Heres 12 Things Youll Need Around The House Once You Return Home After A Total Knee Replacement Surgery
These items should be purchased beforehand.
Even the most prepared-thinking person may not consider the usefulness of some of these items.
My father has had three total knee replacements , so I definitely know all the things that should already be in the home, once the patient returns.
The new knee will not be able to bend well. Hopping and balancing on the good leg is not an option because:
1) If a persons knee was bad enough to require knee replacement surgery, the odds are pretty strong that the other knee is also degenerated.
2) Even if the other leg IS good enough to hop on, this is not advised because it will interfere with recovery.
The person must use both legs as he normally would, so that the new knee is properly introduced to normal movement.
Three To Six Weeks After Your Knee Replacement
As you gain strength, youll rely lessor not at allon assistive devices such as canes.
Often, at this point, more low-impact activities may be introduced into your exercise regimen. In addition to walking, this includes swimming or riding a stationary bike.
Many of the exercises above will continue. Knee bends will concentrate on the goal of bending your knee to 120 degrees.
At this point, many are able to complete basic household chores and slowly get back to daily activities. If you have an office job or a job that doesnt require heavy lifting or climbing, you may be able to return to work.
Sports And Exercise Activity After Knee Replacement
The Knee Society recommends specific activities for patients with total knee replacement, these include:
- Cycling:Riding a bicycle outdoors or using a stationary bike indoors is an excellent way to strengthen your new knee. It’s best to start with riding on the flat or using a lower tension for an indoor cycle.
- Swimming: Enjoying the pool won’t put any weight on your joints and you can get an aerobic workout. You can begin swimming as soon as your stitches have been removed and the wound is healed.
- Walking and Hiking: Walking is highly recommended for your recovery. If you’ve been a runner, you may want to enjoy the lower impact of walking after a knee replacement.
- Calisthenics : It is good to keep your body in shape with strength and flexibility workouts that are low in impact. While you may love Zumba, you’ll need to stick with lower impact moves and avoid twisting movements.
- Low-Resistance Weightlifting: Keeping your muscles toned is an important component of fitness.
- Low-Resistance Rowing: You’ll get a good upper body workout, but you will need to set the machine so your knee angle is greater than 90 degrees.
- Skiing and Elliptical Machines: Like cycling, there is no impact but you can get a good aerobic workout.
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How Long Does A Knee Replacement Last
Approximately 90 percent of first-time knee replacements endure at least 15 years4, with many lasting as long as 20 years. 5 Patients can extend the life of their knee replacements by adhering to their physical therapy regimens and refraining from high-impact activities such as leaping or jogging, among other things. High-impact exercises produce friction between the man-made components of the replacement knee, resulting in wear and tear on the replacement knee. Knee Replacement Surgery in a Second Opinion It may be necessary to have a second operation, known as a revision total knee replacement, in the event that the original joint components need to be replaced for any reason.
Other probable reasons include component wear and tear, component loosening, and component loosening. Knee stiffness and bone fractures are two more potential causes. Patients should consult with their doctors about the most appropriate time to have surgery.
How Long Do You Need Physical Therapy After A Knee Replacement
Of course, this will vary from patient to patient, depending upon your individual situation. However, in general, you can expect around 3 to 4 weeks of formal physical therapy from our experts.
Dr. Christian Eccles, our Fellowship-trained Hip and Knee Replacement surgeon, says Therapy is vital to obtaining the best functional outcome possible after a knee replacement as it can aid in pain control, improve motion, and expedite recovery.
Our patients typically are able to drive within 2 to 4 weeks, go back to work in 6 to 8 weeks, and golf in 6 to 12 weeks.
Your physical therapy exercises that you learn should be continued on your own for a minimum of two months after your surgery. They may also recommend some additional exercises such as riding a stationary bicycle after this period to help keep your knee flexible. This will also help build your muscle tone.
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Protecting Your Knee Replacement
After surgery, make sure you also do the following:
- Participate in regular light exercise programs to maintain proper strength and mobility of your new knee.
- Take special precautions to avoid falls and injuries. If you break a bone in your leg, you may require more surgery.
- Make sure your dentist knows that you have a knee replacement. Talk with your orthopaedic surgeon about whether you need to take antibiotics prior to dental procedures.
- See your orthopaedic surgeon periodically for a routine follow-up examination and x-rays. Your surgeon will talk with you about the frequency and timing of these visits.
Different Types Of Surgery
There are 5 main types of knee replacement surgery:
- Total knee replacement. This is the most common form. Your surgeon replaces the surfaces of the thigh bone and shin bone that connects to the knee.
- Partial knee replacement. If arthritis affects only one side of your knee, this surgery may be a possibility. However, itâs only right for you if you have strong knee ligaments and the rest of the cartilage in the knee is normal. Partial knee replacement can be performed through a smaller cut than is needed for total knee replacement.
