Knee relacement surgery

[dnovo]

Looking for guys who have had this done. I'm going to have to have it done this fall and wondering how it has been for you?
Does it limit you much? Are there things you cannot do after the surgery?  I've heard that you can't kneel any more, what about climbing a ladder?

[smokin joe]

First, good luck with your knee replacement. The recovery is a lot of work, but it is worth it.

I had one knee replaced a few years ago. It was not my first joint replacement or my last.

What becomes difficult after the recovery is complete is:

-- Kneeling is not what it used to be. It is possible but it is not comfortable.

-- You will not have full range of motion flexing your knee. In a normal knee it is possible to touch your butt with your heel. The mechanics of the artificial knee will stop you a few inches before that limit.

-- I found that I could no longer safely use regular tree steps, so I sold them all, and I now use climbing sticks and ladder stands.

-- Getting up off of the floor or ground as I did before the knee replacement is no longer possible due to the reduced range of motion. I now have a different method.

-- There is weakness at the full flexed position that I have not been able to overcome. It doesn't bother me much.

Again, good luck. After you recover and have your strength back you will be happy. If you need any more info let me know. And, climbing a ladder is very easy.

[Jim Wright]

I watched my wife go through both knee replacements. She is tough as nails and followed instructions and particularly the schedule for physical therapy to the letter. She is able to do anything that she wants to, did I mention she followed instructions?

[Orion]

Different people react differently.  It also makes a difference where you have the surgery done.  Not all do it the same way, with the same level of competence.

I had full knee replacemnt surgery 5 years ago.  Regained almost full range of motion, maybe 1-2 degrees less than my other leg.  I kneel all the time without any pain, though I don't sit on my heels. Getting up and down from sitting or any other position isn't a problem. I still use climbing stands and hang on stands and steps.
My repaired leg is at least as strong as my other leg.

In short, for me, I can do everything I could do before the replacement, and a lot more now that I'm not dealing with the continual pain. On the other hand, my neighbor, who had a knee replaced about the same time,  suffers from most of the same things that joe does.

I'm very grateful.  Given the shape my knee was in before I had the surgery, I would choose to do it again, even if the outcome were less positive.

I would add, get your leg muscles in as good a shape as possible before surgery with a good exercise program.  Your clinic/hospital/surgeon should have one to offer.  Then, rigorously do all of the rehabilitation exercises after the surgery.

[ron w]

I have a full knee replacement on the left and a partial knee on the right. I am 65 years old. I will never be the same as I once was but I can do all I need to do with out much discomfort. Rehab, rehab, rehab.....do what they say for as long as they say and put in an honest effort.....it will pay off in the end.

[Mike Bolin]

I had both knees replaced on November 28 of last year. For me it has been great! Rehab and therapy for a total of 6 weeks. 120 degree flexion was the goal and I reached 125 with my right knee and 120 with my left. My surgeon had me do 2 months of what he referred to as "prehab". Same basic stretches and exercises as my rehab and  lot of riding a recumbent exercise bike. It made recovery a lot easier. My knees were so bad that I was compensating for the pain and stifness and started having back spasms. I needed the surgery 5 years prior, but I was trying to tough it out until I turned 62 with a shot in each knee every 3 months. I still have issues with my back, but daily exercises and stretching help with that.

I was hanging ladder stands in June and climbing is easier for me now than it was for 5 years prior to surgery. I used a friend's climber the other day, just to see if I could do it and it was not a problem. I can work on my knees on hard surfaces as long as I wear knee pads. Crawling is one thing that I have trouble with...more of a balance issue than pain. My surgeon cautioned me on carrying heavy loads on uneven surfaces and not twisting when carrying anything. My legs do get stiff when I sit in a chair or drive for long periods of time, but after a few steps they loosen right up and feel fine.

Get in as good of shape as possible before surgery and do you therapy religiously. Listen to your surgeon and your therapists and you will be glad you had it done.

[smokin joe]

Please do not misunderstand, nothing about my knee replacement is negative.

Thanks for bringing up using knee pads for kneeling work. I agree completely. I can do work on my knees if I use pads, a bit uncomfortable without them, perhaps because the surgical scar is right down the middle of my knee.

And, in terms of strength -- I am stronger with the artificial knee than I was in the last five years with my original knee. And every bit as strong as I was before my knee started going bad.

There is a little loss of agility, and the safety of using screw in tree steps is questionable for me -- but that may be age-related. I like climbing sticks a lot better anyway.

[Florida lime]

Unfortunately, I have not had as great of an experience as most of you. I had my left knee replaced just before Christmas last year. I did everything that I was told, but even my PT guy would comment every visit about the swelling and discoloration in my leg.

