Well as you know I had an appointment with my ortho surgeon on April 16th and he told me he would try to do my knee replacement this summer. Well I got a call today and I am booked for May 24th. I really didn't expect it that quick but I will take it..

Val, I`m so glad to hear this!!! I`ll be thinking of you on the 24th! YAAAAAY!!!!!

Love and hugs,

That's good news - your road to recovery will start sooner rather than later!

I hope you are being psychologically prepared for the long hard and painful road that is the 12 month recovery period.

As a physiotherapist, I see MANY patients who I don't believe are anywhere near adequately prepared for how arduous it is to do all the rehab needed after such surgery. They are disappointed in their (apparent lack of...) progress and the amount of pain and swelling that they have even *months* after surgery.

If the surgeon does his job properly, you will be assessed at a "prehab" clinic by a physio, then you will go into surgery with your eyes wide open.

I look forward of hearing of your progress. Work hard!

I had my surgery, full right knee replacement, on May 3rd. The norm here is to be just for 3 nights (eg - in Thursday, out Sunday) but I was there an extra day and could have stayed longer due to my AS but thought I was able to go home.
There was one guy who had the same surgery on Thursday and went home on Saturday. Really?? I could barely move......
I saw the Joint and Bone Clinic a few weeks prior in a group meeting to go over nearly everything related to the pre-surgery, the hospital stay and post-surgery so I'm very well informed of what is going to happen. I was told over and over it is a 12 month process for healing.
Been 9 days now (356 days to go!) and am just barely able to walk without a cane, crutches or my 2 wheel walker so I know I'm going to be a slow healer. Been home for 5 days now.
Starting this weekend I'll be getting into the exercises I have to do at home along with icing the knee. Will see my physio at the Arthritis Centre on the 18th to set up bi-weekly visits which will last a month or so. Am seeing my surgeon on the same day to assess the knee.
Another thing I was told and it's so true, don't chase the pain. Take your pain medicine regularly.
Good luck!

Glad it is over Timo and you are on the mend. Yes, yes, yes keep ahead of the pain because it is hard to catch up with it. Hoping for a good healing time for you and that therapy goes well. My dad had his knees replaced. He was bow-legged all of his life and grew almost 2"!!!

Timo, I had somehow missed that you were having a knee replacement. I know your determination will prevail and you'll be healed and walking better soon!

Warm hugs,

Welcome to your new knee, Timo!

I'm so pleased to hear that you had such good pre-op preparation. You know it would be miraculous if you could fully weightbear w/o crutches by Day 9!!! Maybe you've set the bar a wee bit too high if you were expecting to able to do that already?

My first piece of advice:

1. Take all the pain meds you can get your hands on!

Why???

So it's a little easier for you to exercise, exercise, exercise!

Second piece of advice:

2. Exercise, exercise, exercise! ( see above...)

Next:

3. ice, ice, ice - so you have less PAIN and less SWELLING, thus enabling you to exercise, exercise, exercise!

In between, make sure you rest, rest, rest with your leg elevated and with a compression bandage / garment on if you can.

You need to do a little bit often to get it moving and keep it moving!

Don't compare yourself to others - you're right that your AS may make you a little slower than some..... You need to work CONSISTENTLY to try to get as much BEND as you can in the first 4-6 weeks, but if you need a manipulation under anaesthetic because you can't achieve it, don't take it personally( many seem to see it as reflection of themselves - did they not work hard enough??? etc...) as I have never been able to predict who will and who won't need one (quite a few do).

Some of my most motivated, youngest and hardest working patients need an MUA (manipulation under anaesthetic), so whilst it's annoying if you need to go back into hospital for a day procedure don't ever view it as a black mark against you!

Hope you are able to get some quality sleep (pain meds are your friends...) - then you will have lots of energy to EXERCISE! ( insert maniacal physio laugh here..... )

Thanks Kat.. I have the first appointment of the day so I should be in the or 8am Atlantic time..

Thanks for the info. I am ready for the long road ahead ( already have 2 hip replacements ) I go to the pre op this Wednesday . It is an all day session which is new prev it was just about 11/2 hours..

Hi there
Congratulations on the new knee.
I am not sure how long the stay here is . I do know that I will be sick after the surgery on Thursday and it will probably ease up sometime Friday..
I do have a problem taking pain meds ( hate them with a passion) I try to tuff everything out.. but I have decided with this surgery if I need them I will take them..

OK - so maybe they are going to put you through your paces and really prepare you.....

Hip replacements seem a lot easier to recover from - *way* less pain post operatively and much quicker to get up and get going.

Hopefully you have minimal hip weakness if you've had good rehab after the THRs, as so many I see have become so inactive due to the severity of knee pain prior to their TKR that they are generally quite deconditioned and have considerable hip and trunk (core) weakness, which doesn't help.... hence why the PT seems like a slave driver, trying to get them to strengthen so many areas that impact on their knee function.

Val - PLEEEEEEEEEZ take pain meds after surgery - BE KIND TO YOURSELF!

As far as I know the hip area seems strong . You are right the pain in the knee seems to cause more inactivity then the pain in the hips. I came through the hips with no problems and am hoping for the same for the knee but I am prepared for a harder recovery. To tell you the truth I am a little afraid of the PT only because my knees could never bend as much as another persons . I hope that the PT understands this and doesn't try to get normal movement out of them..
I will decide on the meds once I find out what they want to give me.. I know I will need something but I figure that since I am not used to heavy duty meds I should have something in a milder dosage. I will discuss it at the pre op and with the surgeon.