HOW LONG IS A RECOVERY AFTER A TKR

hileena111

Hi, I know its like asking how long is a piece of string
I know about THR's had 2 of them so I know about times etc
I also know no 2 people are the same
Just generally........I assume the time in hospital is about the same as for hips but afterwards??

Thanks for any information. I am counting the weeks. I'm in agony and every time I bend my knee the slightest little bit it crunches and grates and its getting worse.
Apart from the pain the feeling of the crunch is awful
Anyone who has had bone on bone before a knee replacement will know.
Thanks for letting me moan

This is how I first came on to this site. First THR and I knew nothing about it so came on here and asked.....Thank you all very much

Love
Hileena

elnafinn

Hi Hileena,

If you mean when did I become friends with my knee replacements, both times it was about 9 months. If you do the exercises and RICE you will get on well. That is what I did but it was the pain and discomfort that lasted so long for me. Now thinking back I started to do too much too soon.

I have had a revision TKR in June (only 6 years since the original TKR) and I can do all the exercises well but I have pain on going up and down stairs. Surgeon is not unduly worried and wishes to see me again in 6 months which is December. I wish I was not so worried about this. This was one of the reasons why I had the revision in June.

I wish you all the very best with your op,Hileena and am sure you will do well post op.

Love
Elna (who has had 3 TKRs now!)

hileena111

Hi Elna Thanks for your information. So its a lot longer than a THR

Love
Hileena

dreamdaisy

Knee joints are more complicated than hips - they are hinges rather than just a ball-and-socket so it's logical that the recovery will be longer. There will be, however, a recovery and as long as you do all the right things for ever after I am sure you will soon be feeling the benefit. DD

elnafinn

Hi Hileena,

Everyone's experience is different. Some have no pain post op. I so envy those people! Actually being able to get around ok and able to do the knee bends and the other exercises given post op, I could do, fairly easily and quickly. Pain has always been my problem post joint ops which does eventually go but for me takes a long time, it would appear. :roll: Goodness knows why!

I will say that with this latest op in June, I have had much less pain than with the other two knee replacements but then I definitely do not do as much as I used to do. For me it is just stairs that are causing a pain problem atm but I can go up and down stairs ok albeit rather slowly, more slowly on the way down and always holding on to a bannister. I am abut 4 months post op now.

I wish you well, dear Hileena.

Love
Elna x

stickywicket

As you rightly say, it's the proverbial piece of string. Here are a few quotes from what ARUK say:

'How quickly you get back to normal depends on many factors, including:
your age
your general health
the strength of your muscles
the condition of your other joints. '

'Most people can leave hospital between one and four days after having knee replacement surgery.'

'Usually you can return to work when you feel comfortable that you can continue with your normal role. If you sit down most of the day at work, this may be in six to eight weeks, but if your job involves standing for long periods of time or manual work you may need 10–12 weeks'
http://tinyurl.com/h6ajhbb

I'd simply recommend you go at your own pace. Before my knee revision I kept going with the exercises and was able to get home in, I think, 5-6 days albeit with a 'cricket pad' for protection when walking.

I've never 'raced' others in my recoveries because having RA in virtually all joints and being unable to use a stick or any kind of crutches, has to make a difference but I went at my own pace and I think, after my initial TKRs, I was back driving after about 6 weeks. Just don't try to go too quickly, do as the physio suggests and you'll get there but, as the song goes, 'Don't know where. Don't know when'. As long as things are better than they are now, that's the main thing.

hileena111

Hi
I'm sorry I've been so long getting back to this thread.
I still haven't got used to the fact that I don't get alerts in my inbox anymore and have to come and check the forum.
Thank you DD, Elna and Sticky. Its all appreciated.

One other silly question.....please :? I think somewhere I must have said that I'm walking bone on bone.
At first there was a grating feeling now and then but now.......its constant

I only have to bend my knee a tiny bit and it grates and grinds. It happens all the time now.
I know the pain is normal but is this normal? There are people on here who have had bone on bone I'm sure but can't remember who?????

Thanks again for your help

Love
Hileena

dreamdaisy

The cartilage is gone, that lovely little spongy cushion that makes the world alright has disappeared so yes, things that shouldn't be grating and grinding are. I notice mine when I somehow put either knee at a strange angle whereas with my right ankle it's constant - I like making Mr DD go all queasy by doing it deliberately. DD

GraceB

Hileena, I see DD is trying to lead us all astray again!

When I had my partial knee replacement 9 years ago I was in hospital 4 days and off work for about 6 weeks. Driving again at about 8 weeks. If I remember right my staples came out at about the 14 days point. It took me a good year to get over the op itself.

Yes I am very familiar with "crunchy knees". I liken it to walking on broken glass. I've made physios go a peculiar colour in the past with my "musical knees". As I'm now on the list to have my second knee totally replaced, my musicality will be drastically reduced.

Grab some paper and write all your questions down and then ask away at your pre-op appt.

Take care.
GraceB

hileena111

Thanks DD and Grace
DD.......I do not envy Mr DD one little bit
You are naughty doing things like that to the poor man

Grace........Well at least I don't have to worry about work. When I had arthritis first I {like DD} was self employed and could please myself when I looked after children and when I didn't.
4 days.....that's roughly the same as a THR I went in and had op on Fri and came out on Mon.
6 weeks not driving although this time it will be into December and goodness knows what the weather will be like so I don't think I'll be bothered if its a bit longer than that
Most people seem to think about a year to get completely over it.
I hope your second knee replacement goes well
I never thought about musical knees
I expected them to crunch or grate but wondered if it doing it every time I made a movement was normal

Thank you both for your help

DD.....what about you? How are thing? How's the car and how are you getting on with the new walker? Well its not new now but new since we both got a Days one. I've still got mine but can't use it at the moment. Need the crutches for a bit more support {knee and the trochanter bone}

Love
Hileena

dreamdaisy

Hi, thank you for asking after me. In order: things are not too bonny but never mind, the car is beautiful, the rollator good and and I haven't used the scooter since I bought it due to re-flooring and now re-roofing (I can't past the skip on the drive). Wot larks Pip! DD