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Getting in and out of bath

Posted , 15 users are following.

sharon52158
sharon52158

having My first Tkr on Saturday I have an over bath shower at home and wondered how others managed with this

0 likes, 23 replies

23 Replies

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  • lynn08926
    lynn08926 sharon52158

    Posted

    I'm afraid it will probably be out of the question for a few weeks.

    Strip washes or borrowing a family/friends walk-in shower.

    Suggest you also invest in a non-slip rubber mat for safety.

  • PollyBB
    PollyBB sharon52158

    Posted

    You will probably find it difficult getting in and out of the bath at first. However once you have had your dressing and sutures removed it will be worth trying. Getting in and out of the bath and standing up is a lot easier than sitting in the bath!

     

  • caroline46398
    caroline46398 sharon52158

    Posted

    At first you can manage with bowl flannel and soap until you can climb in and out safely and make sure someone is around.

    Can't get wound wet until fully healed so put a carrier bag around it or just have body washes . Get anti slip mat in the bath and if possible some grab rails. Otherwise if you're desperate go to a friend or family with a walk in shower. Better to be smelly than risk falling!

    • denise709
      denise709 caroline46398

      Posted

      Hi!,, My Surgeon had told me I had to wait for 4  days post-discharge  before I could remove my dressing, and begin to get in the shower allowing water to slowly trick;e over the wound site using a special anti-bacterial soap solution. No rubbing for a about a week.  My suture line looked good, edges approximated, no discharge, no redness or tenderness to the site. It was after that that I began to progress.   I think my sitiure line looks teaxt book perfect and I am quick to pull up my pant leg and show off my surgurical site.  Remember everyone is different.  I did three days in the hospital with my surgery and then discharge home, with only 3 days of physical therapy (TOTAL) planned for in the home.  MY PT was awesome and he ripped up all of the scar tissue ad scar tissue potential in my leg-- I cried and cursed but I could feel the benefits by the next day.  

      It takes time and we are all different with varying backgrounds and levels of skills we bring to the table, levels of support, health issues, and our surgical experience - put them all together and then you have each of us - individually!.   It is a journey!

  • martinarvelo
    martinarvelo sharon52158

    Posted

    Very easy to fall over when trying to wash . .Hope you can have someone with you!  I wouldn't advise even trying to get under the shower . .I found it hard enough in a walk in shower and had to use a chair to begin with.  Terrifed of falling over, which I did once. . Also if you can get one of those seats to put over the loo to make it higher it will save you an awful lot of aggro!
  • Annodoremouse
    Annodoremouse sharon52158

    Posted

    If your in UK ask for OT assessment ans borrow the equipment you need. You cant get the wound or dressing wet
  • tess94652
    tess94652 sharon52158

    Posted

    The dressing put on in the hospital and some to take home were completely waterproof and all the wound stitches were soluble so I was able to shower the day after the op -but think getting in and out of a bath will be too hard to begin with. Take care and best of luck!
    • sharon52158
      sharon52158 tess94652

      Posted

      Thanks terri think it will be a wash down and dry shampoo for a while 
  • carol66249
    carol66249 sharon52158

    Posted

    I had my tkr 2 weeks ago and I am in the same situation. My surgeon told me I couldn't use my over bath shower, trying to climb into bath would increase the risk of dislocation.
  • denise709
    denise709 sharon52158

    Posted

    Hi!   I ordered the shower chair and it is amazing.  My first full shower was so rewarding.  I am still using it  (6 weeks postop), since I love kust sitting back and relaxing and allowing that warm water to run across my leg.

    You can order the chairs through Amazon

  • denise35025
    denise35025 sharon52158

    Posted

    Not easy, Sharon. I was in the same situation and started off with basin, flannel etc.  After a few days, I was willing to try anything to feel more comfortable and so I put a towel on the edge of the bath (after filling it with lots of warm water and sweet-smelling suds), sat on the towel, and then VERY carefully swung one leg and then the other around so that both feet were in the bath and I was positioned so that I could then use my arms and good leg to lower myself into the bath while keeping my other leg "floating" free. I then lowered that leg into the water but keeping the knee raised above it. Make sense?

    I did have my husband hovering in the background just in case, but after that first time, I felt confident enough to go it alone. There was nothing like the relaxation of that first bath - it worked wonders on my state of mind. It was about 10 days to 2 weeks before I tried the over bath shower, and by then the knee was bending enough to clamber in and out without too much trouble.

    I'm 7 weeks post-op and have not regretted my TKR for more than the first 24 hours (if that).  Best of luck, Sharon, and looking forward to hearing how you get on.

  • ruthie2673
    ruthie2673 sharon52158

    Posted

    you can't get the area wet until the clips or sutures are out.

    I guess it depends on your bath....I found that after 3 weeks I could sit on the edge of the bath and swing my legs over and in and actually have a soak in the bath. Getting out was a bit more difficult so I made sure the first time that my husband was nearby, but if your upper body strength is any good you can push yourself up with your arms and then bad leg out first.

    Definitely need a non-slip mat in there and something non-slip on the floor as well.

    It was bliss that first bath!

  • Tucks
    Tucks sharon52158

    Posted

    Sharon I could not manage to get in the bath for a shower, over the bath shower like you, for 8weeks. It was a case of wash downs with a soft flannel. All the best with the op.
  • sarah87162
    sarah87162 sharon52158

    Posted

    Sharon the answer for me was to have a bathboard as I do not lilke showers. The first few times I just sat on the board and put my feet in the bath till I felt confident enough to get right in the bath.

    Sarah

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