Compression stockings

I only wore for a few days after surgery . I found ice and elevating almost non stop helped swelling . Hope it comes down for you . It's all so concerning at the early stages .

Debbie x

Hi Marie, I am one week out from a TKR, and have compression stockings up to the knees, which I was told to wear for 4-6 weeks.  Elevation and ice really helps, and I've found that the slight compression of the ice held on with a proper strap, also makes a difference.

Good luck, it's so hard but this forum helps immensely

Susie

I had to wear them on both legs, even though only one was operated on. I was told it was to prevent DVT (Deep Vien Thrombosis...Blood clots), nothing to do with swelling prevention.  I had to wear them 24/7 but I did 'allow' myself a half hour each day with not wearing them.

At one point, I was in so much pain wearing them, I went to the hospital for them to check things were ok.  Immediately the nurse saw how tight they were, she made me take them off, and said I'd been given the wrong size, and got me some bigger ones.  In hindsight, it was probably the fact that my leg was swelling anyway (it's still swollen 2 years on now), and had sort of outgrown the stockings.

That's my experience anyway.

Hi Marie,

?I'm 6 weeks post TKR today. My leg swelled up like a ballon following surgery with such severe bruising. I wore the stockings for two weeks as was more concerned about DVT than swelling. The stockings become uncomfortable so changed them as agreed with the physio for a tuigrip bandage. They was more comfy for me. Hope everything goes well with  your recovery x

Hi Marie!

I had LOTS of swelling with my left knee TKR! My compression stockings were on for the first two weeks following surgery and came off the day my staples were removed two weeks after surgery. It sure felt good to get those compression stockings OFF!??

I iced and elevated, BUT neither really helped much with swelling. ON MY OWN I decided to TRY the compression stockings once again. (I had hand-washed them, line-dried them and put them away thinking I MIGHT need them in the future.)

I put them back on with quite a bit of difficulty, BUT my legs felt better almost immediately, so I knew I had made a good decision to try them again!

I followed this practice whenever swelling occurred for the next several months. I could not achieve success with JUST ice and elevation. The compression was what I needed. Maybe you will find this to be true as well.

Here are some other things I found helpful during g those first months:

1) Drink LOTS of water. It flushes out impurities and extra salt from foods.

2) Take it easy with the salt shaker. We need salt, but too much will cause water retention and SWELLING.

3) Lay on the floor, and put your legs up the wall to REALLY get ELEVATION! (This is my oldest son's method following his long runs and post-competition events.) He showed me an adaptation where I sit at the head of the bed, rotate and put my legs up the headboard to elevate. Works WONDERS as getting down on the floor can be pretty scary for me these days!

I hope these ideas help!

For me, the wearing of the compression stockings provided another bonus-- I was able to GET MOVING which helped me to feel SO MUCH BETTER because I have arthritis in my back, shoulders, hips and fingers. Sitting with ice on makes everything else HURT.

Gotta love all we go through as we age!??

I had to wear them for 6 weeks on both legs after my TKR.  No dea whether they helped or not but I was too scared not to.

liz

It's up to your surgeon. Mine have always mandated 6 weeks but others so they aren't important. As for me, it's a small price to pay for helping avoid blood clotting

 I'm on my fifth week. I haven't been able to use, I have a lot of inflammation and larger size does not fit me.