Exercise

I am 2 years into TKR's on both knees. I have been lazy about exercise and I have paid the price. I have learned that I will have to exercise for the rest of my life if I want to walk without stiffness and pain. I also need to regain my balance and exercising is starting to help. Chico Marx posts are very honest and helpful, you should look up his discussions on this site.

My first TKR was 12 years ago. i have never stopped exercising. i work out 3 times a week and spend 30 minutes of the time on leg exercises.

My GP said for life , to keep the muscles strong and everything flexible to support the implant. It does'nt have to be too onerous. Theres a lot you can do while u r watching the TV or just waiting for the kettle to boil. Get in the habit of using stairs rather than a lift. I do pilates & swim each week which has multiple benefits. Think of it as an overall lifestyle change rather than just about the knees.

Interesting subject. My PT is anxious to discharge me. They say at 12 weeks I am doing great and my knee is perfect. So I start using the stairs in my apt bldg....the penalty being very stiff and uncomfortable the day after almost to the point where I need to stay elevated? So how perfect is my knee? This recovery thing is a balancing act for sure.

i was what you would call the model patient. did all the exercises up till about a month ago and thought that i could just do the walking. began to slacken off with exercises ... WRONG. defo paying the penalty. looks like back on the routine for me then

Here's the deal:

1. You have to keep doing the ROM exercises until you get to the 0 / +120 target. That usually happens in the first three months. After that, normal exercising should extend your flexion a bit further into the 130s. All of that is very typical. It wouldn't hurt to continue some ROM work long term.
2. The next step is the muscle rebuild. All the musculature that supports the knee is very weak or outright atrophied. The exercise plan is a slow, gradual rebuild and takes almost the rest of the first year. It takes that long because the knee cannot be pushed; doing so will make it swell so it's a constant process.
3. Virtually all of the stiffness and noises will gradually subside over 9-18 months. You won't even know it's gone until one day the light bulb will go off in your head. THE BAD NEWS...is that you MUST keep the knee active...forever. Even years later, if you don't work the knee, it will definitely start to stiffen up again. Therefore, some sort of exercise to flex the knee and keep the muscles strong is mandatory. Sorry... Walking could be the solution. If so, get a pedometer to record and graph your step count. Distance and time are irrelevant since it's the STEP that puts the load on the knee. The software will keep an accurate record of your activity.

Also... Kneeling on a hard surface (cement, hardwood, tile, etc.) will absolutely cause you pain...but not from the knee itself. It's metal...there is no pain. The discomfort will be caused by nerve pain. To avoid it, use a foam pad indoors and knee pads outside for gardening. I do not recommend taking nerve meds like Gabapentin (Neurontin) or Lyrica. Too many side effects, especially weight gain, for the occasional pain while kneeling.

These discussions should provide more information for you...

Muscle Rebuild

ROM Work at Home

This is a long-term recovery and maintenance. Couch Potato is NOT an option. You didn't go through all that pain to fall back into pain again. Exercise to keep the knee fluid and strong is mandatory. Good luck.

i thank you all for the replies . you dont realise what you have to go thru to get yourself better . and taking care of them

You have got to do your exercises always every day hope this helps ypu.x