My gf got her surgery date, October 16. It's not hit her yet, but she's going to start getting nervous.
Is there anything that anyone received from a loved one that helped get them through?
She'll get the "survivor" t-shirt once we are done, but beyond the usual cannolis, is there anything silly I can do to help her relax?
Thank you all.
And I think I’ve distilled my fear down to its biggest component, unknown pain. 53 F, I’ve birthed children, one of them at home, with zero meds. I fell and broke my femur on the ice last year (other leg) and that was absolutely excruciating. Had an emergency ORIF of the femur head and long recovery plus broken ribs and other injuries from the fall. I just don’t know what to expect. Is it sharp pain? Dull achy pain? Throbbing hot pain? Dry pain? Wet pain? SOMEBODY TELL ME lol
Since I’m new to this level of pain,
Is it normal at almost 5 weeks to be hit with white hot blinding pain from the thigh to the ankle? It lasts about 15 minutes and I can barely breathe or move. It feels like jackhammers on my bones and electric shocks in my nerves.
Before LTKR my left foot turned outward at about a 40 degree angle when I walked. Now it’s straight forward like my right foot. This angle change was never mentioned before or after surgery. Is this change common in knee replacements?
For the skiers out there who have recovered from a TKR and are back at it, what’s your experience been like? how long after surgery were you able to ski? have you been able to get back to skiing stuff that you couldn’t ski before your TKR? how’s the pain level while skiing?
Before my left TKR (5/14/26) I’ve only been able to ski groomers for the last few years and really only for a few laps. Really hoping I’ll be able to ski for longer periods of time and be able to get off piste and back into wild snow and technical terrain again. nothing crazy – definitely plan to keep my skis firmly planted on the snow, but hope to be able to keep up with my kids and my buddies again.
72F Only discomfort is going down the stairs. Still gaining quad strength. It's slow going rebuilding muscle for me. Also my goodness but rainy days make it ache. Nowhere near the achiness of pre surgery but it's stiff and heavy feeling.
I see people’s posts that their surgeon is the top rated surgeon in their area. I am curious who does these ratings and where you can find them?
My niece bought me silicone scar tape. I was a little skeptical about how efficacious it was going to be. But as a protective layer between me and real clothes when I went back to work. This is a game changer! It's protective, reusable and soothing. However, I do hate peeling off, as that is an unpleasant sensation. But the tape is worth using it with the cushioning.
Just over 4 months past LTKR and seriously considering manipulation under anesthesia.
Questions:
This makes me sound like a wuss!! 😆. But my knee pain wasn’t bad at first, though my back was awful. I got flexion up to 115, but at 4 months I think I overdid. Lots of pain bending and putting weight on knee lately. Incredibly stiff after sitting 15-20 minutes and I’ve been using walker for the last week when I first stand up and also to keep my gait smoother (so my back won’t hurt so much).
I’m so tired of this stiff, grumpy knee and aching back. I don’t feel steady on my feet. Surgeon’s NP thinks MUA will loosen it up. I’m afraid it may cause more swelling and pain, making my back worse (back’s finally a little better with good core exercises).
NP says some people have no pain after MUA, and she thinks it will loosen my knee up. I’m probably gonna do it because I’m so tired of hauling around this stiff, sore knee. But I’d really like to hear how it went for others.
Hey fellow TKR survivors! I’m day 12 post-op 45F. Wondering where others were as far as flexing goes in day 12 and what your activity levels were? I don’t know if I’m doing enough or not enough and wanted to see what others were doing at this stage. I’m on the CPM 6 hours per day (2hrs 3x), I do my muscle exercises 3x per day, sometimes more if I think of it but honestly I’m doing good to get the 3 in. In between, I’m icing (have ice machine on 30 minute timer) and elevating. Every time I need to get up for a bathroom break (every couple of hours or so), I’m taking a few laps around the house with my walker and sometimes sitting normally in a chair and working on flexion - not the most comfortable thing to do but do it as long as I can. I’ve had lots of help but trying to start doing more things for myself.
Having said all of this, my PT said I won’t make my surgeons 3 week post-op goal of 120-130 degrees. Currently the CPM is at 90 (going up 5 degrees each day) and sitting in a chair with my foot flat on the floor I could probably get to close to 85-90 degrees. What is holding me back is inflammation and swelling. In the morning it feels fairly loose but by afternoon/evening it feels locked back up and I can barely get 30 degrees out of it sometimes. It’s quite frustrating and I always feel so defeated after PT leaves. And a little scared for my follow-up next Tuesday.
Am I just being a little sissy and not doing enough? Because that’s the way my PT makes me feel. But I feel if I do too much, it will set me back.
I appreciate this community, it has been so helpful!
Did your surgeon recommend one of these for you and if so, did it make a difference?
Hello everyone, just like many in this community, I also have a knee issue—specifically 2nd-degree chondromalacia patellae. Today I spoke with my friend, and she has the exact same symptoms. We are almost the same age, and two of my other friends have the same condition as well. My goodness, this is a disaster! It feels like 3 out of every 10 people have knee pain, and now I finally understand why.
We worked out way too hard with sports. All of us were doing squats, going up and down stairs, and performing so many knee-straining exercises just to build a bigger glute/butt area. And you know what? We all did this. We are all around 33, 34, and 35 years old. Guys, we really need to teach children from a young age that forcing their bodies with these extreme glute and leg workouts is dangerous.
