United StatesA wave hitting your knee sideways is really scary!
Bilateral TKR Chattalyn-6 months-still use cane for gait
- Thread starter Chattalyn
- Start date
Chattalyn
junior member
I'm doing fine but, just need to vent----in church this morning, I put my legs up on a chair in front of my pew-cause it feels better after a music practice beforehand. In chatting with a lady about TKR, she said "shouldn't you be well by now?" Why do I feel the need to explain-everybody heals at different rates, I was knock kneed for years before BTKR and still use a cane for balance, etc.
Try not to listen to well-meaning friends and acquaintances. Everyone expects TKRs to heal faster than they do, but no one knows exactly what your knees went through, even if they have also had a TKR. Every knee is different and your knees are on their own schedule of healing. They will get there, but they need to follow their own path.
jboles
graduate
@Chattalyn Yes we have all heard that before, and I'm afraid we'll continue to hear it from our "well-meaning friends and sadly, family too". No one that's never had a TKR, and maybe even those that have had a TKR, know what you are going thought at this particular point in your recovery. I was also knock-kneed for several years before my TKR's, mine were 6 months apart, but I'm learning to walk all over again, just as I'm sure you are too. No one tells you this before going into the surgery, at least no one told me. And people have a hard time understanding this fact, even PT and doctors and our loving family. But we understand. 
I don’t know what it is about joint replacements, but everyone seems to have an opinion about where you should be in recovery. I think part of it, especially with people who’ve never had a TKR, is that they have no idea it can take a long time to become merely mobile, much less back to normal. People can be quite mobile after abdominal surgery, for example, so it can be hard to tell. With TKR you are using a cane when first getting up and about, so people have a chance to be curious.
I think a good comeback would be, "How would you know?" This aggravated me to no end. Or and the comment, "Be sure and do all your exercises." Again, how would they know?
Chattalyn
junior member
10 MONTHS
Just checking in. Seeing progress every week or two. Stairs are easier, but use cane if I go out for stairs in case there's not a railing, or I have uneven ground.
Have been trying to walk more. Using recumbent bike at the Y is easier. Yesterday I did 5 minutes on the elliptical and I felt it-used some muscles I normally don't use, but it feels almost better today.
Just checking in. Seeing progress every week or two. Stairs are easier, but use cane if I go out for stairs in case there's not a railing, or I have uneven ground.
Have been trying to walk more. Using recumbent bike at the Y is easier. Yesterday I did 5 minutes on the elliptical and I felt it-used some muscles I normally don't use, but it feels almost better today.
Chattalyn
junior member
ALMOST 16 MONTHS
What a difference a year plus makes. I'm so grateful to all the bonesmarties-the advice, the stories.
In looking back I have had 3 arthroscopes and was knock kneed for several years before surgery. Bilateral knees, lateral releases on both, bone spurs removed. Six days in hospital, 5 days in rehab, 2 months on walker, and gave up cane at 11 months.
Just came in from a beautiful day outside cutting greenery and thought, WOW. I can walk like I'm supposed to. What a great feeling. Hang in there if you're just starting your recovery. It really does take time.
What a difference a year plus makes. I'm so grateful to all the bonesmarties-the advice, the stories.
In looking back I have had 3 arthroscopes and was knock kneed for several years before surgery. Bilateral knees, lateral releases on both, bone spurs removed. Six days in hospital, 5 days in rehab, 2 months on walker, and gave up cane at 11 months.
Just came in from a beautiful day outside cutting greenery and thought, WOW. I can walk like I'm supposed to. What a great feeling. Hang in there if you're just starting your recovery. It really does take time.
Chattalyn
junior member
ALMOST 2 YEARS
Still seeing changes in this 2nd year of recovery - especially with stairs. Walked on a trail with hills that I would not have been able to do for the last few years. Went to the beach and walked in the sand. And flew for the first time in 20 years. Atlanta and San Jose-got up to security and said "knee replacements". They motioned me to the body scanner and in less than a minute was thru security.
Still seeing changes in this 2nd year of recovery - especially with stairs. Walked on a trail with hills that I would not have been able to do for the last few years. Went to the beach and walked in the sand. And flew for the first time in 20 years. Atlanta and San Jose-got up to security and said "knee replacements". They motioned me to the body scanner and in less than a minute was thru security.
I’m glad you are still seeing improvements. I have seen improvements in ROM since my second anniversary.
So glad to hear you went through airport security so well! @Ptarmigan, I think you might like to read the above post, as I read a while back about your concerns. I hope your experience will be like this one.
So glad to hear you went through airport security so well! @Ptarmigan, I think you might like to read the above post, as I read a while back about your concerns. I hope your experience will be like this one.
Ptarmigan
senior
Chattalyn
junior member
For the last few days I've been having knee pain on both knees-on the front-all around and including under the kneecap. Wondered if might be patella tendinitis or just muscles aggravated from too many stairs, mopping, walking on uneven ground, who knows what! Has anybody else had this?
Normally when I have pain crop up on my tkr, I slow down for a few days and it gets better. You might want to try that. Maybe you've been doing too much.
