When To Switch From Walker To Cane After Knee Replacement

What Happens After Surgery

After surgery, youll be given pain medication and an antibiotic. Medicines or physical therapy may be prescribed by your surgeon to prevent blood clots. To decrease your chances of having a Deep Vein Thrombosis after surgery, you may be given medication, wear special stockings and do ankle pumps for two to three days following surgery. You may have an appointment depending on the wound closure method preferred by your surgeon to have the staples or external sutures removed . You should call your surgeon if you experience any of the following symptoms:

• Increased redness.
• Any other changes you question.

Physical therapy will start within 24 hours.

When Did You Walk Without S Walker After Tkr

3 weeks post TKR today. Suspect I will need my walker for a while. When did you walk independently or graduate to crutches/cane?

1 like, 19 replies

How Should I Get Into A Car After My Total Hip Replacement

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How Do I Safely Ride In A Car And On A Plane After A Hip Replacement

You may go out in a car approximately three weeks after you return home, but make sure to avoid sports cars and cars with bucket seats because of the low seat height. When riding in a car, make sure to stop every 45 to 60 minutes to get out and do some walking. Also, do ankle pumps in the car while riding. If youre flying, request an aisle seat and keep the operative leg extended in the aisle. Request to be boarded last on the plane.

How To Go Up The Stairs With A Cane After Hip Surgery

To go up the stairs is almost as easy as it is to go down the stairs. To reach a higher floor via the stairs, follow this guide. First of all, hold the rail with one hand and the cane in the other. Support your weight evenly between the rail and the cane. With the cane and operated leg on the lower step, step up with your un-operated leg. Keeping a grip on the rail, bring your operated leg and cane up to the same step.

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When Can I Get Rid Of The Walker: How Long Were You Using The Walker Before Surgery

One of the biggest things that determine when you can get rid of the walker after a knee replacement is how long were you using the walker before the knee replacement? If you were using the walker for a long time before surgery, youll be using a walker for longer than someone who wasnt using the walker for as long before the knee replacement surgery. Yes, you were likely using the walker before surgery because you were in so much pain. But your body got used to using it. Your body adjusted to walking with the walker everywhere, so it will take time to get off the walker. For someone who was using the walker occasionally for 6 months before surgery, and by occasionally, I mean just when you go out of the house for long events or if you dont know what the walking situation will be. This person will be able to get off the walker probably in the first 6 weeks. If someone was using the walker daily, in the home and outside of the home for > 1 year before surgery it will probably take them 6 months to stop using the walker. These arent hard and fast rules, this is just an estimate based on the timeline that you were using the walker before surgery. Listen to your body and dont be too quick to get rid of it. You dont want to start walking with bad habits and have a tough time walking after surgery.

Can Rehabilitation Be Done At Home

All patients are given a set of home exercises to do between supervised physical therapy sessions and the home exercises make up an important part of the recovery process. However, supervised therapy–which is best done in an outpatient physical therapy studio–is extremely helpful and those patients who are able to attend outpatient therapy are encouraged to do so.

For patients who are unable to attend outpatient physical therapy, home physical therapy is arranged.

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Dont Hesitate To Reach Us If You Need More Details About Using A Crane After Hip Replacement

Now, when you know how important it is to be careful when using a cane after hip replacement, as well what the most appropriate occasions for performing such a movement are, you can make some tests on a flat surface at first and then, to try the procedure on the stairs.

Please, let us remind you that these are not recommendations from a real doctor and the material has an only informative character. Always ask your therapist if a certain practice for using a cane after hip surgery is allowed and good for you.

If you have some questions to ask or information to receive whether specifically for the hip replacement intervention or for the recovery with a cane later, do not hesitate to contact us. We are always here to support and give you as many tips for fast and painless rehabilitation as possible.

We truly hope you will recover soon and during the rehabilitation time, youll have positive emotions even on your walking aid! Dont give up and good luck with the cane!

