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Travel after TKR

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rsmith9915

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I had someone tell me I will not be able to travel more than 30 miles at a time for 6 months. I will be 3 hrs from home after I get out of surgey. Does anyone know about this?
 
The rehabilitation hospital I was in was an hour from our home, and I had no trouble traveling after I had BTKR. I even was able to sit in the front seat of a car. About 3 weeks post op I took a 4 hour drive to Maine to attend a Blues Festival. We stopped periodically on the drive over so I could get out of the car and walk around. I also put a pillow at my feet and took my shoes off which helped absorb the movement and bumps we occasionally drove over (lots of pot holes in New England after our winters). Most people are driving by 6 weeks and traveling all over.
Most information I was given stated to ride in the back seat early post op, so you could elevate your knee if necessary.
Others like Gringo have flown after surgery to get back home! I would inquire of your OS exactly what is meant regarding traveling. If it was not your OS and just something someone said, I would say they did not know what they were talking about........ JMO
 
No, I dont believe I have heard of that....Just me !!!!If I know I am going to travel usually we bring a lil cooler and put some gel ice packs in there just incase. I have certainly gone further then that and I am 9 weeks. ..Ice always makes mine better. I have heard of people on here doing more than 30 miles within 6 mths.....Some people actually have taken trips. Everyone is diff. though...But that just seems like a long time to ba able to travel. We had a member that had to get home and took a long flight home I think 3-4 weeks out. Again thats him, . When is your surgery?
 
Smith,
I would do as Crystal said talk to your OS or his nurse and they will let you know about the 3 hour drive home. Everyone has different ideas but, your OS will tell you what he wants you to do.
 
Traveling is no problem with a little planning. Have plenty of leg room. Plan on stopping periodically to stretch and walk to keep from getting stiff. The biggest problem I had was if I sat in one position for too long my knees would get stiff. I had BI-TKR on November 16th and 4 weeks later rode with my sister on a six hour trip I was very stiff and very uncomfortable.

Max
 
Texas my tkr is Friday the 19th in Ft Worth at Medical Plaza. The Texas Hip and Knee Center is the group doing the TKR. Dr Crofford knows I live 3 hours away and he has not said anything about me not going home. The person that told me about the travel, had his done on 4-8-09 in our home town. He said his OS said no travling over 30 miles for 6 weeks. I couldn't stay in Ft Worth for 6 wks.
 
I had someone tell me I will not be able to travel more than 30 miles at a time for 6 months. I will be 3 hrs from home after I get out of surgey. Does anyone know about this?

What a load of tosh! The only redeeming thing I can think of is that they just meant you should be sure to make regular stops for a stretch and walk-about. I think whatever well-meaning person told you this was just trying to be over-eager in spelling it out!
 
As others have said, talk to your OS. Get his opinion and the reasoning behind it. As with everything else in this journey, each of us is unique and what is comfortable for one may not be for another.
I wasn't given any limitations for riding in a car, and was cleared to drive after 4 weeks postop as long as I could comfortably enter and exit the car and felt confident moving my foot from the gas to the breaks and stomping hard on the breaks if necessary.
I'll be 4 weeks on Monday and I've practiced a bit in the driveway with my PT. By next week I hope to go to a large empty parking lot and give it a real try, without traffic, just to be sure.

Talk to your OS and listen to your body, and you'll do fine!
Blessings,
Irene
 
The travelling concern is not really about travelling. It's about DVT. Deep Vein Thrombosis. You get that from sitting in one position for a long time. Back of your thigh is restricted blood flow, your muscles are not moving, the blood is not getting pumped around, your leg is lower than the rest of your body, yadda yadda yadda....

bottom line, it all is perfect conditions for DVT. Which is just your blood clotting in your vein. And if a part of the clot breaks off it can make it's way to your lungs, which is a pulmonary embolism. These can ruin your whole day.

The "party line" on travelling seems to be about six weeks. In my case, that was a bit of a hardship as I live in a remote location, and my TKR was in Houston. If I asked the OS's nurse about flying, she said "Six Weeks". Of course if I asked her about driving, the answer was "Six Weeks". When can I get back in the ocean...? You guessed it, "Six Weeks". ( I wisely refrained from even asking her about sex)

Well, people are different. I discussed my awareness of DVT, the causes, symptoms, etc. with my OS. And he cleared me to fly two weeks after my TKR. He said I could go for it the same day they took the staples out, in fact. My trip was a half hour to the airport, then two hours in a plane Houston to Miami, then several hours in an airport, then an hour and a bit Miami to Providenciales, then a 30 min. car ride.

That's 1600 miles two weeks after surgery. Sure beats the heck out of 30 mile restriction, I think.

Precautions? I did a whole lot of calf and foot pumping exercises. enough to drive someone sitting next to me nuts. Fortunately, it was my wife sitting next to me and I had already driven her nuts so no further social damage was done. I got up and walked the length of the aircraft about every half hour or so. I wore the compression stockings on both legs as long as I could stand it ( those went into the airplane garbage system somewhere south of New Orleans) and I took plain aspirin during the trip. The aspirin was my OS's idea. DIY blood thinner. And it works.

But then I have no history of DVT or blood clotting problems, despite many, many long hours sitting in commercial and military aircraft over the years. And am a 'relatively' young 58, with an awareness of the risks, symptoms, and causes of DVT. It's manageable. Maybe you are more of a risk, or have a history. That might be the issue.

As for that 30 mile restriction, that's hogwash. Sorry, but it is. If you were driving 90 mph, thats only twenty minutes. I bet you sit still in a chair at home longer than that now.
 
Welcome rs!!! TOSH???? Now THAT'S such a GREAT word, Jo!!!! That sums it up, for sure!!!
 
I would cetainly ask him. Thats a long time to stay there. Like they say if you plan you should be ok. Def. talk with him though. I wouldnt go that fast after surgery thought. Who are you going to follow up with once you are home......By the way if you dont mind where is home Im in Austin...
 
Very nice. I sure hope you post after and let us know how you are doing, when you feel up to it of course. Im sure you will be fine. Forth Worth is beautiful at night with all those lights. Take care.....Post soon.........We will all be waiting....
 
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