Kneeling After TKR

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elainebadknee
elainebadknee Bots Posts: 3,703
edited 21. Oct 2013, 17:45 in Living with Arthritis archive
Hi Guys

Can I ask what the views are on kneeling with a new knee? I can do this but admittedly not for long and sometimes its the only way to reach something that had fallen under a cupboard or the like. I do it by kneeling down and then on the way back up get my good leg behind me and lever myself that way (my arms do a lot of the work). My physio however has told me off, saying I should not be kneeling. She has me going on a trampette, exercise bike and wobble board in the hospital gym...
Also I am getting quite lot of feeling back, I massage with bio-oil daily and can feel the front, lateral and medial side is coming along...

Would be interested in folks stories/opinions?

Elainexx
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  • barbara12
    barbara12 Member Posts: 21,281
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Elaine I haven't had new knees yet so cant kneel on them..but I do remember Elna saying she could kneel on hers, and I was shocked..good for you x
    Love
    Barbara
  • elnafinn
    elnafinn Member Posts: 7,412
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Hi Elaine

    Popped on the forum and saw your thread.

    Yes, Barbara is right (hello Barbara :)) I can kneel on both knees. I had both done, two years apart. The consultant told me I would not be able to kneel post op. I told him that I was able to do so and he said, he was pleased for me, or words to that effect. It is most useful for me that I can do this. I can crouch well too but getting up again for me is not so easy these days. ;) Getting up from the kneeling position is not as easy as it once was either. ;)

    Elna x
    The happiest people don't have the best of everything. They just make the best of everything.

    If you can lay down at night knowing in your heart that you made someone's day just a little bit better, you know you had a good day.
  • stickywicket
    stickywicket Member Posts: 27,717
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    It's never been an option for me as the RA/OA in other joints won't permit it. I'm not sure it's actually worth asking others as my guess is it's a personal thing depending on other factors one of which is probably the type of prosthesis used. If I were you, Elaine, I'd ask the surgeon and go by what he says. As for kneeling being 'the only way to reach something that had fallen under a cupboard or the like' I find a combination of long-handled grabber stick plus long-handled shoe-horn can cope with most such events. Anything else can be left until a more bendy person arrives :)
    If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you.
    Steven Wright
  • elainebadknee
    elainebadknee Bots Posts: 3,703
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Hi Barbara

    ah right will see if Elna replies...Hope you are fine?

    Elainexx
  • elainebadknee
    elainebadknee Bots Posts: 3,703
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Hi Elna

    I haven't tried crouching but when they tried to get me squatting in the gym that was impossible for me...So you can kneel on your two ones, because I assumed the better one took the majority of the weight but maybe I'm wrong?
    I agree it can be more useful than necessary..

    Elainexx
  • elainebadknee
    elainebadknee Bots Posts: 3,703
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Sticky

    Of course I will ask the surgeon and of course it came up in conversation with the physio too hence my telling off...Some of us don't have the what was it you said "bendy person", maybe we all need a Morph? I don't have grabber either its just if I can figure a way of getting it I try...
    Its always worth asking people on here as it gives me a good idea.....Of course I know we are all differing creatures...

    Elainexx
  • elnafinn
    elnafinn Member Posts: 7,412
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Hi Elaine

    I was surprised that my consultant said I would not be able to bend after the TKRs. How would he know? Everyone is different. When I told him I was able to do so, he did not say it was not a good idea or anything like that, only he was happy for me.

    I wonder why physios and consultants say do not kneel post TKR. I have heard others say on here they were told the same. Again on the forum, some can and some cannot or do not find it comfortable to knee post op.

    Elna x
    The happiest people don't have the best of everything. They just make the best of everything.

