Bilateral TKR Debs 2 new knees<

Hello fellow Aussie! I've just been reading your posts. Wow, all those steps! I'm ten weeks post BTKR and haven't tried steps yet, only one step at front and back doors at home, and getting in and out of buses. I was on my way to physio one day about a month ago and the lift I always use to get down to their street was out of action. I looked in horror at the alternative - a long flight of steps! I used to be able to use them, a few years ago.
No way could I do them, anyway I still had the walker. So I had to go the long way around!

You are doing really well!
 
Hi @Faele! My sister lived in Caboolture, quite a few years ago now. Stairs are very difficult and take a long time to come. I still don't always do them foot over foot - it depends on the mood of my knees on that particular day. :). Patience is the best advice I can give anyone and don't compare to anyone else - your knees will recover at their own pace.
 
Further proved my theory on my tight hips causing my knee soreness. Went to pool today for the first time in a month or so (yep I know....). Did half an hour of hip/leg focused exercises in the water and tonight my knees are hardly aching, much less stiff getting out of chair and my gait is much improved!
Needless to say I will be back at pool regularly again.
 
Very interesting about your hips and knee soreness. I still have some (not much anymore and mostly on first rising from sitting or bed), and am hoping to soon return to the pool so I can take up swimming again. My hips certainly can use the workout! Better yet if doing so might help my knees along.
 
Hope you have a nice day Deb. Thank you for your comments and I do (must) believe we will one day not even think of our knees (although I have a way to go with my natural right knee). :)
 
How goes your knee world? Hope all is well. My friend kayaknlady just had a bilateral Thur. and she has been reading about all of you brave women and men. :) Such good info for everyone.
 
Itsy bitsy improvements just like you @jaschembra . I think I will take the full 18months to 2 years that my OS said to get full benefit lol!
It would be comforting to your friend to have you with her through this journey. Bilateral is really tough and I admit particularly in the early days I used to get despondent reading stories of people who seemed to recover fast and without issues.
 
DebM i also went back to the pool! it helps and i am still walking every day , taking in the autumn changes and deer. bilateral knees is not easy.. but it's coming along! still sore at times and I remember that I am not 16 anymore and slow down doesn't mean I give up.. it's just better to be mindful of falling and watching where you are going. winter is coming... The pool and track for walking will be good!


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Itsy bitsy improvements all add up. I’m not actually swimming yet, but I’m back in the pool with the aqua workout class. My goal is to slowly work back up to lap swimming (rather than just trying to swim laps right away and see what happens). My knees notice the workout, but haven’t gotten quite sore yet. I think the slow approach is working well. I still walk every day except when it’s raining. I’m thinking of joining the Chair Yoga class as well.

Recovery takes as long as it takes. There’s no rushing it. I’ve been fortunate to have recovered (so far) fairly quickly. I had prepared myself mentally for it to take longer. But that’s how it is in the end: it takes however long it takes.
 
A few hours in the garden today and now icing my knees for an hour or two. I also ice after a day at work (15,000 steps and in and out of the car continuously). I find it helpful for discomfort and recovery ......not every day just after a particularly big one on my feet
Wondering if anyone else still ices from time to time at 9+ months?
 
I am 7 months and still ice, but not every day. I’m so tired of icing! It’s maybe every other day and usually when I go to bed at night.
 
Deb, I'm icing at 9+ months. But I think you knew that already :heehee: Your job requires a lot of you and your knees and I think icing is a good thing. I am usually doing it a couple times a day. Usually around lunch (because I've been active all morning) and again in the evening.

Wow! 15,000. Holy moly that's crazy good. Every once in awhile, I was hitting 8,000 steps in July/August and then slipped backwards in Sept (3,000-5,000) due to my soft tissue issues. Yesterday - I once again hit 8,000+ and didn't feel any more discomfort than normal. After riding my horse and giving him a bath and me a shower, I felt like I was dying... but then after an hour of icing and elevating (okay, maybe 1 1/2 hours), I was back to my normal ache.
 
Mine was a year old in June, and I still have pain at times. I really believe the healing depends on the history of the knee and the amount of work that had to be done during the tkr. Every knee is different, (I bet you heard that before!).
 
Just checking in to maybe calm the fears of those earlier in their journey than I am.
I am 10 months Post BTKR and had all the initial Inpatient and outpatient rehab. I also saw a PT a few times who continually told me about the ‘window of opportunity’ for improvement in my ROM.
I decided to just do normal activities, get back to part time work driving a manual car (ouchies for the first couple of months.
I am still continuing to improve noticing reasonable improvements in pain, swelling and movement weekly.I guess my OS was right when he said it will take 18months - 2 years to get as good as it gets.
So for all those who are frustrated, scared, depressed about their lack of progress all I can say is it can take a LONG time but you WILL get there.
I am so glad I had this done.
 
Thanks for reinforcing the fact that it takes a long time but we will get here. I am 8.5 months with a partial and still sorry I had it done. I still have a lot of limitations but I am continuing to see improvements.

I wish I’d known then what I know now and waited until I was bad enough to need a total.

I agree, normal activity and lots of patience is key.
 
Thanks for the reassuring update. Also, I'm glad you are doing so well (and lucky you, "one and done!"). I have only been able to say that I'm glad I did this based on being 1/2 done dealing with bone/bone OA, but I'm not "happy" with the outcome yet, but I haven't lost hope. As you say and my OS says: Time is key. It's crazy time, but I do believe time is key. :)
 
A question for those who are able to kneel Post tkr..........do you use a pillow or thick foam?
Wondering what works for you? I am looking at doing a first aid course for a job change and if I have to get on the floor to do cpr I am in trouble. I have attempted a brief kneel with nothing but it feels super weird and pretty uncomfortable.
 
Kneeling is the one thing that is 'weird' with the new knees! It feels really strange:uncomfortable to kneel. I can kneel on a pillow for a short time, but not a foam pad...youch.

It is so good to see your update. You are doing so well. I have always appreciated your positive attitude. More good is to come for you.

. I am a little bit ahead of you. I can tell you over the last few months leading up to my one year out from surgery things have really improved even more than I thought. I have much more of an overall comfort. I have very mild swelling on the outsides of my knees. I showed my dr these areas and he said it was nothing to worry about and they may or may not subside in time. I was also told that going into my second year my knees are still settling in and as good as I feel now to expect increased comfort and less stiffness, although my stiffness is so minor anyway. I only feel stiff when I sit or stand for a very long time. It resolves almost immediately once I start to walk. Speaking of walking, my speed in the walking is back to what I think is normal. I zip around everywhere and honestly have mostly forgotten about my new knees until I stop and think about them when I feel like it. But, it is not because of discomfort anymore.

Best to you!!! ❤️
 

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