Stairs after THR?

[BusterBeans]

When I had my bilateral TKR last fall, my hospital PT staff said I was doing extremely well -- even better than the singles -- and would be discharged on Day 5. I assumed to go home. At the end of PT that day I was told I had a final test which was to go up an 8" step backwards using my walker with only 1 try. They knew I had two 8" steps to get into my house. They also knew that all the bedrooms and full bathrooms in my house were on the second floor with only a powder room on the first floor. When I failed my test, I was told I was being transferred to a rehab center which then didn't release me for 8 long days with 4 hours of PT a day. I don't want to go that route again with this surgery in September.

So my questions are: Usually THR patients here stay 1 night in the hospital. Will I be able to go up the steps into my house? How long will it be until I can make it up the flight of steps to a bedroom/bathroom? If I need to sleep downstairs for awhile, I have a low sofa (and I'm very tall) and a recliner but it is manual and I wasn't able to use it after my TKR. If I need to sleep downstairs for awhile, I want to tell the PT people that I have a hospital bed or approved recliner so I don't get sent to nursing home/rehab again. Would it be better to rent a hospital bed or buy a new recliner that I wouldn't have to fight with? Thanks for your advice.


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[Zelda]

I could manage a flight of about 8 steps the second day after my THRs. I don't think two or three steps into the house will cause you any problems. The low couch doesn't sound very useful because I do struggle to stand from anything low. If your stairs aren't too steep/long and have good handrails, I think you'd manage upstairs to sleep at night after a couple of days. After all, climbing a set of stairs once a day is a lot less effort than four hours of PT!

 

[gardengal]

I'm sure someone will come along with a better response. For me the two steps from garage into the house were no big deal. I used one crutch & had my husband bring the other one into the house. I liked my bed. I could pile up pillows to prop my leg, just more space than a recliner, but if you're used to sleeping in one it maybe just fine.

 

[MThipkid]

I agree with Zelda, stairs are intimidating but as it turns out once PT shows you how they are very doable. I have 5 steps to get into my home and managed them fine upon release from the hospital. The rule I was given was "good foot goes to heaven, bad foot goes to hell" and I have used that rule for getting into our pickup truck as well.
As for the low furniture, that will likely be problematic. I purchased a used electric lift chair that has been an absolute god send. I am 16 days post op today, at 14 days I attempted the cushy, yummy, super wide recliner and found I absolutely could not get out of it! Hubby had to lift me out.
My PT suggested lifting the low furniture with 2 X4's, so as to raise the chair. With my used electric chair i have not done this but absolutely would have. Perhaps that is an option for you?
Good luck and let us know how you manage.

 

[rugmankc]

One day in hospital isn't enough. I stayed two full days, I believe. Maybe three. But, no issues on steps one at a time. I always rented hospital beds for 30 days after all my major surgeries as I have a two story also. Never had to go up steps with walker. Only the step up into house. Otherwise slow and easy to upstairs. Need a good handrail and cane. Used cane at top of steps to keep walking to bedroom. Kept one up and one down. Never really used the crutches. Did use walkers up and downstairs early on. I had two of them. One from previous surgery.

 

[kwarendorf]

"good foot goes to heaven, bad foot goes to hell"

That is exactly the info shared by my PT

@BusterBeans I have no experience with knee replacements, but have now had both of my hips replaced. The convention wisdom is that knee replacement rehab is much more difficult. With THR stairs are easier than you think. I was terrified when the PT said we were going to do stairs Day one after my surgery. I was shocked at how much of a non-issue they were. The above quote is a way to remember that going up stairs (to heaven) your good leg goes first and going down stairs (to Hell) you operated leg goes first.

While some THR folks may go home the day after surgery, I think most go home after 2 or 3 nights in the hospital. I went home after 2 nights and had no problem with the 6 steps I needed to climb to get into my apartment. As others have said, low furniture is not going to be your friend. Higher is better

Kyle

 

[GIMPY GAL]

I also have a 2 story home with only a powder room and no room for a bed on the first floor. I was so worried that I would be unable to navigate our 14 stairs to my bedroom and full bath. PT in the hospital showed me how to go up and down the stairs that I found was so easy. Going up, good leg up first followed by operated leg...holding on to the railing with BOTH hands and going up sideways. You need a sturdy railing. I was in the hospital 3 days (two nites) and I was just fine going up and down the stairs from the first day home. You'll need a 'spotter' to be there to make sure you are going up/down safely...and to give you confidence. Don't worry, in the hospital they will show you how. More of an issue for me was going up the ONE step getting into the house because it had no railing and I felt so fragile and unsteady.

What was beneficial to me in the first few weeks was having my rollator on the first floor and having a walker waiting at the second floor landing to grab onto when I went upstairs. If you could borrow a second walker for a few weeks, it may make things easier.

 

[DGrant]

I was in the hospital for 32hrs. They wanted to see me step up "one step" onto a small platform, then step down(using walker of course). It was a breeze, less then 24hrs after surgery. I've heard knee replacements are much tougher, and require different protocol then hips... I'm just saying a hip might not be as bad as the knees you've had done... which is the general opinion that I've read.
I've got several steps in my house that I navigated... with planning and patience, and very slowly at first... but it was very doable... at first with the walker, then the cane.. then... well... now after over 6 months, I can double-step stairs, and do, just for a work-out..... and you'll be there too. Once you gain your footing back, you probably won't even notice your hip.

I wish you well on your journey.

 

[djklaugh]

@BusterBeans Every person is different as is every home situation .... and every hospital. Following my BTHR in 2011 I stayed in hospital for 4 days ( mostly due to low blood pressure). There was some confusion about discharge as the nurses and PT gals had not gotten the memo (though I'd told everyone I talked to for 6 months prior to surgery) that I had OMG stairs! 6 just to get to the front door and a narrow, dark, no hand rails, semi-spiral staircase with 16 steps to get up to my bedroom. I'd already been checked out on stairs at the hospital - their set was 6 up then down 6. Passed that with flying colors. So I got sent home in a care car with 2 big guys to hoist me up my front stairs. I opted to rent a hospital bed for about 3 months -set that up in my front room on the main floor of my home near bathroom and kitchen - primarily because there is no bathroom on the upper level here (plus that was really wonderful for elevating and icing both hips) - and right after the surgery I did NOT feel up to attending middle of the night calls of nature by doing 16 steps down and 16 back up.

It took me about 6 weeks to feel really comfortable going up my interior stair case - but I was doing the exterior one with no problems by week 2 post op. And at about 2 months post op I chased my 22lb Maine Coon cat up the interior stairs, hauled her protesting furrness out from under the guest room bed, and lugged her down the stairs (I'm 5' tall, she is about 40" long nose to tip of tail-in my avatar picture she's the one with her back to the camera) - without once even thinking about having man-made hips! Over all - in the grand scheme of things - I'd say stairs are really a minor issue. You just need to start off cautiously and take them slowly.

Best wishes to you!

 

[kwarendorf]

chased my 22lb Maine Coon cat up the interior stairs

Cats present an interesting twist on in home rehab. While both of mine (see Avatar) combined don't add up to @djklaugh 's one, they both suffer from Underfoot's Disease For this reason I chose to come home with a walker, rather than a cane. They do, however, provide an addition layer of PT

 

[BusterBeans]

Thank you everyone. It sounds like my 18 steps will be easier with the hip and I won't have to worry about the hospital pt/social workers trying to "trip" me up this time. I'll borrow that second walker again for the second floor, count on sleeping in my own bed and maybe still upgrade my recliner on the first floor to one with a push button. I already know what to expect in the OR and what pain meds worked best so that will be a big help.


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