My grandmother and my neighbors are in their 80s and 90s, and they still don't complain about knee pain. I asked them, and they said they only walked to distant fields. They didn't run except when playing as children, and they certainly didn't do all these glute workouts. Please, let's teach this to future generations!
Discharged today after RTKR. I had a spinal, no nerve block given but surgeon said he used some form of “long lasting gel” to help with the pain. Did a couple of walks on day 1 with some weight bearing, the exhaustion is definitely there as mentioned by other posts.
Day 2 walks were much more painful, almost no weight bearing was tolerable earlier in the day, it was better later on.
Running through all my PT exercises as directed. Question for the group, how much flexion is normal for day 2? I understand my knee just went through a lot but I can only seem to get a few inches on my heel slides before everything gets real tight.
It's been a really rough year for me. I had my right knee replaced Aug of last year. It went very well, so well I wanted to get the left one done also. Easy Peasy, right? I wound up with complications on my left side. Immediately upon waking up I felt a weakness in that leg I didn't experience on the right. I just thought maybe it was my muscles a lot weaker or it's my off leg. I ended up falling a week out of surgery and I tore my left quad tendon. I didn't realize this and so weeks went by, my PT trying to get strength back, but I still couldn't do a straight leg raise. I finally asked for an MRI, which I received 2 days before Christmas. Saw the ruptured tendon and they scheduled me for repair surgery on Dec 29th. I was in a straight leg splint at this time to prevent me from buckling my knee and/or falling. I finally could take the splint off and my knee was still buckling. I had 21 falls from my knee buckling. I contacted my neurosurgeon and they looked hard at my lower back. Nothing to explain my issues, so they said let's go higher.
MRI on my mid and neck vertebrae showed the problem. I had been in a car wreck back in 2022 that messed up a good portion of my spine. C4 - C5 was pushing HARD on my spinal cord and caused partial paralysis in my left leg. So I had my neck fixed surgically in April and I lost my paralysis and weakness, but... it kept buckling. I was doing intense PT. I still couldn't do straight leg raises, nor lift my left leg. So another MRI to the left knee and I have another quad tendon rupture in my left knee. Went back to wearing the splint full time. Think I tore it a second time from it buckling. So I had surgery August 10th. My ortho surgeon repaired it again using mesh, but this time he did external fixation. Refer to pics below. I look like a Frankenstein experiment gone wrong. Had my incision cut open a third time, so I had to wear a device that helped it heal. Called Prevera system and it was used on my incision to help it heal... but also felt like I was carrying around a baby alien or something. The external fixation went well, but I don't know how to dress.
So I look like a freak and I get that. I also wear shorts with it because sweat pants get to be painful when they pull on my hardware. I personally don't care if I wear shorts and people can stare all they want, it's metal rods. My parents are taking care of me and my mom keeps bugging me about it. Have to have my bandage removed today and I'm not in the mood for a it. My mom keeps suggesting pants or wrapping around my leg with a short tied on. I dont really know how I'm supposed to dress with this thing. I find I don't really care, I just can't tolerate pants pull on it. Maybe you call can give me some tips and pointers. I can't tolerate things being on the implants, it is major ouch!
55 years old total right knee. My flexion is coming along and the nerve pain the last two nights is becoming bearable.
I can do a decent air squat but still not comfortable with a barbell. Barbell squats next. I’ve been deadlifting light. My endurance leaves a lot to be desired
I’m not sure of the accuracy of this. I can get pretty low on squats and I’m working hard for even more depth. We shall see!
Good luck to all who choose this journey.
I delayed my surgery, due next month, because of a dental infection that’s been clinging on for a year and a half. As having an infection beforehand is a major issue what about a getting one afterwards? It seems that you’d have movement and can get out and about but must live like a hermit anyway. What’s the deal here?
I'm getting my Mako LTKR in less than 12 hrs, and I'm ngl, I'm pretty anxious...I could use some encouragement and good vibes!
Edit: Thank you allso much!! It's time to go! Whooooo! I'm off to see the surgeon, the wonderful surgeon of knee!
Edit 2: Bionic woman checking in! All went well! Oxy kicking in, pain at a 2, not too shabby!
Thanks again to all of you - it really helped to have your support! ❤️
I know the best solution is to plan for knee replacement surgery. It’s never going to be convenient, but one should have the surgery on one’s timetable before the knee becomes unusable or usable only with debilitating pain.
That’s not my question.
Instead, what happens when a knee fails? Is it immediate?
I need a new knee. The pain is worsening by the month, but I can still do most things. I would like to hear how your knee “failed” or when it was obvious you must have it replaced.
Anyone have severe -full thickness cartilage loss at age 56? Woke up a year ago with pain and could not walk. Had cortisone shot and I felt good for a whole year. Started working out ((low key, peloton and various safe stuff for legs. One day after bike ride I went to stretch my hip (figure 4) and felt a searing lateral pain at my knee and it band. I could not walk and pain felt so bad. Mri just showed the same thing as last year. Had recent cortisone shot and better able to walk, but still aches. Maci was not discussed because of my age I guess. PRP and gel shots were discussed and will probably do this while seeking out second opinions. Few questions:
1.) anyone out there at my age got Maci or oats procedure?
2.) other then gaping to help knee what knee brace you’ve you used that wasn’t so cumbersome and allowed you to work out and walk?
3.) did gel shots help you out off partial knee replacement?
4.) I have lost a lot of quad muscle because it’s difficult to activate it as extension aggravates it. Any suggestions other than straight leg lifts to help get these muscle to fire?