- Patellofemoral replacement. This replaces only the under-surface of the kneecap and the groove the kneecap sits in. This can be very effective for people with chronic kneecap arthritis.
- Complex knee replacement. This procedure may be needed if you have very severe arthritis or if youâve already had two or three knee replacement surgeries.
- Cartilage restoration: Sometimes when the knee only has an isolated area of injury or wear this area can be replaced with a living cartilage graft or cells which grow into cartilage.
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Provide Motivation For Rehab And Exercises
Adhering to a rehab plan is critical. For many people, this means walking for 30 minutes two or three times per day. Doctors may also recommend exercising for an extra 20 to 30 minutes two or three times per day.
The person may find that walking or exercising is painful. This is normal. If they express a desire to discontinue with their rehabilitation plan, remind them that what theyre feeling is common and that rehab will help speed up their recovery.
Helping them chart their efforts, results, and progress may help keep them motivated. Exercising and walking with them may also help keep them on track.
Other Drugs And Treatment
Its also important to discuss any dental work or other surgical procedures that you might need.
Your surgeon may prescribe preventive antibiotics to reduce the risk of a possible infection from these events.
It is also best to tell your doctor about any new medications or supplements you start taking, as well as any health conditions you develop.
Some medications can negatively interact with other medications or supplements. They can also make certain health conditions worse.
Regular follow-up appointments are an important part of your recovery process.
They give you an opportunity to:
- ask questions
- discuss your progress
- learn about your rehabilitation
Follow-up visits also give your surgeon and physical therapist the chance to monitor your progress and address any problems that arise.
Take responsibility for your health by attending regular follow-up appointments and following your prescribed treatment plan.
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Recovery Timeline For Knee Surgery
When it comes to therapy and healing, the first 12 weeks following knee replacement surgery are the most essential. While you are going through this process, you must be devoted to following the doctors instructions, which will help to enhance your long-term prognosis.
Immediately After The Operation
Doctors have made big advances in pain management after total knee replacement over the last 10 to 15 years due to advancements in using regional nerve blocks, spinal blocks, and other methods of pain control.
During knee surgery, your healthcare team might either use a general anesthetic, where you will be fully asleep, or a localized anesthetic, where youre numb from the waist down but still awake.
After the surgery anesthesia wears off, your healthcare team can provide pain medication either orally or through an intravenous tube.
These medications may include a strong opiate or opioid such as morphine, fentanyl, or oxycodone, and are intended only for short-term use. Its important to note that larger doses over time can lead to physical dependence and addiction. Follow your doctors instructions to avoid adverse effects.
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Will I Need To Use Crutches Or Other Assistive Devices After Knee Replacement Surgery
Yes. Youll also need to utilize an assistive device for at least a few weeks during recuperation, depending on the sort of surgery youve had . Certain actions like as walking, using the toilet, and dressing are made simpler to do with the use of assistive technology. They also contribute to your safety. Although the specific sorts of assistive equipment youll require following knee replacement surgery may vary depending on your health, some popular gadgets include:
- Crutches, canes, and walkers are examples of walking aids, as are shoehorns and sock aids. Grab bars should be placed throughout your home. a pair of tongs and a reacher Toilet seat with a raised lip
- Tub chair
Although certain assistive devices may be covered by your insurance, it is important to check with your provider before having surgery to make sure.
Dont Skip Your Physical Therapy
The thought of physical therapy may make you groan, but these specialized exercises are essential to the recovery process. At the same time, you should only engage in activities approved by Dr. Tadje. These vary from person to person but might include:
- Walking
- Leg presses with a resistance band
- Extending and bending your knee while seated
- Swimming
Remember, dont engage in activities without prior approval or you could reinjure your knee and extend your recovery time.
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The First 24 Hours After Knee Replacement Surgery
After surgery, the patient will wake up from anesthesia and begin to regain feeling in his or her legs. Doctors will pre-emptively treat pain using a combination of pain-relief methods that complement each other and minimize side effects, an approach that is called multimodal analgesia.
Read more about multi-modal analgesia and Managing the Pain of Joint Replacement.
Within 24 hours, if pain is under control, the patient may be asked to stand up and take a few steps with the aid of a physical therapist and/or a walker. Patients who get up and bear some weight on their new knees soon after surgery tend to recover more quickly than patients who do not.
Range Of Motion After Knee Replacement Surgery: The Basics
Jul 5, 2017 | Uncategorized
This post was co-authored by Grace McClure and Dr. Nicholas Frisch
Throughout your knee replacement recovery, youll likely be monitoring, obsessing over, and measuring one thing: range of motion. Chances are your doctor and physical therapist will give you range of motion milestones to hit and chances are it wont be easy to get there. Gaining back knee flexion , extension , adduction , abduction , rotations must be worked towards. It not something that happens overnight.
