Full knee replacement

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How long will the stiffness last for. Physio told me between 6/9 mths. Doing all the exercise what physio give me before and after my knee replacement. Just on a walking stick now hopefully will not need the walking stick after I see my coin on the 29th may

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11 Replies

  • Posted

    Unfortunately there is not set time frame with recovery. the fact is nobody recovers exactly the same everyone is different. 6 to 9 months for some some is a year some is over a year. As long as you follow the therapist exercises do not over do it or you will experience a knee that does not like you. Its a long road you will have good days and you will have really bad where it just hurts like hell. All I am trying to tell you do not set yourself up for disappointment sure its nice to set goals but this is not a minor surgery it takes time and lots of patience. I am well aware of what to expect from a replacement I have had 5 all on the same knee. They are not fun.
    • Posted

      Thank you i know not to rush things as it's major surgery . Just taking each day as it comes. Stiffness in my full knee replacement is better than it was. Yes total knee w is not fun it is a horrible operation. Did you do the heel board and did it help u. As physio did not do it.

    • Posted

      I have done all kinds of exercises. Not sure what a heel board is but the exercises related to the heel that I have done are:

      Sit in a straight back chair ( dining room chair ) sit up nice and straight extend your bad leg out as fas you can with heel on the floor and slowly bring it back as far as you can.

      If you have a table you can sit on, sit on the edge with your legs bent try to bend it as far as you can.

      If your laying on the bed wrap a towel around your foot and slowly pull the towel as far as you can to bend your knee.

      If you are having problems with getting your leg perfectly straight ( these hurt ) get 2 chairs sit on one set the other so you can set your bad leg on the other you can put a pillow under your foot. The idea behind this one is to let gravity do all the work. The longer you sit the harder it gets try for 5 minutes then try and go for 10.

       Another hard one sit down with out using your arms stand straight up.

      If can 3 sets of 10 with the exception of the one using gravity. Most of the ones I know are from memory I noticed Chico was very nice and wrote everything down for everyone. 

    • Posted

      This is a "heel board".  They are GREAT!!!  But you can do the same heel slides easily with a plastic bag on your foot and a long belt to pull it towards your butt.  However, the device does come in very handy...

    • Posted

      I have never seen one and I have been to therapy numerous times. I have seen 2 versions of heel slides. One you lay on the bed put a towel under your heel and have another around your foot or if the towel is big enough pull towards you butt. The other your sitting on a straight back chair same principle using a towel or if you have socks on have your leg as far out as you can then slowly slide it back as far as you can. The board looks pretty neat maybe after this next surgery maybe I will ask if they have one.
  • Posted

    Stiffness decreases over time...a lot of time...pretty much gone at 1 year.  Some docs say you can still feel some 12-18 months post-op.  I'm at 2+ years and get a twinge from time to time.  Others who have had their knees longer report that they start to feel stiffness again when they stop exercising.  We can't do that...

  • Posted

    I had TKR 6 years ago and I reckon physio is about right 6 / 9 months.

    How long since you had knee replacement?

    Sarah

    • Posted

      Hi Sarah got my knee replacement on 31st Jan this year. Did you do the heel board at physio.
    • Posted

      Hi Sarah got my tkr on the 31 jan this year.only stiff when I'm sitting down thank you sarah.x

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