, that's exactly what my PT said today. I waddled in and then we practiced with me "trying" to walk normal. Didn't quite make it but I see hope for the future. Guess it will just take time but I will be SO happy when I can start to walk normal again and get on a Treadmill at the gym!

@dkapustin great advice here from @cheris and @javajude. I remember it took me a while to feel like I was walking normally too, but it did finally happen. I do remember making a conscious effort to do it. I think I felt the greatest accomplishment when I was finally able to do stairs without holding the bannister. I think that took a good year, or maybe even more.
JK

I remember learning how to walk again as I walked as if I had a peg leg. I have to honestly say that it took me 7 months to walk naturally without limping, or dragging my leg. I am 9 months out from RTKR and no one could tell I ever had a knee replacement. Give it time, 8 weeks is rather early, it will come when you can walk naturally again. Good luck with PT.

That's encouraging to know it took that long and the recovery was good. I'm going on 11 weeks post double knee plus 3 weeks post MUA and I would have to say that I can't walk very well at all or far.

No worries, everyone heals differently. I was bummed because there were some people who have healed quickly and were up and about in three months golfing and walking as if nothing had happened. I am the other hand was a late healer but that’s OK if the result was that I was walking unhindered again.

Yes, very encouraging words from my fellow knee warriors. I'm not breezing through this surgery but am coming along at a slower pace. It's good to know that that we will still finish the race and get back to normal, it just might take us a little longer. The main thing I suspect is to be grateful that no complications showed their ugly heads and process is being made, however slow it may be! 🙂

Hi Judi, Congratulation! I was wondering if you had computer guided knee replacements? A friend of mine just recently had one knee done with that type of knee surgery and her recovery was a breeze compared to a traditional knee replacement. I need to have this surgery done soon so I am researching. Thank you for your reply.
Colleen Scott