TKR Quick question on the first time you stood post surgery

[amf013]

Just a quick question, one that's been nagging me.

I have this irrational concern, that when I stand after the surgery that everything will "collapse". Silly, i know.

I understand your concern, I was shocked it worked! Two people helped me up and once I was up, I did some side steps. I was not happy when they put me back in bed! Next day, I got up and sat in the chair for a long time.

Hope it goes well!

 

[viver45]

It felt GREAT to stand up and the bone-on-bone pain was gone. I was worried before getting up - can I really do this, but then thought - they know what they are doing - they had the "safety strap" on and were holding on and my walker was right there - with my husband right in front on me.

Don't worry - you will be fine!

 

[AussieBill1962]

Solid and wanted to walk. Later that morning walked with a walker to the loo, and one month out walking around the neighborhood without crutches or a cane, I have not been able to do that in 2 years.

 

[carousel66]

I can STILL remember that first stand/step on my LTKR
it was was like being reborn! the knee was smooth, stable, solid... and while I had "post surgery" pain, my knee DIDN'T HURT. It only came 2nd to the feeling of walking down a "curb" height step in PT at the hospital with my surgery leg being the weight bearing leg - with hand rails of course but I bet it was the first time I had been able to walk down a step like that in 5 or 8 yrs maybe longer and the feeling of SMOOTH surface and NO PAIN?????????!!!!!!!!! wow,,, I knew right then my life had been returned to me!!! I will NEVER forget that feeling it changed my life.

 

[Piglet]

They put a brace on it the first day but it felt solid and I actually felt confident in it which I hadn't expected. You could just feel it was right

I had done a lot of quad squeezes before I went in and although the quads are a bit weak I am solid with the crutches and no brace and can take a few steps unaided in the bathroom and stand to wash hands etc

Like others the pain is actually lifting and lowering the whole leg as you need to squeeze the muscles around the knee. A neat tip from the physio is to hook your non operated leg under the operated leg and use that to help control the lowering and raising which helps the pain

 

[GearQueen]

I was excited to stand for the first time, and it was only a few hours after I was brought back to my room after surgery. I had a femoral block, so I had very little pain. They put a soft foam support around my leg any time I got up, that absolutely prevented it from Buckling. One thing that was really helpful, was they gave me a long stretchy band, and showed me how to loop it under my foot, and use it to help lift my very limp leg to the floor, or to help lift it back up to the bed and into the CPM machine. It really helped me a lot. Good luck with your recovery.

 

[kfriedm]

My new knee feels completely normal, except for the surgical pain. I wondered if it would feel different after the surgery, but honestly I can't tell that the contents are different from my "real" knee.

 

[referee54]

Your muscles may be weak, and you may be a little goofy due to the pain meds, but your knee is smooth, solid, and feels better than ever!