Help Please

hileena111

Hi all you mines of information
Seriously.......I could do with some information about TKR's
I know lots of people have had them.
I've had 2 THR's so I do know a fair bit about replacements eg: getting things ready for coming home {height etc} that sort of thing but

I take it that it is roughly the same stay in hospital as THR

I have bone on bone at the minute......am I better to exercise or not.....even when I walk it crunches and grates? I know the normal thing that I have always lived by "is use it or lose it" and exercised. Just not sure about this.

I'll find out about the exercises post op which wont be the same obviously

What about a time limit for doing or not doing things?
THR you have 6 weeks where you sleep on your back, cant drive, have to obey this 90 degree angle etc

Anything else you can think off please

Love
Hileena

stickywicket

I can do no better than to refer you to ARUK, Hileena. http://tinyurl.com/pcauw4w This is very compreensive and deals, among many other things, with pre and post op exeercises. You should be in no longer then with a THR and you don't ave to do the sleeping on the back for 6 weeks. Good luck.

barbara12

Has you know Hileena I wont be much help with knees..but hopefully all the knee people will come along with some info...we will be here with support..x

GraceB

Hi, I was 6 weeks before I went back to work (desk job) after my TKR. Driving at about 7 weeks.

No restrictions re how to sleep other than no pillow under operated leg. I did loads of prep beforehand. Was living in the house then so took everything down with me in the morning that I thought I'd need and then went back up at night (we had a ground floor cloakroom thankfully).

I was in hospital for 4 days in total, and out of bed the following morning but my surgery was afternoon. Some who were morning ops were out of bed the same day.

My advice would be to ask lots of questions at your pre-op. If I can help any more please just let me know. And good luck, although I'm sure it'll go well.

GraceB

frogmorton

Great advice there form Grace for you Hileena.

None of any use from me.

I will however be right there with you on the day ((()))

Love

Toni xxx

hileena111

Hi
Thanks for the advice everyone

I'll check that link out Sticky

I know you'll be about Barbara ....thanks

Grace...thank goodness I don't have to work......well retired now Driving that's a different thing.....will want to get back to that. I had vaguely heard that about not sleeping with the pillow under your knee......does that apply all the time or just for a set time? Doesn't really matter, its not the way I would normally sleep anyway. Thank goodness no 6 weeks sleeping on my back We have a house as well but I suppose I managed 2 THR's and one broken ankle {still got plates, pins and screws in 6 years later LOL} so I'll do much the same this time. I had a trolly beside me and had the phone, pen, paper, drink, some make up, all other bits and pieces that I thought I would need. Like you a downstairs cloakroom was a godsend

I'll have my list of questions ready for the day I get my date for my pre-assessment

Thanks Toni.....How are things with you and the family? No more tonic clonic since we last spoke?

Love
Hileena

GraceB

I was told not to put a pillow under my knee post-op. I think it can affect the knee bend and that could be the reason behind this instruction.

Whatever you do, make sure you do your post-op physio. I know you are well practiced at surgery (sadly) and I suspect you, like me, are one of those who listens to what they're being told and follows instructions. I was told that if I couldn't do 10 repetitions in one go to split the sessions. What was important was that during the day I got the equivalent number of repetitions in. From memory the more post-op I was, the more exercises I could do in one go. I remember doing one exercise using a slide board (plastic tray) about every 45-60 minutes at one point as my knee bend started to go the wrong way. It worked! My TKR knee had a bend of 125 degrees at one year post-op (they said it'd go to 90 degrees - proved em wrong!), and at the time my other knee went to 130 degrees. The physio was hard work but well worth it.

If I can help in any other way please let me know.

GraceB

hileena111

Hi Sharon
Thanks for the information......I'll check that link. You would think {being a volunteer for A.C} I would know but when its yourself your mind just goes blank
I've got to admit The stands I used to do {drop ins} I usually did with one other girl.
If someone mentioned TKR.....I would point them in her direction.....she had had 2
If someone mentioned THR......she pointed them in my direction. I had had 2 of those
Did you get my reply to your message?
Love
Hileena

hileena111

Hi Grace
You are right I am well practiced in exercise after surgery.
I can't say I'm very motivated to do it but I do. Like you....my hip ones got done in bits during the day at first

Thanks for your help and I will shout if I have any more questions
Thanks
Love
Hileena

[Deleted User]

Hi Hileena
I did and the booklet should be on it's way to you shortly. The new booklet is now available to anyone on this link https://www.arthritiscare.org.uk/guide and it has a few tips from people on the forums so I am delighted :sunny:
Best Wishes
Sharon

stickywicket

GraceB wrote:

I was told not to put a pillow under my knee post-op. I think it can affect the knee bend and that could be the reason behind this instruction.

It's not the bend that's the problem but just the opposite. If we put a pillow under the knee after a TKR (and there are times when I'd have given up my next round of painkillers for the opportunity ) the knee will never straighten properly. It's OK to put a pillow under the ankle but not under the TKR and that's not just for sleeping but at any time basically until it's all healed up so much you don't feel the need :roll:

How are you getting on with the exercises from the ARUK site, Hileena?

And, do you have a pre-op date yet?

Helenbothknees

Hi Hileena,

As you may remember, I had a bilateral TKR in July 2012. I'll try to tell you what I remember...

Exercise before the op...I was never told anything specific, but I don't think it'll make much difference one way or the other. but if you do exercise, you keep the muscles in better shape, and that can't be bad.

Pillow under knee I think has been comprehensively covered; i can't remember more than that.

Exercising after op - very important. You want to prevent scar tissue forming, as it will prevent you bending the knee. Take enough painkillers so that you can exercise, and do it even if you don't feel like it (who does!). I was told this myth about only having a 90 degree bend. I asked the surgeon about it, and whether the joint was only designed to bend that much. he told me it's designed to bend right back, but most people can't do that. I can, with both knees, and I put it down to keeping up the exercising. I can't be sure, but I think it may have been helped by my starting exercising the day of the op. My notes from the hospital said to do this, but I gather most people don't start till next day.

Driving - I think you now have the correct information. I was told all sorts of things, and finally didn't drive for six weeks as I wasn't sure of the insurance situation. it's OK so long as you can do an emergency stop. I tried this after 4 weeks, and I could, so I could have started driving.

Listen to your own body; everyone is different!

I can't think of anything else, but please ask if you think of anything specific.

hileena111

Hi Sticky
You say its very comprehensive pre and post op. All I can find is
"Exercises to manage knee pain" {7 of them?} doesn't mention surgery there? Am I on the right one?
Love
Hileena

hileena111

Hi Helen
I do remember you having a bi lateral.......brave or what

I think between everyone we I am getting all my questions pretty well covered.

Thanks and I will ask if I need to know anything

Love
Hileena

stickywicket

Hm. Odd.

I gave you the link to ARUK's whole section on knee replacements. Exercises are a part of it but you were also asking about the entire procedure. The link gives loads of info under different sections. I just tried it out and it works fine for me but, just in case, here's the long version (Sorry Mods) http://www.arthritisresearchuk.org/arthritis-information/surgery/knee-replacement.aspx

And also the one for exercises that's contained within it http://www.arthritisresearchuk.org/arthritis-information/surgery/knee-replacement/what-about-sport-and-exercise.aspx At the bottom of the latter is an orange coloured bit you can click on to download their TKR exercises.

Hope this helps.

hileena111

Thanks Sticky
I've just come back online and found your last message. It will probably be tomorrow before I check it......Thanks again

Love
Hileena xx