3 Weeks Post Op of a TKR

Posted , 10 users are following.

Hi can any body give me any info on how far one should be walking at 3 weeks. I'm still using crutches and have to say knee still very stiff and at times painful.

Also these dreaded white stockings have had different reports on how long I should keep them on.Now off all anti coagulation medication.Does any body have any ideas and when does this pain ease down.

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  • Posted

    Hi,

    I stayed on crutches from date of surgery (6 Nov 2015) to surgeons review on 29 Dec 2015. He gave me all clear and I did away with crutches and began driving my car again. another three weeks later I returned to work bus driving.

    At no time did I rush things, I DID all my exercises 4 times a day, every day, not just one exercise a session, but all according to the agreed exercise programme. I supplemented these exercises by visits to my sports injury therapist for leg/knee massage and am now fine. Just have a little ongoing tightness under lower part of knee cap. I still ice and elevate when I feel the need.

    You don't say if you are under going PT or if you have an exercise programme - if you are then keep up your pain relief medication or else the chances are you'll not cope with the exercises.

    John 

  • Posted

    I had to wear mine for 6 weeks which was up last week one of my friends just died from dvt not from an op so made sure I wore them 
  • Posted

    Hi!

    I was three weeks post op for a right TKR yesterday & had a left one in 2014. Last time I wore those wretched socks for the six weeks that I was told but yesterday I decided that, as I'm moving around a lot more now, to just put one on the operated leg at night time as I'm so hot and uncomfortable now the warmer weather is here. 

    With regard to the pain, this knee seems to be much better pain wise than the last one, but the intense pain did ease off last time at three months or so but then I had various pains (not terrible) for about 7/8months. At a year I forgot that I had a knee replacement and was really happy that I'd had the operation!

    Roll on Autumn time!

    Glenda

    Are you in the US? As in the UK we only have crutches in hospital and are sent home with two walking sticks which the physio said to use one around the house and two if I go walking outside for extra stability. Last time I was told that I should be walking with no sticks at all by six weeks which I managed. As for walking distances, last week I tried to walk to my town centre which is normally a 12-15 minute walk and ended up having to take a taxi home and felt very unwell for a day or so, sleeping in the day for hours plus knee had terrible swelling! Now I just potter about the house and garden and try and do my exercises regularly as I read that walking is no substitute for the exercises!

    • Posted

      Hi I'm also in uk, but I didn't have to wear compression stockings at all. In hospital i had other things which inflated alternatively every 1 min. They were on all the time i was in or lying on bed. I was sent home with injections to give myself every night for 2 weeks to prevent clots. I ws sent home with 2 crutches and at 3 weeks physio said down to 1. I don't use them at home at all but when out walking use 1 as very hilly where i live and also in a shopping centre i nearly got sent flying, if i hadn't had it on one side and husband on other i would been flat on back, and it was a grown woman, her young son shouted at her mummy that lsdy has a stick...her reply so. The wee boy came back and said sorry to me!

      I am finding it hard to build up my walking distance without getting tired and stiff and uncomfortable, just trying to build a few steps more daily x

    • Posted

      I am also doing static bike 20 mins and physio exercises 3 times a day x
    • Posted

      m 2 weeks out today, no more compression hose as of today..moved from walker to cane after PT. I was able to ride a stationery bike for 10 min and step up and step down on my replacement knee...this has helped my depression. .a little sore this am but will ice alot today....Feeling much better physically and mentally than last week!..I'm in the states ....I have a history of blood clots so I had hose for that plus take an aspirin daily. ..I didn't have a hospital stay...my surgery was at 10 am and I walked out of hospital at 3pm on walker......my surgeon is superb!
    • Posted

      The after care ideas seem to vary not just world wide, but within as well! In hospital I had compression stockings on plus those noisy little inflation boots and I was injected daily with heparin! When I was discharged from hospital I was given a ten day supply of blood thinning pills and told to avoid Ipbrofen whilst taking the tablets! The crutches were taken away on day two and then I was told to use my sticks. By the way, I'm in Buckinghamshire.
  • Posted

    I think John5006 has had an amazing recovery!  I thought I was fit before I had this op and had every confidence that I too would be driving at 6 weeks.   Driving is my lifeline and my job depends on it.  I dont think I will be driving or given the all clear as I have very little bend in my knee.

    At 5 wks in I too exercise every day and have had to cut down as it was causing swelling; but I have kept on my feet every day.  I havent had any Physio support since day 3 after the op.   I think that I may need to find an independent PT as I now think this is crucial to my recovery.

