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Hip vs Knee

Posted , 10 users are following.

anne57454
anne57454

Is anyone else tired of hearing how much of a breeze THR is compared with knee replacement?

No offence to those with knee replacements and all honour to them as well, BUT THR is not a breeze!!

3 likes, 14 replies

14 Replies

  • ann60013
    ann60013 anne57454

    Posted

    Hi Anne 

    I had a Total Knee Replacement 2 year ago and I had my hip done 9 days ago as far as I can see niether is a breeze they are totally different and so far I think both are very hard in different ways I don't remember feeling as worried about how I sat down or not being able to bend down to pick things up when I had my knee done but I think the pain was a lot worse but we are all different and will heal in different ways and hopefully feel better eventually hope all goes well for you as everyone xxx

  • georgina1957
    georgina1957 anne57454

    Posted

    No it's not especially wen yu still avin probs a year on hip is fine but looks like I got nerve damage
  • linnet2015
    linnet2015 anne57454

    Posted

    I totally agree anne (and repeat total respect for anyone who has had a knee op). Perhaps its because so many have the hip op done each year that it is seen by some as a breeze in comparison which it def isnt!

    When I was in hospital a couple of weeks ago I was particularly miffed with the lady in the bed next to me who had had a knee op and kept proclaiiming to all and sundry that a hip replacement wasnt a major operation!! Just as well I was on oramorph or it might have been bed pans at dawn! 

    Linnet 😀

    • georgina1957
      georgina1957 linnet2015

      Posted

      Respect for being able to take oramorph I tried that before my op turns out allergic to anything related to morphine
  • jhb513
    jhb513 anne57454

    Posted

    You hit the nail right on the head. All the time I was told hip surgery woul dnot be as bad as when I had a knee replaced. WRONG.......................................

    ​Have had more trouble regaining my walking, sleep was hard in the beginning. Aches and pains in leg and knee of the operated hip. I could go on and on. In all fairness I was worn out, tired and depressed going into hip surgery where as with knee surgery three years ago I was in fair shape and had no trouble recovering no worrying about how to sit how to sleep. My take on it is that while knee surgery is a biggie in only involves your knee. Where as hip surgery involves your torso your butt, legs knees and seem more invasive to me. I am four months out from THR and doing okay still when I am tired I walk the weird way I did before surgery. What I mean to say is thank goodness we have these surgeries available to us but they are not routine to us maybe to the doctors.

  • Kikeena
    Kikeena anne57454

    Posted

    I have had 2 knee and 1 hip replacement and it's a total myth that  hip replacements are a breeze. They are not. I don't know where this myth began, but even my surgeon said I'd breeze through this. I feel led astray and was not expecting it to be this hard. If there were no knee replacements people would be exclaiming how difficult this op is.

    With a knee I think there is more pain, and the recovery is longer. But with a hip there's plenty of pain and a long recovery. Also that 90 degree rule is a tyrant. It dictates sitting, toileting and sleeping. I felt housebound until 6 weeks because I couldn't use other chairs and bathrooms.

    It's a really unhelpful myth, and it makes light of the suffering of hippies. It really bugs me when another person's suffering is minimised.

    • Suzybobs
      Suzybobs Kikeena

      Posted

      I totally agree kikeena i also have had both knees & 1 hip replaced, it's 8 years since my knees were done & admittedly you do forget all the pain & discomfort after so long. Both operations were so different, with the knees I found sleeping much better as I didn,t have to worry about sleeping only on my back so I was able to do my exercises, practise walking ect ¬ feel tired all the time , the recovery for me was around 3 months. I am 6 wks post op right hip, walking normally, no pain but I,m so tired all the time because of lack of sleep &if you don,t get sleep well it can set you back in so many ways. So no I think neither op is a "doddle" in any way.
    • Kikeena
      Kikeena Suzybobs

      Posted

      Hi Susybobs. I also had a right hip replaced 6 weeks ago. But I am finding the knee isn't so great. In fact it hurts more than the hip right now and is holding me back. I'm concentrating on learning to walk properly and am hopeful that'll help my knee and hip.

      I agree sleeping is much easier with the knee and that makes so much difference to everything.

    • cathie38426
      cathie38426 Kikeena

      Posted

      How long is 90 degree  rule for? I can't remember

      from last time.

      I think the  success rate of hip operations is better

      than knee operations, maybe the cheerful optimism

      comes from that.

      Cathie

    • Suzybobs
      Suzybobs Kikeena

      Posted

      I have had my last physio today, he said I am at the level where i should be at 6wks &gave me my last set of exercises to do as often as possible and to keep on doing them even when I,m feeling stronger, he did show me a very helpful exercise in how to get up if ever I fell over &couldn't get up, great if you can kneel but as I explained to him I find it very difficult to kneel with replacement knees. So 8 yrs on the knees have been great apart from the kneeling I just hope my new hip proves as good. Keep on with the walking it is important to get it right rather than the distance you do so good luck with that Kikeena xxx susybobs
    • Kikeena
      Kikeena Suzybobs

      Posted

      Lol about getting up off the floor without using knees! He doesn't have an answer for that then?
    • Kikeena
      Kikeena cathie38426

      Posted

      It's only 6 weeks and in reality you can bend further if you're not weight bearing. I originally thought it was forever, a d I was still willing to have surgery! That's how desperate I was.

      Yes maybe it dies come from the hip being more successful. I do actually think the hip is easier than the knee, but not that much easier. And it is very difficult for those going through it and hippies deserve respect.

      Strangely this site doesn't have a matching forum for knee replacements,only one for knee problems. It's not nearly as active as this site because the variety of posts is too wide. Pity.

      Keena

    • Suzybobs
      Suzybobs Kikeena

      Posted

      He said laughing "well you would have to wait until someone could help you up". I said " I will try not to fall down then".Good job I have a sense of humour!
  • ginger47520
    ginger47520 anne57454

    Posted

    Thank you. I share THR in my case was not a breeze. I'm happy for those who are able to to all normal things at three weeks. Congrats to them.
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