TKR April 28, 2026

[Layla]

Hi Jermert,
I hope you're resting comfortably after your TKR on Tuesday and feeling a little better each day. Safe travels home, if you're not there already. Hopefully you find this to be an easier recovery over the beginning weeks of Lefty's healing journey. Two joint replacements within four months is a lot. My dad did this (five months though, not four) and I remember him being more tired the second time around. He did well though and I'm sure you will too!
@Jermert

 

[Layla]

Four months to date since your Left TKR...Happy Four Month Anniversary, Jermert!
Hopefully you're off to a decent start after your Right TKR.
Best Wishes for a good day and weekend!
@Jermert

 

[Jermert]

I’m home, got here yesterday afternoon. Pretty serious pain overnight and today. Hoping it eases soon. Icing, resting and elevation.

 

[Layla]

Hello and Happy Saturday!
Good to read you made it home safely and you're settled in. I'm sorry to hear about the pain.
You know the drill, meds on schedule with short walks within the home, at least every hour or two that you're awake, such as trips to the bathroom or kitchen. Continue with ankle pumps and gentle knee bends to promote circulation and help prevent blood clots. Prioritize rest, ice, and keep the leg elevated as much as possible to support healing. Hopefully today is a better day for you, Jermert. Don't forget about the Recovery Guidelines on the first page of your thread here.
@Jermert

 

[sistersinhim]

Welcome back home. You've been through this already, but I'll leave you a refresher of our after surgery guides anyway.

Following are BoneSmart's Knee Recovery Guidelines. Each article is short, but informative. Following these guidelines will help you have a less painful recovery. Just keep in mind we are all different, as are the approaches to this recovery and rehab. The key is, “Find what works for you.” Your doctors, PTs and BoneSmart are available to help, but you are the final judge as to the recovery approach you choose.

KNEE RECOVERY GUIDELINES
(Note to Basic Members: The links below are a premium service available only to Insiders Club Members. To learn about membership, click here).

1. Don’t worry: Your body will heal all by itself. Relax, let it, don't try and hurry it, don’t worry about any symptoms now, they are almost certainly temporary.

2. Control discomfort:
rest
elevate
ice
take your pain meds by prescription schedule (not when pain starts!)
don't overwork your new knee.

3. Do what you want to do BUT
If it hurts, don't do it and don't allow anyone - especially a physical therapist - to do it to you.
If your leg swells more or gets stiffer in the 24 hours after doing it, don't do it again.

4. Good Nutrition is essential for successful recovery:
Dietary Tips for Recovery
Nutrition Basics

4. PT or exercise can be useful BUT take note of these
BoneSmart view on exercise
BoneSmart philosophy for sensible post op therapy
and please also read the Recovery myths below.

5. At week 4 and after you should follow this
Activity progression for TKRs

7. If you want something to assist with incision healing and scar management, BoneSmart recommends hypochlorous solution. Members in the US can purchase ACTIVE Antimicrobial Hydrogel through BoneSmart at a discount. Similar products should be available in the UK and other countries.

8. Still need recovery aids? The BoneSmart Recovery Shop offers BoneSmarties best-loved recovery products at great prices.

Recovery articles:
The importance of managing pain after a TKR and the pain chart
Swollen and stiff knee: what causes it?
Energy drain for TKRs
Elevation is the key
Ice to control pain and swelling
Heel slides and how to do them properly
Chart representation of TKR recovery
Healing: how long does it take?
Post op blues is a reality - be prepared for it
Sleep deprivation is pretty much inevitable - but what causes it?

Recovery myths:
Myth busting: no pain, no gain
Myth busting: the "window of opportunity" in TKR
Myth busting: on getting addicted to pain meds


We try to keep the forum a positive and safe place for our members to talk about their questions or concerns and to report successes with their joint replacement surgery. While members may create as many threads as they like in a majority of BoneSmart's forums, we ask that each member have only one recovery thread. This policy makes it easier to go back and review history before providing advice.

 

[sistersinhim]

I hope you can get some relief from that pain. It's hard to rest when you're in pain. Hopefully, you're soon be feeling better and get some much needed rest. Don't be surprised if you're extra tired this go around, you're still healing from your April surgery, along with this brand new one. Give yourself the grace it needs and don't push anything!