     I have cut down my morphine tabs to 1/2 at night.   I dont have a partner so feel too vulnerable to go out without a member of my family.  Why arent we all getting the same level of support or aren't I shouting loud enough!

     

    • Posted

      Ach Lynn, I think we do all recover differently. I had physio for 6 weeks. If you can i would recommend it or google post op knee exercises or look on you tube. All my physio did was made sure i was doing all strength building exercises properly, did some weight bearing quad exercises and got me to ride a static bike. My last 2 sessions she did acupuncture on back of knee as it is still uncomfortable. Hope u can get some help from this x
    • Posted

      Hi Lynn,

      I had the same experience with Physio support. The 3 days in hospital I had constant Physio and from the day I went home on 9 Nov to now I only had 1 Physio support, and, all that was was a review at hospital. I had a booklet of exercises published by NHS which was both basic and inadequate. In the end I went onto Youtube and did a search for these exercises and found more value from Youtube than the NHS. during the rehab period up to 29 Dec I did go to my sports therapist at my expense and got her to gently massage and work on not just my new knee but all the surrounding muscles.

      I have to say I did cheat a bit because for 8 weeks prior to surgery I went to the same therapist who worked entirely on my knee with the aim of strengthening it - so that when I went into surgery I knew my knee was as good as I could possibly get it.

      I found the liquid morphine I had in hospital didn't touch the pain nor did Trymadol (I think thats the spelling) .... the only thing that worked for me was CoCodomol 30/500.

      Good luck.

      John

    • Posted

      Hi Lynn,

      I am in the US. I'm sorry to hear that you feel as though you aren't being given enough support during your recovery.

      I agree that yiu will have to be an advocate for your own health and wellness. If you don't feel as though you are getting enough Physio, then go out and find some that's suitable for you. If yiu need family support, ask for it. Listen to your body

      I hope you get well soon.

  • Posted

    I'm 2 weeks out today, no more compression hose as of today..moved from walker to cane after PT. I was able to ride a stationery bike for 10 min and step up and step down on my replacement knee...this has helped my depression. .a little sore this am but will ice alot today....Feeling much better physically and mentally than last week!
    • Posted

      Yeah Charlotte.  Way to go.  Sound like you are in the states to me.  This was my pace also.  Keep up the good work and be sure to take 1 hour a day 2 X a day to elevate and ice...other than icing after exercises....this is very Important and was hard for me to do....but it will make a difference in how you feel.  You heal while you rest.

      pam

  • Posted

    Evans, I work compression socks for 2 weeks.  At that point I was using a walker....well I pushed it around the house to stablize me, but was walking everywhere..slowly.  I am in the states and had in home PT.  At 3 weeks I was using a cane...and 4 weeks walking outside daily plus exercises every day 2 times a day from the onset.  I ride a stationary bike daily also.  I was walking unaided I public at 6 weeks...prior to that PT told me take my cane...so others give way for you.  The pain really eased for me at 4 weeks.  And almost gone by 7... Except when I would overdo..which was several times.  The pain changes...and comes and goes for all of us as we all heal differently.

    pam

  • Posted

    Hi there, oh, it's hard isn't it? No-one told me it would be so painful or disabling. I'm 4 weeks yesterday. I've just been round a mid sized supermarket with one crutch plus hubby and trolley! I went for a 5 minute walk yesterday. Don't know if I should've doing more. Got physio on Friday. I'm doing my exercises 3 times a day. Those stockings do my head in!! So uncomfortable, think I'm taking them off before 6 weeks. My knee and leg is so swollen I don't need anything making it worse. I'm still thinking that I wish I hadn't had it done. Hopefully you feel a lot better after 6 weeks I've read. Please!!!!!
    • Posted

      The stocking made mine swell....as long as I was up moving around, plus I couldn't sleep in them. I was so happy to get rid of mine...Hang in there.....I'm sure it will get better with each day..

    • Posted

      Oh Lucie,yesterday was an extremely bad day!!! Those words Wish I hadn't had this done.!! Yes to pushing a trolley around sainsburys with support of hubby but felt very rubbish at the end .

      Leg very heavy and tingling and generally not great nobody prepares you for this at all.

      Knee is really tender and still swollen but have been using Arinica cream and my god did the brushing go down very quickly as my leg and calf where almost deep purple spectacular colours !!!!

      I hope your recovery goes well and those b stockings I'm losing mine next week can't stand them any more it's so hot at night think they do more harm than good!! Chris 

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