What Medications Will I Receive Right Before During And Right After The Hip Replacement

• Antibiotics: Medication to help prevent infection.
• Anesthesia: An anesthesiologist will meet with you before your surgery. They will explain the various types of anesthesia available to you and the risks and benefits of each with your health history. The spinal, or regional anesthetic block, is the most common method used for orthopaedic joint replacement procedures. Youll also be asked to complete a health questionnaire from the anesthesia department for surgery clearance to ensure your safety.
• Thromboprophylaxis: Medication to help prevent blood clots .
• Pain control: Various medications can help control pain, including NSAIDs, narcotic pain medications and peripheral nerve block.

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How Do I Prepare For Surgery What Happens Before A Hip Replacement

In order to prepare for surgery, youll schedule a series of appointments to receive testing and clearance. During these appointments, studies including lab testing, urine analysis, an EKG and X-rays may be performed. Based on the results of these tests and your health history, clearance is or is not initiated for the surgery.

Before surgery, your medical risk will be assessed. Your healthcare providers need to make sure that the risks of a hip replacement dont outweigh the benefits. They will check for:

• How anxious/stressed you are about your surgery.
• How well youll handle blood loss.
• How well you might tolerate anesthesia.
• How you might manage the rehabilitation process.
• How your other medical problems may affect your healing.
• How active you are.
• How appropriate your weight is.

Your lower extremities will be evaluated before surgery. Your healthcare providers will do the following:

You will have radiographs of the hip and pelvis to assess the status and structure of the hip joint. Occasionally advanced imaging may be needed to assist in the diagnosis or treatment planning.

Your healthcare provider will likely require some tests before surgery. Tests may include:

• Complete blood count .
• Other tests, as needed.
• Electrocardiogram .

You can try these tips at home prior to surgery:

• Elevated toilet seats.
• Grasping device for putting on socks and shoes.

How Do I Safely Sit Down And Stand Up After A Hip Replacement

There are three steps to sitting down after a hip replacement:

Keep the following tips in mind while youre sitting:

• Sit on a firm chair with a straight back and armrests. Keep your hips and knees at 90 degrees .
• Dont sit on low, soft or overstuffed furniture that may cause excessive bending of your hip.
• Follow the precautions and weight-bearing status as instructed by your healthcare provider or physical therapist.

To stand, follow these two steps:

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Characteristics Of Severe Arthritis Of The Knee

Pain

Pain is the most noticeable symptom of knee arthritis. In most patients the knee pain gradually gets worse over time but sometimes has more sudden flares where the symptoms get acutely severe. The pain is almost always worsened by weight-bearing and activity. In some patients the knee pain becomes severe enough to limit even routine daily activities.

Stiffness

Morning stiffness is present in certain types of arthritis. Patients with morning stiffness of the knee may notice some improvement in knee flexibility over the course of the day. Rheumatoid arthritis patients may experience more frequent morning stiffness than patients with osteoarthritis.

Swelling and warmth

Patients with arthritis sometimes will notice swelling and warmth of the knee. If the swelling and warmth are excessive and are associated with severe pain, inability to bend the knee, and difficulty with weight-bearing, those signs might represent an infection. Such severe symptoms require immediate medical attention. Joint infection of the knee is discussed below.

Location

The knee joint has three compartments that can be involved with arthritis . Most patients have both symptoms and findings on X-rays that suggest involvement of two or more of these compartments for example, pain on the lateral side and beneath the kneecap . Patients who have arthritis in two or all three compartments, and who decide to get surgery, most often will undergo total knee replacement .

How Do I Safely Rest And Sleep After A Hip Replacement

Elevate both of your legs when sitting to minimize swelling. When resting or sleeping in bed, lie on your non-operative side for the first four to six weeks following surgery. Make sure you have a pillow between your legs and a second pillow to support your foot and ankle. When you lie on your back, you must have a pillow between your legs. If you get up in the middle of the night, sit at the side of the bed for a few seconds to avoid dizziness.

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Its Not My Knee Replacement That Is The Problem It Is My Other Knee Expanding On The Other Knee Problem

In Australia, doctors at the University of Wollongong, examining why patients who should be able to kneel after knee replacement, did not kneel, wrote in the Journal of Orthopaedics and Traumatology , about the problems of the other, non-replaced knee.

