1. Community
  2. Bones, joints and muscles
  3. Knee Problems

How long was you off work following knee replacement surgery?

Posted , 22 users are following.

Schumacher13
Schumacher13

Hi, I am due to have my right knee replaced in 2 weeks time. I have heard different stories from different people about the time I will be off work after my op?, ranging from 6 weeks to 6 months!!!

obviously I know it's an individual thing, but generally can you give me your experiences?

i am a staff nurse on a busy ward and most days I don't even get a break!! Any nurses had it done???

0 likes, 34 replies

34 Replies

Prev Next
  • deena907
    deena907 Schumacher13

    Posted

    Hi, I had my surgery 2 weeks ago. I went back to work (I'm an office manager) on the 10th day. I worked only for a few hours a day. I did my first full day back on the 14th day after surgery. I still have a lot of swelling and pain, but it feels better to move around. I started PT on day 13th after surgery.

    Good luck to anybody that has this, I had a ton of pain the first week after, the nerve block they gave me didn't work on me, so I struggled a lot in the beggining, but that probably help me deal with the pain after I got out of the hospital. I'm glad I did it, but I wasent so glad the first week. It gets better with time.

  • debannie427
    debannie427 Schumacher13

    Posted

    I had a PKR of my left knee on July 20, and went back to work on August 22. I am an administrative assistant. I was told all I needed to do was get up and walk around every 45-60 minutes to keep knee from stiffening. Unfortunately, after my 9-10 hour work day, my leg was swollen from my knee to my toes.  Two of the days I went from work to physical therapy. I ended up taking 2 weeks of vacation to give my knee more time to heal. I also underestimated how tired I ended up being by noon each day. It definitely takes your entire body time to heal.  Take the time your doctor gives you before going back.  My doctor gave me 8 weeks.

    I just got a PKR on my right knee 17 days ago. This one has been much more painful. Sleeping at night without pain meds hasn't been possible. Pain and hyper sensitive skin around both knees tends to wake me up every 2-3 hours. My doctor has given me 8 weeks again, and while I doubt I'll need that much, I definitely won't go back after 4 weeks. My husband suggested I try spending increasing time sitting in a desk chair to get my knee prepared before I go back. 

    Take me care and good luck with your surgery.

  • chrisjjp
    chrisjjp Schumacher13

    Posted

    I feel better reading these posts as I was beginning to think i was the only one who is struggling so long after the operation. I had TKR 20th July and fully expected to be back at work in 6-8 weeks because thats what i was told. Still off and struggling every day. pain, swelling, the tight band, numbness, can't walk far, can't sit long. Am totally fed up and feel like I will never get back to normal.

    Reading the posts and talking to people I have met since it seems that several months and up to a year is a more realistic period of time before you can truly say you are back to normal/fully recovered. I keep trying to do normal things but physically am tired so quickly and with limited bend and movement in the knee everything takes 3 times longer.

    I feel better for getting all that off my chest anyway!

     

  • nicketa87251
    nicketa87251 Schumacher13

    Posted

    Hi there in an ER nurse and I had my total knee replaced Sept 20 and I will be returning to work tonight but only at half duty. I had a rough time with my replacement because I developed scar tissue and I had to get a manipulation under anesthesia let me say that was worse than the surgery. But now I'm passed all that and I have decent flexion still working on extension, still going to therapy 3 times a week and now starting work. I'll let you know if 4 months was long enough

    • Sctishldy
      Sctishldy nicketa87251

      Posted

      I guess this is an old question now since over a year....be nice if the person came back and let us know how it worked out for her....I had a full replacement bioth knees done November 22nd and doing real good up/down stairs still have the band feeling in knees and flexion decent still having PT twice a week. I get up and anticipate the pain I had and it is not there thus far, a good experience, getting better and better as time goes on it has been 6 weeks since surgery.
  • Jeannenp
    Jeannenp Schumacher13

    Posted

    I was off 8 months with a staged return after ( staged over 11 weeks). I am a nurse practitioner and I round at the hospital in the mornings and and see office patients in the afternooon). Problems is....diagnosed with joint infection at 11weeks, joint removed, leg immobilized hip to ankle and non weight bearing with a PICC line for antibiotics for 4 months. Then 2nd knee placed. So I don't know how long it's supposed to take. Best wishes.

    • Sctishldy
      Sctishldy Jeannenp

      Posted

      Oh No, that must have been awful for you, I cannot imagine having to go thru all that after having joint replacements, just cannot imagine, I feel for you, hopefully your on your way now to a full recovery.