 

[Jermert]

Hello all,
Day 12 post surgery, things have really settled down. I’m able to get myself out of bed, and out of the shower and move about the home without assistance. Staples come out on Wednesday at which time I graduate to butterfly dressings, and therapy starts on Thursday. I can actually say I’m not dreading the PT as much as I am dreading the moments post staple removal when I know she is going to push the knee to its current limits which on righty set me back a week. Anyway hope all of you are well and I’ll post more soon.

 

[Jockette]

I am dreading the moments post staple removal when I know she is going to push the knee to its current limits which on righty set me back a week.

I’m sorry this person did that to you with your first knee. You have every right to tell her this time that you won’t allow that, especially since it set you back a week last time. They don’t have to do that, it’s only this person’s opinion, and your opinion counts more than hers. If she does it anyway, she’s going against your right to consent.
Saying no to therapy - am I allowed to? (not just as in PT therapy, but anything they want to do with or to you)

By the way, I moved your above post out of the August Surgery Team thread, and here to your recovery thread.

Just so you know, you can start a new recovery thread for this second knee (or we can do that for you, if you want) or you can keep posting here, to keep all your history together. We can also change the title of this thread, to reflect both knees. Just post here what you want.

I hope all will go well at your appointment.

 

[Layla]

Hi Jermert,
It's a good feeling when you're able to be more self sufficient again. It's nice to read you're moving about with greater ease these days. I'm guessing it will feel like a relief to get the staples out in two days.

I'm sorry you're feeling apprehensive about what's to come due to your past experience. You don't have to fear that you'll simply have to endure anyone pushing your knee into a painful position. It's your body and you have every right to speak up immediately if something hurts or feels too aggressive. You can tell them to stop, slow down, or try a different approach all together. Your concerns need to be heard and respected. You're the one that has to live with the pain, or the setback, so it will be easier for you to get comfortable setting limitations while working toward improving your ROM, without giving up control of what happens to your knee. This is a new surgery / recovery and you have more knowledge due to past experience, so please be more vocal in how you approach your healing journey this time and I believe you'll do very well!

Thanks for taking the time to update. Stay in touch and know that we're here for support always.
Happy Monday!
@Jermert

 

[sistersinhim]

I am dreading the moments post staple removal when I know she is going to push the knee to its current limits which on righty set me back a week.

Just say "NO, do not push my leg!". If she does it again, then tell her to stop immediately and ask to speak with the clinic manager. She did something physical that you told her not to do, that is assault! She has broken the trust that should exist between a patient and therapist and you have every right to a different therapist or to switch to another clinic.

I guess you can tell this makes me angry! So many of our members have been set back in their recoveries because someone pushed the knee further or more than it was healed enough to do. This causes unnessary harm. Just say no!

 

[Jermert]

Ok, thank you.

 

[Layla]

Hi Jermert, Happy Tuesday!
Reaching out to make sure you didn't feel overwhelmed after hearing our take on advocating for yourself for a more comfortable healing journey. We genuinely just want you to feel relaxed in your recovery, and supported here. Hope you had a peaceful weekend and enjoy the rest of this week.
Best Wishes for Thursday!
@Jermert

 

[Jermert]

Not overwhelmed at all, more like loved.

 

[Layla]

Awesome! Happy to read you feel that way!
Through our combined experience here we can easily band together to make a point when we know there's an easier way. A journey that's more comfortable and won't have you sidelined or serving time in the ODIC (Over Did It Club) Recovery doesn't have to be painful. Thanks for understanding.
@Jermert

 

[Jermert]

Ok, so Two weeks since release, staples are out replaced by steri-strips. Had a conversation with the PA prior to exam and she understood and did not force any motion my knee wasn’t ready for. She did tell me I was probably overdoing it a bit which is why last night and today have been my worst days yet. So please listen to what your body is telling you, it knows best!!! Best wishes to ya’ll!!

 

[Jockette]

I’m so glad for you that the appointment went well.

 

[eaglemom]

I am so glad that you had that conversation with the PA and thrilled that she gently suggested you might be overdoing it. It doesn't take much to make a knee mad!!

I'm glad your doing as well as you are doing. Good job. Icing and elevating are your job for the time being.

 

[Jermert]

Job accepted and in process.

 

[sistersinhim]

How well you are doing with this latest replacment!

 

[Jermert]

This was the worst knee, the pain is more severe and I’m pretty sure based on pre-surgery measurements it will be a bit tougher to bring around, but I’ll do it.