Knee replacements
 

Im wanting to hear your experience if you have had a knee replacement. I am scheduled for one in April.

I had both my knees replaced in 2021, the first in June and the second in November. Hands down, best thing I could have done for them. While my knees weren't the worst, they were bone on bone after three different scopes to remove torn meniscus. 19 months later for the right knee, it still gets stiff and if I go too long without moving (sitting for 2 hours working or watching TV/Movie), it can be uncomfortable to get up but at 57, that might just be the age. :)

Not sure what you're wanting to know. My first replacement happened a little late in the day so they didn't actually have me up and walking around until the next day. They will get you up and moving as quickly as possible after surgery. You won't be running any races, or getting into your Camaro for that matter, any time soon but you do need to be up and moving.

For both surgeries, I went home after one night in the hospital. I used a walker for a few days until my wife was comfortable that I was stable. After that I used a regular cane from WalMart for a few weeks, just to make sure I didn't fall. Home life is OK. You just need to make sure you don't stay still for too long and definitely, beyond a shadow of a doubt, DO THE EXCERCISES!!!!!!! As best I understand it, you make most of your progress in the first 6 weeks. After 6 weeks, you still make progress but it's much much harder. Also, make sure you keep up with the visits to the physical therapist.

Most people will tell you that the nights are the absolute worst. No matter what you do, your're going to wake up every 45 - 60 minutes feeling very uncomfortable. I usually walked around the house for 10 minutes or so then sat/slept in the recliner in the living room with my leg up for another hour or so.

For me, it was about 2 months before I was comfortable getting into and out of my Camaro. With regards to work, I took two weeks of where I told my office to just leave me alone, I wasn't going to answer the phone, text, emails, etc. I wanted the first two weeks to focus on healing. I spent the next two weeks working from home on a fairly reduced schedule. After that, i went back into the office but would usually leave a few hours early since it's not quite as easy to keep your leg elevated in an office as it is at home with a recliner. :)

To cap things off, every surgeon in the world will tell you if you're getting your knee replaced so you can run a marathon, run the marathon first then get your knee replaced. I'm not running any marathons but I did complete my first 5K race ever just 9 months after my second knee replacement. I didn't set the world on fire but I did meet all three goals I set for myself;

1) I just wanted to finish. I definitely finished.
2) I wanted to complete it in under an hour. Did that one with room to spare. Finished the first one in 47 minutes and the second one, a month later in 45 minutes.
3) I didn't want to come in dead last. In the first race, my wife and I placed 70th and 71st out of 77 total participants so we weren't dead last. :)

Let me know if there's anything else you want to know. I wish you the best of luck in your surgery!

I have osteoarthritis in my right knee.
I have been given one shot of cockroach injection beginning of the year and i take Voltaren tablets.

I'm 59 years.Now i have been working normally,but little lighter work.

Get a cold therapy unit, freeze water bottles and rotate them in/out in it. I kept it on damn near 24/7 and slept with it on. Sleeping in the bed was a PITA, I made me a little "nest" on the couch with the cold therapy unit and my leg elevated and stayed there after a few nights of dragging the cold therapy unit in the bedroom and not sleeping.

Start stretching asap when you get home, take a pain med and stretch it. I put a belt under my heel sitting on the couch then pulled my heel towards me.

My mom had an old folks thing you sit on in the shower, I raised it up until my feet were off the floor. I put a strap around my ankle ran the strap behind me under the seat and pulled my heel under me.

It sucks, it hurts but it works.

I was up walking in 24 hrs. No walker in 48 hrs.

If you suck it up right after surgery it pays big dividends later. Take something to make you sleep.

I had my left one done at 56, I am 58 now and no issues driving a car with a clutch.

I had my hip replaced and I still have nightmares about it.

Too young for one yet, but I have had multiple family members who have had them done over the last 40 years and they've all had good success. One uncle had both knees done about 10 years ago and daily drives a 2005 manual transmission Corvette to this day.

Following.... this may be in my future. Appt to see an ortho doc next month.

Left knee done about 4 years ago now. Age 68.I'm due for the right but I moved and just haven't found/looked for a surgeon up in Michigan. I had my knee replaced in Florida. You cannot wimp out on the therapy during the initial few weeks. A few pics...

THAT^^^ is the key, gotta grit your teeth and suck it up. You'll be glad you did.

This just all sounds horrible. I have had 3 surgeries on this knee, none I would want to repeat.

I wish you a speedy recovery, you can use some knee pads for protection https://www.bikethesites.com/mtb-knee-pads/