    If you can lay down at night knowing in your heart that you made someone's day just a little bit better, you know you had a good day.
  • elainebadknee
    elainebadknee Bots Posts: 3,703
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Elna

    I wonder too I guess they are covering themselves in case it damages the knee and they can say they warned us not to kneel? I got told I would never be able to kneel but it is possible, I wouldn;t say I could stay on it for over 5 mins or pray or anything like that but it does let me get down...
    My physio said the knee has a sleeve over it and mine at the front was very tough to the touch, now she says it's more pliable and that is a good thing as it is helping my slow recovery...Still when I stand the new knee appears not to carry the full weight and is a sorry looking sight all puffy and swollen but I guess it's never going to look much better...

    Elainexx
  • elnafinn
    elnafinn Member Posts: 7,412
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Hi Elaine, one of my knees is puffy and sort of swollen looking. It would not win first prize in a knee competition, actually I would steer well clear of a knee competition. ;) Being much older than you, it is easier for me to accept. At least the knee works. I can very much appreciate how you feel about it though.

    Elna x
    The happiest people don't have the best of everything. They just make the best of everything.

    If you can lay down at night knowing in your heart that you made someone's day just a little bit better, you know you had a good day.
  • barbara12
    barbara12 Member Posts: 21,281
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    I knew Elna would help... :D x
    Love
    Barbara
  • elainebadknee
    elainebadknee Bots Posts: 3,703
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Elna

    Well I'm 45 now but the appearance of the knee doesn't bother me I have my various scars from loose body removals and back in the 80's they went in via a 4 inch opening, now they would probably remove it with keyhole, but anyway it's not the appearance it's the fact that my physio says "it's nice a happy looking knee and has always been very painful"....If yours if much and such the same then its the norm I'm guessing...

    Elainexx
  • elnafinn
    elnafinn Member Posts: 7,412
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    My other knee looks ok though ;)

    Elna x
    The happiest people don't have the best of everything. They just make the best of everything.

    If you can lay down at night knowing in your heart that you made someone's day just a little bit better, you know you had a good day.
  • elainebadknee
    elainebadknee Bots Posts: 3,703
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Elna

    That's odd or is it that one looks puffy the other is fine?

    Elainexx
  • elnafinn
    elnafinn Member Posts: 7,412
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Exactly, Elaine, but they both work well so that is ok by me. ;)

    Elna x
    The happiest people don't have the best of everything. They just make the best of everything.

    If you can lay down at night knowing in your heart that you made someone's day just a little bit better, you know you had a good day.
  • dachshund
    dachshund Member Posts: 8,951
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Hello Elaine
    I had a tkr 10 years ago I kneel when there's something I cant get with a long handled broom I put a cushion down and kneel on that it is a bit painfull it goes when I stand up.
    the consultant asked if I could kneel there is know one else in our house sue is in a wheelchair so things would just be left and I would not leave them. we are 72.and independent.
    take care
    joan xx
    take care
    joan xx
  • elainebadknee
    elainebadknee Bots Posts: 3,703
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Hi Joan

    Well yes if there is nobody else to pick up your stuff then you have to get down to things don't you?

    Elainexx
  • maria09
    maria09 Member Posts: 1,905
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Hi Elaine
    I've not had a knee replacement but find kneeling nigh impossible
    I look like a duck trying to do a pirouette getting into my fridge or oven!
    Maria
  • chookgate
    chookgate Member Posts: 146
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    I can't yet kneel on my two TKR's, I admit to being a bit concerned about putting my weight (considerable) on them, and it does feel uncomfortable when I've gently gone through the motions of starting to kneel and put pressure on one. I was told by my physio that there is nothing wrong with kneeling, but they advise people not to because if they were to then sit back towards their heels they could damage the knee by bending too far. My consultant backed this up saying that too much bend in the knee could damage the back of the implant. So, to me that sounds like if you can kneel, then fine, but be very careful not to sit back.

