TKR How long did it take you to be able to manage stairs normally?

[Steveg63]

Hi, took me 11 weeks to even attempt to walk upstairs 'normally', I am at 14.5weeks and can walk up most stairs but I still use handrails, it's the lack of muscle that's preventing 'positive' climbing. At week 13 I started decending 'correctly' but i found this very difficult, again I think it's the lack of strength in the quad muscles.
At 10 weeks I think your doing good.
Keep using the handrails, it will.come.

 

[EalingGran]

Took me more like 5- 6 months to go up normally and 7-8 months to go down normally.
I also had an overstretched medial collateral ligament which continued to cause some pain post- op and that didn't help.

 

[kevinR]

It took me 2 months to be able to do a few alternate stairs going down (normal descending). it took 4 months to be able to it the entire flight. I was able to go up normally after 2 months. I had to practice doing stairs in PT using a half height step. I just could not get the muscles to fire. For a while, I also had to push in on my butt cheek to get the muscle to remember how to work. It was really weird.

 

[Jockette]

@Clunky, I merged your newest thread with your original recovery thread, as we prefer that members in recovery have only one thread.

This benefits you because all your information is in one place, easy to find, and maintains a nice journal for you.

This also benefits our staff, as your information is all in one place, and we often go back through your thread for previous details, so we know what you‘ve been through which helps us advise you better.

So, please keep all your posts in this thread. If you’d like a new title, let us know what you want, and we’ll change it for you.

Many members bookmark their thread in their computer browser, so they can find it when they log on.
How can I find my threads and posts?

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There are a couple of ways you can find categories of threads on the forum. You are able to use links in the main forum toolbars at the top of the screen to quickly access certain types of threads: your own threads, threads with your posts in them, and watched threads. You can also use links...

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Best wishes on your continuing recovery!

 

[Layla]

Happy Three Month Anniversary! Hopefully you’re enjoying steady progress.
I hope you have a wonderful Summer!
@Clunky

 

[Xsbank]

I wrote somewhere else that I could go down stairs backwards long before I could go down them the "conventional" way. This may or may not benefit you in a PT way but if you just HAVE to get down the stairs...I have less issue getting back up.

I told the rehab people in the clinic that because I was a bi (I've never said that before. Is that naughty?) I would not do stairs. Now I'm getting better so I'm trying.

I guess I'm just trying to reiterate that there is no rush, no deadline to any of this, just do what works for you with no added pain!

And listen carefully to the wonderful ladies who moderate this site, their wisdom is legendary!

 

[mendogal]

@Xsbank - there is something to that going downstairs backwards. I had a few elderly clients who could only go down stairs safely backwards. I watched them, and, yep, was the truth.