Knee Surgery
Posted , 13 users are following.
Hi,
I have a knee eplacent operation booked for next week and I am wondering if I need any special equipment at home after the operation whilst I am recovering.
I have had two hip operations and I had an elevated toilet seat and I managed to borrow a riser recliner chair from a friend which was great but I do not really want to ask for it again because it was very difficult to transport.
I am hoping my husbnd can raise the height of a small recliner settee which I like to use.
Any advice would be welcome.
2 likes, 19 replies
PollyBB christine83627
Posted
Hope all goes well for you.
christine83627 PollyBB
Posted
thanks for your reply.
I am having my operation in the Midlands at a private hospital. I have booked this operation at short notice so things have been a bit rushed.
I have a pre assessment appointment next week so they will probably discuss equipment then but I know when I had hip surgery the hospital were very concerned about the height of beds and chairs etc and they had to be a certain height.
I am hoping with knee surgery that may not be so important.
PollyBB christine83627
Posted
If your husband is able to go shopping for you, I would not spend a lot of money in advance - you might not use the items you buy!
toni82876 christine83627
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susan33930 christine83627
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i also had 2 loo seats - one I used for a couple of weeks, the other I took off after 2 days - must have been differing heights of loos.
one good thing I borrowed was like a Zimmer frame trolley for taking tea etc from kitchen to seat.
sarah87162 christine83627
Posted
You will need.
Raised toilet seat
Chair risers. (To make your armchair higher)
Tea trolley on wheels
Bath board (If you use a bath)
It is best to have these in place before your op.
You should be able to get these from Occupational Therapy Department of your local hospital.
You will need someone at home with you for a while.
After my TKR 3 years ago I went onto Wiltshire Farm Food. This was really useful. I did not intend to stay on them for that long but 3 years later and i am still ordering them!!
Also be aware Red Cross will do shopping for you for 6 weeks after you come home.
Hope this helps.
Take care and keep in touch
Praying for you
Love Sarah xxx
martinarvelo sarah87162
Posted
gill77343 christine83627
Posted
if you can get an elevated toilet seat and a recliner, that would do you good.
i would also suggest that you get a leg lifter or an elasticated exercise band, that was very good for me, you will need that to get your leg up and down off the bed and it's also good for exercising the leg.
Also I would suggest freeze gel packs, the ones that come with their own cover, when you freeze the gel packs pull out of the freezer and slip it in the cover and then place on your knee, you will need to do this several times a day so may be worth getting two, I still use mine and at night I put a large bandage over my knee and the pad to keep it in place.
Also I would ask the doctor if he/she prefers Kelo- Cote or Bio Oil to help with the scar, perhaps hubby could get that for you.
i used the Kelo Cote, it's expensive but you only need a bit, plastic surgeons use it where I am living, a lot of people say Bio Oil, so just check with your doc.
Put a small table near you with everything on, it sounds like your hubby will be there with you, but in case he has just popped out.
also ready cooked meals, before I had my op I done a mammoth cooking session and froze the lot down, I also made up different batches of home cooked soup, and this helped a lot, especially as my hubby had to go to work.
i hope these suggestions have been of help and good luck for the operation.
Take care
Gillian
martinarvelo christine83627
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linda04825 christine83627
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irish_linda christine83627
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pyesangel christine83627
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cheryl90571 christine83627
Posted
I am five weeks out from my Total Knee Replacement on my left knee.
Here are some things I found helpful to have:
1) My husband's belt that I made a lasso of so I could put it over my foot like a stirrup of a horse. I had trouble LIFTING my leg at first, so this handy tool helped me get my leg into bed, onto the ottoman, and into the passenger side of the car
2) a grabber. When stuff falls, a grabber helps SO MUCH!
3) PILLOWS, PILLOWS, PILLOWS! You will be happy that you have a collection handy of all sizes because at first it is challenging to get comfortable.
4). a cool wet washcloth. There is something VERY SOOTHING about a cool wet washcloth. Just wiping off my face from time to time refreshed me.
5) a bedside tray with "stuff" like journal, pen, cell phone, mints, pain meds, a bottle of water, TV remote, cell phone charger, helps you feel independent and not constantly having to ask for things.
6) a warm blanket. I was taking blood thinners and would get VERY COLD sometimes quite suddenly. Having a nice blanket at the ready was very helpful!
7) shower stool. This was really helpful because it is difficult at first to stand and take a shower, wash your hair, shave your legs, etc. Be sure to MEASURE THE INSIDE OF YOUR TUB OR SHOWER carefully before purchasing a stool or chair
8) Crutches. I found a railing on one side and a crutch on the other side made it quite easy to go up steps. We leave the crutch at the top of the stairs so all is ready when I am ready to go down
9) Frozen peas!!! These make THE BEST ice bags and conform to your leg quite well. They can be refrozen again and again, too.
10) compression BANDAGES. These you will probably come home wearing. Your foot, ankle, knee will swell, and ice can only do so much. By putting on the compression bandages, it will help with the swelling. Stockings are just WAAAY too hard to get on and off in the early days, weeks
These are MY top ten helps! Hope they will HELP YOU!!!!
candace55 christine83627
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christine83627
Posted
I have a few other queries an I know that there will be many different answers:
1. How long before you could go for a walk outside
2. How long before you could have a shower. I suppose this depends on how the incision was closed.
3. After a full recovery, were you able to wear shoes with a small heel for a social occasion.
Thanks
susan33930 christine83627
Posted
You can walk outside as soon as you feel confident enough to. Mine were very short walks to start with and I made sure I had someone with me the first couple of times. I used to walk up and down the street - just 3 or 4 houses at first and add another house or two further each time.
Theres differing advice with showers. I was told not to get it wet at all while the staples were in and not soaking wet until the scar had fully healed. I got round that by wrapping it in cling film at first and then just draping a flannel over it after the staples were out. We have a big shower and I had a shower stool and was able to keep my leg sticking out of the water flow most of the time anyway and I also one of these none slip mats which sucker to the tray.
dont know about heels, I'm 10 weeks and quite happy in pumps and trainers for now.