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Bilateral TKR Exercise post op 1.5 yrs

Going down stairs is usually comes last, you are doing well, with time you will be going down stairs with greater ease.
 
I am almost 6 months and just now getting Brave enough to go down steps with holding on and sometimes without holding.
Its all SO individual. Hang in there and know you are doing well.

I like to notice things like what happened tonight. We're camping in a travel trailer with friends and my turn for dishes. AFTER the dishes I realized I hadn't thought of my knee once! Hallelujah. Look for these moments to know you are making progress.
A bilateral is a BIG deal and I applaud you for even DOING it!

I'm not an expert but it seems like you are doing fine. Steps will just take a little longer.
 
I’m 8.5 months and I’m not doing steps yet. I live in a one story home so if I’m inside there aren’t any. The 2 steps from the garage into the house are higher than normal, so I haven’t even tried them.

Once in a while if I am somewhere where there are steps I try them. It feels so very weird. I’m not worried. I’ll do steps foot over foot when I’m ready.
 
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I'm at 13 months BTKR. While I have been able to go up and down stairs since 5 months, it hasn't been a smooth process. When I first tried to do steps without a handrail, I would just do the last 2 at the bottom, then worked my way up to the last 4.... then the last 6....

I still find it challenging (I think more mental) to go down if the tread on the step is narrow (my entire foot doesn't fit and part overhangs) or if the angle of the staircase is particularly steep. In those cases, I still like to at least touch the handrails (although I no longer need to give it the death grip).

I also am but no means graceful. My right knee is tighter than my left, so even though I go down steps foot over foot, it is usually right..left..pause..right..left...pause....

My little victory the other day was I was out walking and realized I had been walking up and down over curbs without even thinking about them. I no longer had to mentally think about my approach, which is a big change from presurgery and early in recovery.

Just keep plugging forward. You will get there.
 
Thank you all for your kind words. Can I endulge one more question...
Does anyone think it is best to work with form coming down the stairs over substance and endure the discomfort it takes to look normal to strengthen the muscles associated? I’m beginning to believe at this point I need to “retrain” my knees to feel normal at its new level of operation versus avoiding it. My right is tighter than my left. Should I get more therapy or are there massages to loosen it up? Tia
 
I think at this stage of your recovery, trying to do the stairs with correct form would be a good idea. Just take your time and don't rush.
 
I had bilateral the same day as you January 25. I still hold handrails going down sometimes going up. Although I’ve come along way, I actually feel like I’m about 75% healed. My left knee is a ways behind my right in healing. ( my surgeon told me that my right knee was a breeze in surgery, but he really had a lot of work on my left knee.) I didn’t ask him for the details, not sure I really want to know! So before surgery, I could walk about 50 steps before I had to stop and get on crutches or on ice. I’ve walked 4 to 5 miles on occasion in the last couple months. I do an exercise routine and or walk at least every other day. So I can definitely say I’m in better shape than pre-surgery. I am more often experiencing brief but wonderful feeling of healthy knees, like .....“boy my knees feel good right now“, That’s pretty sweet!
I figure I’ve just got to hang in there. It’s a slower road than I’d prefer but is getting better.
I hope that answers your question! We have the same anniversary and sound like a roughly about the same spot in healing.
 
I’m working gradually to strengthen the quad muscles. Those seem to be the basic stair climber muscles, which coincidentally are pretty traumatized in knee surgery, to say the least!
. Just walking as well, is good exercise . I don’t consider by the way that I’m past elevating and icing!
 
I’m seven months out, so not as far along as you and Rick, but I’ve been working on better form and strength on the stairs. While doing stairs foot over foot hasn’t hurt for many months, I noticed my legs weren’t quite strong and fluid. They needed work. I walk a few miles a day around the neighborhood, which has helped my leg muscles a lot, but not so much the stairs muscles, the quads. What has worked best for me has been... walking up and down the stairs more often. Just to do it. A few extra times a day adds up.

I still use a handrail both up and down. I can go up and down without holding the handrail (I’ve tried), but I just feel more comfortable using it. I’ve never liked stairs. But I have taken to not actually holding the rail sometime, but just having my hand above it. That way I do exercise the leg muscles more.

My left knee is worse than my right, which is perfect. Feels like a normal knee, my right. Lefty... sort of likes to let me know it’s still recovering. But I’m no longer in pain, and that’s good! Like Rick, before surgery I couldn’t walk very far at all without horrible pain. My new knees are amazing and I could not be happier at what I can do, even if they’re still a work in progress.