      How on Earth did the infection start "out of the blue" or from the stitch line? wow!  I hope I don't encounter such down the line

    • Jeannenp
      Jeannenp Sctishldy

      Posted

      Actually, it was hospital acquired. Another person was infected with the the same bacteria , same day, same OR. I told the doctor from about week2 that it was infected, incision began opening and draining about week 4 and I was in EXTREME pain at week 11, went to another hospital and it was diagnosed. Was taken out 1 week later, left out (no joint, no weight bearing, immobilized hip to ankle and IV antibiotics about 4 months ) new hip put in and dang will I have a hard time doing the other!! Lol. One of the top KNEE SURGEONS in the US. I guess it isn't always smooth

    • Sctishldy
      Sctishldy Jeannenp

      Posted

      Have heard many times of Patients entering Hospital and getting sicker than they were when they went in due to infection, pity you were one of the unlucky one's who got hit, sounds like you sure got hit hard too! I guess I got real lucky everything going as it should. What stage are you at with it now is it all healed now? I can understand the dilema of questioning having another done,  after all you have been thru. Did you have to stay in the Hospital for 4 months? Boy, you have one horror story I do hope you are over all of it now and in a better place with the healing or healed now...regards Marie

    • kevin_ecosse
      kevin_ecosse Sctishldy

      Posted

      Hi Just found this site

      I was looking for comparisons regarding to my knee ops

      I am now 8 weeks post op - I had bi-lateral TKRs on Nov15 2016

      looking back my pain experience was low to what i expected

      I was out in 3 days after op ,staples removed at 14 days,leaving nice neat scars,i put myself through a rehab of 2 hourly per day pool excercises with meds as prescribed

      A great help was the use of an Aircast cryo cuff reccomended to me by my surgeon-helped reduce swelling greatly

      I stuck with the regime and at 6 weeks my walking was pain free with

      distances of about a mile length with meds being reduced in strength

      I had a stumble yesterday left knee has swelled up hopefully just a wee setback but does keep you alert as to the healing and not rushing it

      So at 8 weeks for my comparison of recovery

      Both knees feel like they are on the way to good results

      pain- low level with twinges

      Sleep now with pain subsiding more peaceful

      Only strange feeling is when i try to kneel (in pool) during excercises-

      too early to bear weight and does feel alien like.I think that this feeling is what i thought  the total knee feeling would be like prior to the ops

      but no my knees do feel like they are mine and not foreign/alien objects

      placed in me.

      I don't know if i explained myself eloquently in my attempts to describe the physical/feeling aspect after what was a major trauma to the body-hope so

      My work is in the Carpentery field ,so with the physical side to it i dont envisage a return to work before the 12 week post op -original rtw was set at 20 weeks by my surgeon,but its not a race what will be will be with all advice taken and most importantly listening to your body what tells you

      Regards

      Kevin

       

    • Sctishldy
      Sctishldy kevin_ecosse

      Posted

      Sounds as though your on the Ball doing everything as laid out which I guess brings the better results. I myself still have the tight band feeling (like I have a rubber band around my knees) and cannot do a bath yet or go onto my knees like you said goind on the knees feels so alien, for the most part I cannot complain...I guess I still have a ways to go with flexion. I also discovered not as painful as I imagined it would be then again the pain before I had them done was more severe daily & all the time that is all I have to compare so, pain not so bad, still taking the meds they certainly helped me takint the dogs for a walk on the Beach in a few hours around 1/2 mile which I can do ok and I pretty much keep to my exercise routine daily which has helped my progess. I guess in time I will have that bath and be able to go downstairs one leg after another and lose the tighness and be able to kneel,  then all will be perfect . It is not an overnight affair however I guess I am one of the lucky one's with little problems since having it done, I am grateful for that as I was reading not so for some unfortunate people.

    • kevin_ecosse
      kevin_ecosse Sctishldy

      Posted

      HI

      Yes i agree when you read a lot of these personal stories of what people go through and some of the unfortunate go wrongs ,it does make you realise that there are many others who are not re habing well

      I also agree that you must try-if able to push yourself that wee bit extra in the hope that it gets you the maximum best outcome.

      If there was one bit of advice if asked it would be to take to the water and

      excercise as for me that was a real boost in my recovery

      great you are also positive i think that with that,time and determination your rehab will progress as wished fot

      Best wishes and Regards 

      Kevin

  • shandylady
    shandylady Schumacher13

    Posted

    I am due to go into hospital on Monday and was told at least 12 weeks off wrk but could be longer x
    • Sctishldy
      Sctishldy shandylady

      Posted

      I guess I am one of the lucky ones. Out of Hospital/Rehab in 2 weeks, had at home physical therapy for 6 weeks....and I can say after 1 month I was doing really goodm walking a 1/2mile, going up/down starirs, it all depends on how you do some it takes longer,  some a short recovery. It has been since Nov22nd since getting them done and I feel back to normal pretty much and have been feeling that way for a month or more, it all depends on you, it will take what it takes. Best thing I have had done, it is so much better now that I have 2 good knees....regards Marie
Back to top
Prev Next

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.