    As an aside, I too have one TKR that seems absolutely fine, and one that is still (11 months on) swollen and much stiffer than the other (which is only 3 months older)
  • Helenbothknees
    Helenbothknees Member Posts: 487
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    I just found this thread...not here often now. I did a lot of research about kneeling after my bilateral TKR 15 months ago - people, books, internet etc. The general consensus seems to be that it's fine to kneel if you can, but many people can't because they have too much scar tissue around the knee. I've always found kneeling fine. As for getting up, I found it hard to start with, but practised using those muscles until I could do it; it's the under-used muscles that prevent you being able to stand up easily, not the knee joint itself.

    As for kneeling right back, I was told by one of my surgical team that it was fine if I could do it; the joint was designed to do that, but most people couldn't. Then one physio said it was fine and good, another not to do it as it twisted the knee joint! Just proof, I think, of the opinions about TKRs that get passed around as absolute facts! I pointed out the contradiction to the second physio, and she got angry at being questioned...

    In the absence of sensible advice, I figure what doesn't hurt does no harm. At the start I was told any exercise or movement apart from high impact stuff such as running or aerobics was OK - and I mentioned that I did things like yoga. The consultant reiterated that the knee was designed to be used. So I take a lot of this stuff with a pinch of salt.
  • elainebadknee
    elainebadknee Bots Posts: 3,703
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Hi Helen

    Nice to hear from you after a while, must confess been off here for a while too till recently...
    yes my physio has told me all the problems I have just now are because the muscles around the knee and lateral ligaments had to be readjusted that it wasn;t supporting the knee itself....
    I am getting lots of sensation but also walked abut mile and half today and it hurts like hell...I am not a gym bunny so my swimming and gentle gym will do me...
    Thanks for replying

    Elainexx
  • Helenbothknees
    Helenbothknees Member Posts: 487
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Hi Elaine,

    Good to hear from you too. And I'm glad you're better than when I last 'saw' you on here - you couldn't have walked over a mile then!

    I'm no gym bunny either - I'm 65 and sometimes feel it. :cry: But I do quite a lot of fairly gentle physical stuff - swimming, walking, gardening, yoga....but nothing too hard. It's just nice to be able to do those things again without severe pain. I too get quite a lot of 'sensations' in my knees though...tingling, bit of stiffness, occasional aches. I went to a physio recently about my back - they straightened my legs when they did my knees, and it's given me back pain! She said some people do get pain after TKRs, some don't; some are completely painfree, and others always have some pain. I just count it along with the other aches and pains of getting older, am thankful it's mild, and ignore it. I gather if anything was really wrong with our new knees we'd know all about it!

    You take care now!

    Helen x
  • elainebadknee
    elainebadknee Bots Posts: 3,703
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Hi Helen

    I just think Im going to be one of these who has a painful knee, it will never be like some say that they are completely pain free but as we all react/recover differently then its a personal journey I guess.
    I walk, go to gym, swim that's about enough for me..

    Elainexx
  • Helenbothknees
    Helenbothknees Member Posts: 487
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Hi Elaine,

    Yesterday I was complaining that my right knee suddenly hurt, and my partner reminded me that the doctors said I might have all sorts of aches and pains of various types in my knees for a year to 18 months after the operation. That means....I have three months to go, and you have about six. After that we'll theoretically be painfree. :lol: I thought you'd like to know that anyway.
  • elainebadknee
    elainebadknee Bots Posts: 3,703
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Hi Helen

    Well that's useful to know anyway thanks! I go on monday for my one year review...Maybe mine will always hurt still but at least I have sensation...

    Elainexx
  • Helenbothknees
    Helenbothknees Member Posts: 487
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    You get a one year review! I never had anything like that. I read about them beforehand, but no-one round here seems to get one. Oh well, I don't suppose I need it; I'd know if anything was seriously wrong.

    Do you have sensation everywhere? I have a numb bit on the outside, just below the knee, on both sides. The consultant said I'd always have that, and it would be "about the size of a 50p piece". Mine's considerably bigger than that, but hopefully still shrinking. But it's no big deal. Still, I wonder if everyone who's had a TKR has that?
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