If you want more therapy, you can certainly try that. Anything that will get you to where you want to be. :)
 
Rickj we are two peas in a pod! Nice to meet you! I think my issue is indeed the quads and I do exercise them everyday. Like you, I feel perhaps at 80% with my right being more traumatized than the left. The severe arthritis was on the right and I dare say more work was done there. The left feels great. Very minimal swelling in there with but the right still looks like Rocky Mountain high. I too ice after the gym and it feels good. I’m moving the fluid around hoping it will find it’s way out. All in all I savor the moments like you and hosted 20 people for thanksgiving without a hitch. I just felt by now I shud be further along than I am but I’m glad to hear you! Thank you. It’s tough to judge progress when u r the only one here. Good luck to you and let’s check back in a year!
 
Susieshoes I am glad to hear from you too! It appears it is common to be in different places with both knees and they are not equal in recovery. So glad to touch base with other bilateral patients. Some days I feel like what have I done? Other days I remember I’m not limping and I’m on my feet all day. I move with more speed and forgetting something three aisles back at the grocery store is no longer a big deal! How bout going to the grocery store is no longer a big deal! Guess I should smell more roses during this recovery process! Thanks for the words.
 
Hi Friends, I’m trying to lose weight and would like to buy some equipment for my home. I am a relatively young (56) person and need to burn calories so the stationary bike is out. Can’t afford an elliptical so I’m thinking treadmill. Anyone have any advice on this? Is walking everyday maybe a few times a day too high impact for my recently acquired knees? I’m 1.5 yrs post op. Thanks
 
I would say a good walking program..or if you have access to a pool, swimming would be great options.

BTKR in July 25th and swimming and WW helped me lose 40 pounds prior to surgery. Looking forward to start walking in addition to my swimming to get rid of the last 17 pounds I need to get to goal weight. I’m also 56.

All kind of walking apps available to help you come up with an effective program.

Good luck!
 
By this point, you should be able to do any kind of walking you choose. I too had bilateral replacements, just a few months after you did, and I walk anywhere from two to five miles most mornings, and sometimes do other long walks in the course of my day. Daily walks are my usual exercise and I just do them in the neighborhood, varying my routes. I have used treadmills at the health club I belong to and have never had a problem.

Your knees will tell you how much exercise they can tolerate. It would probably be best to start out with a program of shorter or less frequent walks, see how well your knees handle that, and proceed from there up to your desired level of activity. :treadmill:

I too need to burn calories to lose weight. Walking has really helped with that!
 
Before my replacement, the only aerobic gym activity I could do was a stationary bike and let me tell you that I had a puddle underneath me. I had to learn how to use tension and speed in intervals and I was burning about the same calories as I was on an elliptical (elliptical bothered injured knee). Not sure how your knees are feeling now but it can be done with the bike and an added bonus is that there is no impact and it can strengthen the muscles around your knee joint.

Obviously diet/nutrition control is key. I don’t like diet plans but do my best to eat healthy enjoyable foods that are medicine to my body on top of treating myself from time to time (like my wife’s buffalo dip last night). I would be close to what people call the paleo diet but don’t follow it hardcore. I just eat a lot of healthy fats, fruits, veggies, lean protein, and limited fatty protein. Everyone is different but nutrition is key.
 
@Caroline99
You'll notice that I have merged your newest thread with your original recovery thread. For several reasons, we prefer that you only have one recovery thread:
  • That way, we have all your information in one place. This makes it easier to go back and review your history before providing advice.
  • If you keep starting new threads, you miss the posts and advice others have left for you in the old threads, and some information may be unnecessarily repeated
  • Having only one thread will act as a diary of your progress that you can look back on.
So please post any updates, questions or concerns about your recovery here. If you prefer a different thread title, just post what you want and we'll get it changed for you.
If you need an urgent response to a question, just tag a member of staff.
How to tag another member; how to answer when someone tags you

Here are the instructions on finding your thread, How can I find my threads and posts? . Many members bookmark their thread, so they can find it when they log on.
 
The knees are performing well (one knee better than the other) but I still have problems going up and down stairs without support. Mostly down. Is this unusual? I’m guessing my ligaments need further strengthening. Losing the weight will be a plus too. I want to work on my ligaments but wonder how many others at my stage (1.5 yrs) still have difficulties? Is it my ligaments? Will this improve? Why can’t I fly up and down stairs yet?
 
Some recoveries take up to two years or more. I think as time goes on you'll continue to improve.
 
@Caroline99
My mom had a replacement in her right leg a few months before you and she still has issues with going down stairs. For awhile she thought that the surgery must not have been a success or something was wrong but after talking with her last week she says it’s getting stronger, just slowly. She’s 61 with a sit down job but pretty active. Helps take care of 30 acres of farm and gardens a lot. I was nervous to get my replacement actually because of watching my mom go down stairs...ha. I told my wife that if a replacement means hobbling like my mom, I don’t want one. I’ve learned that everyones procedure and recovery is different and we heal at different rates.
 
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