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Walking after tkr

Posted , 5 users are following.

Bermondsey
Bermondsey

Hi all, I'm wondering about other people's experience of walking after a tkr. I'm 16 weeks post op . I love to walk and managed to keep it going with meds right up until the operation. After the operation I started doing over 10, 000 steps after around 6 weeks. At first I got on OK but found after while I was getting worse rather than better so I cut it right down. Now I'm back to doing over 10,000 steps most days and managing OK but I find if I don't walk much for a couple of days my swelling seems to come down but if I walk a few miles it doesn't. So what are other people's experiences? Should I not do long walks at all yet or limit it to a few days a week?

0 likes, 9 replies

9 Replies

  • JRS11
    JRS11 Bermondsey

    Posted

    I am one week short of 8 months and no way can I walk for over 30 minutes on the treadmill at 2.2-2.5 mph wish I could do more i also spin for 30-40 minutes, that is my morning routine. The weather is turning nice so maybe I can do more on solid ground good luck, don't push toooooo much

    • Kebra
      Kebra JRS11

      Posted

      I think what you are doing is great. I have never done the spin thing but hear it is energizing and a hard (aka good) workout.

    • JRS11
      JRS11 Kebra

      Posted

      it feels great i use both a recumbent as well as an upright bike on rollers. my favorite exercise . i also do some quad strengthening exercises as well as continuing the slide exercise

  • Divemasterdave
    Divemasterdave Bermondsey

    Posted

    I'm 17 months post op with TKR and everyday it gets better and better! Just remember it is not a journey with many peaks and valleys but steadily improves up to the 2 year mark. Now looking at the other side 😦

    • Kebra
      Kebra Divemasterdave

      Posted

      May I ask, have you been able to kneel on your operated knee at all?I cannot and just wonder when.

    • JRS11
      JRS11 Kebra

      Posted

      i can but very lightly i have not tried more

  • Kebra
    Kebra Bermondsey

    Posted

    Clearly you were a healthy-active person before your operation and this is part of your normal daily life. I'm 12 weeks post-op and occasionally have to ice and elevate after I do too much. However, I am not going to let that stop me. My surgeon says swelling can go on (and off) for up to a year and is part of normal expectations we should have after this surgery. Though I too had a rather big setback at about 6-7 weeks - unexpected pains after I'd been doing so well and like you I backed off for a bit but then just had to figure out a way to get past it and for me that was getting on with my life.

    When I saw my surgeon last week for 3-month check in he said I have good range of motion and "you know when you've done too much and when to ice/elevate" and he has no issues with my being back at the gym and going on with my regular daily life. If I can do it - I do it.

    I'm sure you have discussed your activities with your doctor/PT and if they have no issues with it and you are healthy and healing appropriately then go for it and ice/elevate as necessary. I think 'we' know our bodies better than anyone and we KNOW when to back off and when to push through. So what do you think?

    Not sure how your family feels - mine (this is my 3 joint replacement) thinks I push myself too hard. They are mistaken, I push myself to my healthy limits and not beyond. My saying is "yes, I push the envelope to the very edge of the table but not off the table." LOL

    Happy Healthy Wednesday - keep up the good progress and rest when you need to.PS my leg swells like the dickens just from cutting the grass - still have to do it bahahahaha Pass the ice packs please.

    • Bermondsey
      Bermondsey Kebra

      Posted

      Thanks for your replies. Seems my recovery is pretty average.

      I've had a slower recovery than I expected because I made the rooky mistake of thinking I would recover at a similar rate as my wife who had a tkr a couple of years ago. She is the only one I know whose had a tkr. I thought I only had to do the physio as religiously as her and I would be walking distances as quick as she did. I know now that was a mistake.

      We holidayed in Majorca 16 weeks after her op. and did everything we normally do. I've booked to go again in 6 weeks. I just hope I can keep up with her by then.

  • j68551
    j68551 Bermondsey

    Posted

    How about SWIMMING? DAILY SWIMMING & WALKING FORWARDS & BACKWARDS IN THE POOL. Plus watch your DIET!

    For me it WORKS! Bangkok-Johnny. One Primary TKR/TKA, One Deep Infection and the last (I hope) Two-Stage Revision in 2018. GO SWIMMING THATS MY RECOMMENDATION. Best regards Bangkok-Johnny

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