Stairs

I was confidently able to climb stairs after 6 weeks but coming downstairs took 9 weeks to perfect. 

I think part of the problem was due to the fear of putting too much weight on the new knee with the memory of it having given way so many times before the op but once I’d built my confidence up that it wasn’t going to do that anymore it was fine. 

Good luck in your recovery 

Janette

That's another of those "everyone is very different " questions. For some its a few months and for some its never. I happen to be one of the never. You just need to keep up exercise and see how well Its going. The main thing, dont put your self in harm's waytrying to do more than capable. You don't need another injury.

Some people do some stair work in the hospital and during the PT phase to get your ROM back.  The problem is that you need muscle strength (quads, glutes and core) to climb and descend stairs normally.  This is defined as...

Going up and down stairs with alternating legs and without holding onto anything for support, to help lift you to the next step or prevent you from falling on a descent.  In other words...like you did before the TKR.

The strength problem is connected to your atrophied quads, gutes and core.  Takes a while to rebuild them...

https://patient.info/forums/discuss/post-tkr-exercising-565527

Once you get some strength back, you can start working on the stairs.  You can do this now but it will be frustratingly difficult...

https://patient.info/forums/discuss/mastering-post-tkr-stairs-552728

Finished PT at 3 months post-op...still dragging myself up stairs by the handrail.  At 14 months, I was going up stairs two at a time with ease.  Just takes work to rebuild your muscles.

 I know 2 years later, I still remind myself some days.....up steps with the good leg ...non operated...first, down with operated leg first.  This is what my PT told me.

early stages of recovery, I came down the steps backwards....MUST be very careful....is less stress on knee.

pam

Greetings , had mine done just over 3 weeks ago, I can get up the stairs without crutches but have to hang on to the banister a bit, but as for coming down I struggle, still don’t have the flexibility to come down in one continuous motion, still one at a time, but can get round the house unaided with a bit of a limp and steadying myself on furniture from time to time, getting stronger every day, just have to be patient (which I’m not) hope you go on ok👍

Stairs can be quite tricky. I was told in hospital up with unoperated leg 1st & down with operated leg 1st, but after a few physio sessions was given an exercise that does the opposite. Up with operated leg & down with unoperated leg but slowly giving a hold on the operated knee. This was on physio's advice & is one of the exercises on the new sheet she gave me, I still do it. Go with whatever your physio says, they know how much strength you have in your legs.

At 16 weeks po tomorrow I can do stairs the proper way but very slowly.

But what I can do is irrelevant! We are all different, our recoveries are all different. Never compare yourself to other people.

What I find hard you probably breeze through.

Good luck with the rest of your recovery, do the hard work & rest, ice & elevate. You will get there. Just remember to treat stairs carefully until you are more confident, the banister is there for a reason.

Marilyn 

XX

Going upstairs was a lot easier to achieve than coming down them, I was probably 2 to 3 months going up and 5 months coming down but holding onto a rail. I'm six months now and can walk down like a normal person 😋