When thinking about range of motion , that irritating saying, no pain, no gain comes to mind. To hit your range of motion goals after knee replacement surgery, youre going to have to work through some pain and dedicate yourself to improvement. Besides putting in good old fashion work, there are things you can do to accelerate and improve your post-op knee range of motion. Read on as we walk you through the best things you can do after knee replacement surgery to hit your ROM goals.
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Types Of Knee Replacement Surgery
Total knee replacement is more extensive and involves replacing the entire knee joint. Partial knee replacement is less invasive and only replaces the damaged part of the joint. Your doctor will help you decide which type of surgery is right for you.
Knee replacement surgery is a procedure that involves replacing the damaged or worn-out parts of the knee joint with artificial implants. This surgery is useful for people who have severe knee pain and cannot get relief from other treatments. It can also help improve the range of motion and function in the knee.
The amount of time youll need to recover after surgery varies from person to person. Most people require at least six weeks of recovery time before they can resume their normal activities. During this time, its important to take it easy and avoid putting too much stress on the knee.
While there is no guarantee that a knee replacement will completely eliminate your pain, most people experience significant relief after surgery. In addition, many people find that their quality of life improves significantly after surgery. Theyre able to do things they couldnt do before, such as climb stairs or walk long distances.
Preparation For Total Knee Replacement Surgery
Patients undergoing total knee replacement surgery usually will undergo a pre-operative surgical risk assessment. When necessary, further evaluation will be performed by an internal medicine physician who specializes in pre-operative evaluation and risk-factor modification. Some patients will also be evaluated by an anesthesiologist in advance of the surgery.
Routine blood tests are performed on all pre-operative patients. Chest X-rays and electrocardiograms are obtained in patients who meet certain age and health criteria as well.
Surgeons will often spend time with the patient in advance of the surgery, making certain that all the patient’s questions and concerns, as well as those of the family, are answered.
Costs
The surgeon’s office should provide a reasonable estimate of:
- the surgeon’s fee
- the degree to which these should be covered by the patient’s insurance.
Total Knee Replacement Surgical Team
The total knee requires an experienced orthopedic surgeon and the resources of a large medical center. Some patients have complex medical needs and around surgery often require immediate access to multiple medical and surgical specialties and in-house medical, physical therapy, and social support services.
Finding an experienced surgeon to perform your total knee replacement
Some questions to consider asking your knee surgeon:
- Are you board certified in orthopedic surgery?
- Have you done a fellowship in joint replacement surgery?
- How many knee replacements do you do each year?
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Possible Benefits Of Total Knee Replacement Surgery
Regardless of whether a traditional total knee replacement or a minimally-invasive partial knee replacement is performed the goals and possible benefits are the same: relief of pain and restoration of function.
The large majority of total knee replacement patients experience substantial or complete relief of pain once they have recovered from the procedure. The large majority walk without a limp and most dont require a cane, even if they used one before the surgery. It is quite likely that you know someone with a knee replacement who walks so well that you dont know he even had surgery!
Frequently the stiffness from arthritis is also relieved by the surgery. Very often the distance one can walk will improve as well because of diminished pain and stiffness. The enjoyment of reasonable recreational activities such as golf, dancing, traveling, and swimming almost always improves following total knee replacement.
Range Of Motion Basics After Knee Replacement Surgery
First, we need to start off by saying that everyone is different. Some people are naturally born with more flexion and extension in their knee joints, some people have complications or severe osteoarthritis degradation to overcome, some people may experience knee stiffness, and so forth. In fact, one of the best indicators of your knee range of motion after surgery is your ROM before surgery.
A completely straight, unflexed knee joint will measure 0° of flexion. A fully bent knee will max out at about a full range of motion of 135° degrees of flexion.
As a general rule, a knee flexion of about 125° will allow you to carry out most normal activities. For daily living, a minimum flexion of around 105°-110° is required. Heres the approximate range of motion flexion required for everyday activities:
- 65° to walk
- 70° pick an object off the ground
- 85° to climb up stairs
- 95° to stand from a sitting position
- 105° to tie shoelaces
- 115° to squat or sit cross-legged
- 125°+ covers most activities. However, squatting or sitting on your heel may always prove challenging.
In a study conducted with 108 total knee arthroplasty patients, the mean postoperative active flexion was 111°
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Take Care Of Yourself
It can be difficult to care for someone else if you arent taking the time to care for yourself. Make sure to take breaks and do things you enjoy, such as hobbies, visiting friends, or scheduling some alone time.
Try going for a walk, reading a book, or meditating regularly to keep stress levels down. Dont be afraid to ask other friends or family members for help, especially if you feel overworked or overwhelmed.