Experience with Knee Replacement Surgery: Advice, Please

I had a knee reconstruction/replacement and was in rehab for about 3 weeks. I used a walker to get around and wheelchair when necessary. I continued to use the walker until about two months out of the hospital when it was felt I could have full use of my joint.

I bathed myself in a chair in the tub but did need help getting out. I cooked easy meals myself on the stove top and hobbled around with my walker for quite some time learning how to do things such as how to dress and undress myself as well as other things. I did stairs, though only a couple at a time, about six months after I was bearing full weight. That was my personal preference. 9 years later I still find using stairs difficult some of the time. I had family at home to help me out most of the time but I also did not always have help so I had to learn to how to manage things. For instance, privacy became a non issue for me because I had difficulty often closing then reopening doors while using all my strength to get to say the bathroom or bedroom to do my business.

Honestly, I found it more helpful when I was asked if I needed help or was offered something rather than have it assumed I had to have the help. Yes, I needed the help 95% of the time while in recovery but I was not an invalid.....if you get what I'm saying not trying to sound mean or ruffle any feathers.

I only have experience with Hip Replacement. And it wasn't me, it was my girlfriend, Pam.

She was in the hospital 48 hours. She was up and walking the DAY OF THE SURGERY. Physical therapy was 3x per week.

I saw other patients that were knee replacement patients...same with them- 48 hours, walking the day of surgery.

Pam was using stairs within a week - but EACH PERSON IS DIFFERENT. Since you will be responsible for her care - ask her doctor what his/her expectations are regarding her recovery. I can tell you that ATTITUDE IS EVERYTHING...if your friends believes she will be GREAT - she will BE GREAT!!!

Pam was on her own that week - she did NOT return to work for 3 weeks. She got her hips replaced in December (first one December 2010, and the other just last December 2011). I did go over every day - but that's also because I love her company!! :)

They really do have patients up and walking the day of the surgery. No kidding. She will be going to the bathroom on her own THAT DAY. Showering? They gave a waterproof bandage to Pam to keep the incision dry - other than that? They encouraged daily showering. When I had my knee operated on (it's been 9x so far) - I was given a leg shaped bag with waterproof tape to keep my incision dry. They will most likely do the same for her.

Pam used a cane to walk for about 3 months. That's what the doctor wanted. She could walk short distances without it the week following surgery. Every person is different and attitude is everything!!

I have had everything but knee replacement but most of your questions depend on the person. The people I know who have had knee replacements it was all done outpatient. They were also the kind of people that did it all on their own so I have no idea about the recovery.

I can say my ACL was the worst so far and even that I was out the door in two days. Steps same thing. Granted it was almost two months before I could walk steps like a normal person but there nothing wrong with step, pull up gimpy leg, step, pull up gimpy leg.....eventually you get to the top. :)

Hips are totally different than knees--much easier. I have a friend who has had knee and hip replacements and the hips, comparatively, were a "breeze"!

Knee replacement is horribly painful and a great deal of the speed of her recovery will be her ability to push through the pain.

There are different techniques, as well, and that counts for a large part of the recovery. O. friend had O. knee done O. way (tough!) and the other done a different way (much easier recovery).

I wanted to suggest www.lotsahelpinghands.com as a great site you can use to do a care page for your friend.
You can use the calendar feature to set up a meal delivery schedule, rides to & from appointments, general household help, etc.

My husband's grandmother NEVER recovered from her knee replacement. She simply didn't have the drive or ability to push through the pain. My MIL, although she very badly needs both knees replaced, knows that she will likely NOT be able to tolerate the recovery.

Perhaps you could call & ask to talk to the office nurse about recovery? If she needs additional care after her hospital stay, most likely she will go to a short-term rehab facility and that is pretty common.

My MIL is having her knee replaced Monday. They have told her 3 days in the hospital, up walking without a walker within 24 hours. After the first day she is required to walk herself to the communal dining hall, no wheelchair/walker and no food in her room so if she wants to eat she has to walk. They've told her she will be using stairs in a week or so, as soon as she is good with balance.

My 62 year old, in good shape (rides his bike 20 miles easily a day in the summer), strong physcially (loves to garden extensively, do home improvement projects, etc... is in a forced retirement, but is always busy), just had his done after the first of the year. They waited due to insurance issues, but his could not have waited any longer!

He was in the hospital for 3 days after his surgery. Was up on the walker after 24 hours going to PT there. His biggest issue was the pain meds made him barfy. He barely ever takes advil or tylonol so these were a doozy to his system. He does suffer from reflux, so that was part of it too and he got in a bad loop with the nausea.

After he got home, he had a walker, constant icing, leg up (in his recliner) and PT appts every other day (my 20 year old autistic, in community college PT and working PT at Burger King nephew lives with them so he was there and drove and helped when my MIL was at work). He needed assistance carrying meals back to his comfy chair, and to get down the 2 steps to their sunken living room where it was. Also in and out of the house, in the winter, there were several steps to get to the PT appts.

I saw him 2 weeks after the surgery, and he was pretty silly on the pain meds, but chipper and anxious for the freedom to get back moving and such. He is NOT a man to be held back. I think that makes a HUGE difference in any recovery.

A week later he was flying around that house with the walker. A huge difference. He was all over the place, dilligent with his PT excercises, etc. His walker has a little pouch on it (home made thingy made by some ladies auxilliary group, velro on), with pockets so he could put his water bottle once he filled it and things like that, but carrying a plate of hot food or soup, or a tray or food, etc, was too hard to manage with the walker, when he still depended on it, in addition to his 2 steps down he had to do. He had a tray table sort of thing next to his recliner. He said the recliner was great and he actually slept in it a few nights as it was more comfortable to keep his leg elevated (and no worrys of getting bumped by his wife, etc), but it was farther from the bathroom.

Today, now almost 5 mos out, he still limps some, but this man has been doing 15-25 mile bike rides a few times aweek for the last 6 weeks. Hes a machine, but pushing it too much I think. I scold him everytime I see him and hes limping a bit. I tell him I can see the "hitch in his giddy-up", and he appropriately hangs his head low and blushes. Hes a sweetie but hes overdoing it. He is not one to let anything stop him.

He still has a handicapped placard for his truck and uses it sometimes when hes really hurting. He used pain meds much longer than he though he would need, but as I said, he was probably doing too much too soon.

They told him once they put it in there, you can't really hurt it in there. Its set. But that was his fear, is that HE would damage it inside. They explained it in ways he could fathom that was not going to happen.

Good luck!

My FIL had a nurse that came to the house daily to do his therepy - but he lived with his wife, not alone so it may be different but it took him like 2 months to recover and be on his own so to speak. Friends dropping in would not have been good enough for the first month I can tell you that much.

A lot also depends on the TYPE of knee trplacrment surgery.

My knees are SHOT. Have been for 20 years. I'm getting partial knee replacement surgery and I'm told 2 days before I'm doing normal activity (out patient surgery). My friends who have had total or partial... A lot depended on the level of pain they were in before. When you're in chronic pain, having that pain GONE? Most were skiing, running, etc. within a couple weeks. Those who were injury based tend to take a few months. How long you've been coping with pain seems to be a big factor.

Just one more factor.

H., others can tell you more particulars, but I do want to say that there is a tall round seat that's base kind of looks like a TV table base sold at places like Target or Walmart. It's good for her to sit on in the kitchen while she convalesces since she isn't supposed to bend her knee. It's also great for those who can't stand for long periods of time. My mom used it to do stuff in the kitchen after her knee replacements.

I will tell you that one of the most important things she can do is to take her PT VERY seriously. Being a compliant patient is how she will get better faster.

Hope this helps.