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Flying after knee replacement

Posted , 7 users are following.

christine83627
christine83627

Just wondering when it is safe to fly again after knee replacement. I did mention it to my surgeon and I thought that he said 6 weeks but this seems to contradict information I have read on the internet and I was just wondering how long other people waited until they ventured on their first aeroplane and what advice they had been given by their surgeon.

I am craving sunshine at the moment but do not wish to cause problems  by pushing things too soon.

I am only just over six weeks at the moment but things have gone fairly well and I am just thinking about planning a winter holiday.

The flight time would be about 4 hours so not too long a flight.

0 likes, 6 replies

6 Replies

  • margaret_14320
    margaret_14320 christine83627

    Posted

    Watch out for your knee absorbing heat from the Sun as the metal will expand and become tight and painful ,providing you cover it so the heat cannot penetrate in other words not in direct sunlight  I would say that you would be o.k.
  • Oldfatguy1
    Oldfatguy1 christine83627

    Posted

    You're right....lot's of confusion even among Dr's and therapists as well as insurance carriers. I was allowed to after 8 weeks If I felt up to it but had to get up and walk the aisles at least once an hour to help prevent possible blood clotting. Frankly, I was not physically recovered enough to handle the airport routine, changing planes, battling the luggage, etc. My 1st 2 flights were within 4 months and were 2 hr. or less. Not enjoyable in any sense. I'm long legged so got aisle seats. Everyone on the window side must have had weak kidney's or bad bladder. In and out, up and down, whacking my bad leg every time. I didn't have any health insurance issues as I'm on medicare. However; should had any arisen I would have been out of pocket and then who knows how long fighting for reimbursement. Just check out everything with all the powers to be and check out the fine print before traveling. You are getting away to relax.....you don't need a small blip messing things up.
  • jennifer86104
    jennifer86104 christine83627

    Posted

    I was told to wait for 6 months (long haul). I flew to the Canaries from UK (about 4hrs) 6 months after my TKR and I wore flight socks and walked around every so often just to be on the safe side. I was fine and have flown a few times since.
  • AngieJC
    AngieJC christine83627

    Posted

    I live in Florida and in and out of the sun I have titanium in my hips and back so far no problems 
  • Peglegbev
    Peglegbev christine83627

    Posted

    Hello Christine I had my op in Feb flew to Gran Canaria in June wore those damned socks - what a struggle getting those on !!! No problems just got up a couple of times and also did ankle twist exercises on the plane just to keep everything moving!  Enjoy the sun take care 
  • sharon52158
    sharon52158 christine83627

    Posted

    Had my op end of March so 5 and a half months post op flew to Portugal last week about a 3 hour flight and was fine surgeon told me to use a high factor sun cream on the scar to protect it from getting burnt 
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