Here is what they found:

• Seventy-two percent of patients in this study could, or thought they could kneel at 12 months post knee replacement
• However, some did not because of the pain and discomfort they felt during kneeling.
• BUT, it was not the pain and discomfort in the replaced knee, 75 % of the patients in this study had other health concerns why they could not kneel including obesity, other health problems, but the number one reason was problems with the other knee.

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Walking Two Weeks After Knee Replacement

In this article I will talk about my experiences walking after TKR surgery. I will begin with my first walk 4 hours after my surgery and continue sharing my experiences walking during the first two weeks post surgery. I had a few questions for my physical therapist that included?

• How much should you walk after surgery?
• How far should you walk after knee replacement surgery?

I began walking with a walker, transitioned to walking poles, then one walking pole and finally to walking on my own without support. I was surprised that my medical team had me up walking so fast.

During my first walk I felt like I would need the walker for a long period of time. This wasnt the case as I made steady progress until I was able to walk without any support.

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Do I Still Take My Normal Medications Before Surgery

Inform your surgeon about all of your medications, both over-the-counter and prescription. Some medications dont react well with anesthesia, and others such as aspirin, ibuprofen and blood thinners increase bleeding. For these reasons, you may need to stop taking certain medications before your hip replacement. If youre taking aspirin or aspirin-based medication for arthritis, you must stop taking these two weeks before your surgery. If youre taking medications for other medical problems, dont discontinue taking these without checking with your primary healthcare provider. Make sure to bring a list of all medications, the dosages and how often you take them. This includes all herbal supplements and vitamins. This is important information that will be documented in your hospital records.

How Soon After Total Knee Replacement Will I Be Able To Walk

A new total knee replacement recipient will be walking with a physical therapist in the hospital the day after the surgery.The patient will be required to demonstrate the ability to walk with a walker before being discharged from the hospital.

Most hospital records I read, before seeing the Total Knee Replacement patient in their home to initiate home health physical therapy, reports the patient has usually ambulated with a physical therapist about 150 feet using a front wheeled walker.

Additionally, if the total knee recipient has stairs at home to negotiate, the therapist will train the patient on stair climbing and the patient will be required to demonstrate going up and down stairs safely.

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How To Go Down The Stairs With A Cane After Hip Surgery

First of all, slow down and take a deep breath. Make sure you are not shaky and you are ready to overcome this obstacle. Now, slowly follow these steps. Hold the rail with one hand and the cane in the other. With your weight on your good leg, step down with your operated leg and cane. Using the cane and rail for balance, slowly bring your good leg down to the same step.

What Could Slow Down My Recovery

As with any surgery, there is some risk of complications during and after a hip replacement, which may include infection at the incision site, bone fractures and hip dislocations, explains Thakkar. If you notice a fever, drainage from the incision site, difficulty moving your hip or severe pain that is not relieved by your medication, contact your doctor immediately.

Taking rehabilitation at a comfortable pace and avoiding sudden, sharp movements can help prevent dislocations and falls that may delay the recovery.

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What Causes A Stiff Knee After Tka And How Can It Be Prevented

Dr. Jesse Otero answers ICJRs questions about the most common causes of knee stiffness after total knee arthroplasty, what to do if a patient presents with stiffness, and when to consider a revision procedure.

ICJR: What is the definition of a stiff knee after total knee arthroplasty ?

Jesse E. Otero, MD, PhD: The goals of TKA are to relieve pain and restore function in patients with moderate to advanced osteoarthritis who have exhausted conservative treatments but still have knee pain that interferes with their activities of daily living. In most patients minds, the ideal result of TKA would be a knee that moves and feels the way it did in a more youthful time.

Before discussing stiffness after TKA, it is essential to first review normal native knee motion in relation to the activities patients routinely perform. Laubenthal et al presented a quantitative analysis of knee motion required to achieve normal activities of daily living. In this classic article, the authors used an electro-goniometer to show that on average:

• 83° of flexion is required for climbing stairs
• 93° of flexion is required for sitting
• 106° of flexion is required for tying a shoe
• 117° of flexion is required for squatting to lift an object

The widely accepted target after TKA, based on this study, is 120° of knee flexion. In objective terms, therefore, knees that fail to achieve 120° of flexion after surgery are commonly considered to be stiff.

ICJR: What are the most common causes of knee stiffness?