Sitting after TKR

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alexsmom01

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I was told at my preop appointment that I would need a chair with arms after my surgery. Which I of course do not have. I had planned on sitting on my couch or love seat. I can borrow a chair from work or my mother that has arms but neither of them are very comfortable. I thought about getting a recliner but then I was told would bad option. Any advise? I have gotten off of the couch after knee surgery before but I know this one will be completely different.
 
After surgery I could bend my knee a little but could not use it to get out of a chair. I had to use both arms and my other leg to get from a sitting to standing position. After a day of this, my wife rented a lift chair for a month. It was worth every penny.
Good luck,
Jack
 
You definitely need a chair that sits high enough not to be too challenging when you are sitting down or getting up. The electric lift recliner is absolutely wonderful, but they are pricey to purchase and I expect not cheap to rent. Sturdy books or 2x4s under the legs of your usual chair could do the trick.
 
I was told at my preop appointment that I would need a chair with arms after my surgery. my mother has arms but neither of them are very comfortable. I thought about getting a recliner but then I was told would bad option. Any advise? I have gotten off of the couch after knee surgery before but I know this one will be completely different.

Sorry, Alex, I thought this was funny. Hope you take it in the same way that I do - no offence meant :giggle:

Kathy
xx
 
lift recliner.jpeg
This is the perfect type of chair for hip and knee replacement folks. It is easy to get in and out of, it supports the legs completely, and it allows you to sit upright with legs extended. You can use your wedge while sitting in it to elevate and ice. If you place it at the right angle to your TV, you can watch mind numbing programs while you are laid back elevating and icing. I found that it is also easier to sleep in the the bed in the very early weeks.

These chairs do cost around $200 more than a good standard recliner and come in small, medium, and large sizes.
 
I was told that too but I ignored it! In fact, I had purchased a recliner settee for the occasion and it was just a tad low so I just put a nice big square of foam on it and managed with that. When every I got up, I would stick my operated leg out in front and stand with my good leg, a hand on the sofa arm to push up a bit. But most of my weight was on the good leg purely by dint of leaning forward on to it. The arm is only about 19" high, btw! Here I am on said settee (left) with my brother and sister. I was a little less than two weeks out at this point!

Me, Brian and Pat brushed.jpg
 
Jo, I love animal prints--awesome dress!!! I never used any kind of special chair--part of it would be how strong you are. Can you get out of the chair now? If not, special chair. If yes, I would not worry about it. I just sat on anything. I would do like Jo did---stick operated leg out and stand up on other leg.

I know that some of the folks with bi laterals need special equipment--but the rest of us can muster on without any big expensive chairs. My husband rented one of those chairs after his back surgery. It was HUGE, we had to name it because it took as much space in our living room as we did!!! I think it cost $200 for a month!! We called it the monstrosity Kelly
 
I was told as well about having a chair with arms. I can't fit one of those electric recliner lift type chairs in my living room (and would not want the expense of it). The occupational therapist said to me a sturdy garden chair would probably be OK - I have one of those and it's not too bulky, so that might work together with my footstool with an extra cushion/pillow on it. My first choice is what Jo suggested - I got a couple of foam pillows which I put on my normal armchair and they give me enough lift to get up (I do struggle now to get up, so I've been experimenting). That's a lot more comfortable than the garden chair - but I might swap between them. Will have to wait and see what works.
 
I had no problem getting up off the couch or love seat. Chairs without arms were not a problem either.
 
When I came home from my BTKR I used a walker at first---and I used the walker to stand up. Some chairs had arms, but some didn't---I just used the walker and did what they taught me in OT.
 
I lived in my recliner for the first 3 months. After an infection and lots of swelling, my quads did not work. My husband built a box under the recliner to raise it up for me. That was worth the world to me. I ate in that chair, elevated my leg to ice it, and slept in it for 3 months.
 
Mmmm, that looks like a good idea, Jamie. Might try mine, thanks for that :thumb:

Kathy
xx
 
I didn't have a special chair. I just sat on couch, I remember I sat on cushion for first couple of weeks .
 
I was told to avoid office swivel chairs as you're supposed to avoid twisting the knees at the beginning. But I suppose being careful that might work. I have one of those, but I struggle now to get up from one as it has the tendency to roll away with me :), so I have to roll it against the wall before I can try to get up :heehee:.
 
Lift your chair with books (chair on the right of the pic) --

awww.roygardiner.com_images_knee04.jpg


No rubbish, Encylopaedia Britannica :)
 
You're definitely making good use of those encyclopaedias. You could write a book - 1001 one things to do with the Encyclopaedia Britannica. Have you found any other uses other than PT aids and lifting aids you'd care to share with us :loll:?.
I thought about somehow elevating my arm chair - but I don't think it will be safe as it's got curved legs. Unless I can get some largish bricks from a builder's merchant (as I don't have big enough books lying around), I might have to stick with my foam cushions. Or on second thoughts I could try a charity shop for some encyclopedia type books....
 
I was told to avoid office swivel chairs as you're supposed to avoid twisting the knees at the beginning. But I suppose being careful that might work. I have one of those, but I struggle now to get up from one as it has the tendency to roll away with me :), so I have to roll it against the wall before I can try to get up :heehee:.
True, you need to be careful with those--I did the same thing, especially when I got back to work. Mine at home is pretty sturdy and is on carpeting so it rolled less--and actually after a while I was given an exercise that involved pulling myself around on the desk chair with my tkr leg...
 
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