Every time I went back to the orthopedic surgeon for my periodic check ups, I would ask about the swelling and continued pain. Walking was better than before the surgery, but everything else was worse. After hearing the same "Everyone heals differently" comment at my 6 month check-up, I went for a 2nd opinion.

That doctor ordered blood work and an ultrasound. The blood work was fine, but the ultrasound showed a large clot. I was ordered to the local ER, and admitted to the hospital for 4 days of blood thinner injections. I'm still on oral blood thinners, so the swelling is better, but I still have a lot of pain when going from bent knee to straightened. I do have 120+ degrees of motion, it just hurts like heck to do it.

Now the right knee is demanding "equal time", but I can't see that happening right now !

[96ssportsp]

I had my right knee replaced Dec 2008. Also had left hip in May 2012, and hip revision June 2014. I am currently 51. I have 127 degree range of motion in my knee. I am able to do most anything but run. I rehabbed fairly hard.....completing a 100km bicyle ride 9 months post replacement.
Here are a couple of pics from this elk season.

 
 
 

Good luck in rehab.
Scott.

[BOHO]

I'm going to have my left one done possibly this next spring. I'm looking hard at the tissue sparing replacement. I want to do my therapy in the summer. I know my knees hurt more when it's cold so I think it would be smarter to have the surgery in spring and heal thru the summer. Then I'll be ready for bow season in the fall.

[suburbanirma]

I had my right knee replaced in late June of 2016 when I was 67. The PT people did a great job of getting me stronger and much more flexible than I would have achieved on my own. By the end of August '16 I was hunting mule deer in the mountains of Wyoming. It took several months before I could tolerate kneeling. Knee pads work great. This year I am again hanging tree stands and using a climber. I've tried jogging but it is lots more jarring than I like, so I walk quickly. Follow the PT instructions, as well as your surgeon and you will be almost like new. Good luck!

[TIM B]

Good luck Dan
My Nam-Vet neighbor had both his replaced.  He always says he shoulda dun it 10 years ago.  
Tim B

[olddogrib]

I'll be honest, it goes much better for some than others.  My surgeon told me that I was his "poster child" as far as speed of recovery and back to work.  The problem was that mine never totally quit hurting.  Tolerable yes, better than before yes, but about like sprain...all the time.  I took a minimum dose of pain meds for three years before I realized they weren't doing anything and I wasn't going down the path of upping the dosage.  I have a high tolerance for pain and never needed any with my hip replacement.  The good news is I still climb trees just fine, although I'm no competition for squirrels.  And if I took a direct blow on that knee or stumbled and landed on it I'd probably pass out.  Your mileage may vary.

[toddster]

I had mine done 4 years ago, and it made all the difference to me.  Mine was so bad he couldn't believe I was walking.  Yes, it changes a little, as you are more protective of it.  But other than that, no issue.

[Terry Green]

[dnovo]

Thanks for the info. I was worried about climbing trees and stands. I figured hiking wasn't going to be an issue but your experiences are encouraging for my hunting going forward

[huntmaster70]

I had total right knee replacement a few years ago. Did all the rehab plus extra & was walking around w/o any cane in 3 wks. If the replacement goes well & you do what you need to do after surgery I say it wont limit what you will be able to do, only YOU will limit what YOU can do. If you tell yourself "I can't" do something you probably won't be able to do it. Keep a positive mind & attitude & you will be fine.

[dhaverstick]

Dan, you know that all you have to do is holler and your ole buddy, Darren, will throw you over his shoulder and tote you around to wherever you need to go.

[Missouri Sherpa]

I had a total knee a couple of years ago.  My only regret is not getting it done sooner.  Do it before you have too much thigh muscle atrophy, while you still have something to work with.

Most important thing is to get as much knee flexion as you can, as soon as you can.  If you don't get things stretched out right after surgery you will never get back to full flexion.  It may be uncomfortable, maybe even painful but you have to do it.  If you are motivated as I was you will not need rehab, but if you aren't willing to push yourself harder than your rehab specialist then you should seriously consider rehab.

Another good tip I received from  a friend that has had multiple joints replaced is to put about a quart and a half of cheap pancake syrup into one gallon Ziploc freezer bag and double bag it.  You can by a gallon of syrup and make three of these syrup bags.  Throw them in the freezer.  They will not freeze solid but forms kind of a gooey slush that will conform to your knee better than any bag of ice or cold pack.  Keep your joint iced immediately after surgery to keep the swelling down and you will make faster progress in the healing process.

As far as kneeling on that joint replacement goes,  I would rather crawl over broken glass than kneel on my knee joint replacement.  Small price to pay in exchange for getting rid of that painful joint.

Good Luck.

[larry f]

I had a knee and both hips replaced,the only thing you should not do is kneel on the replaced knee. I still climb ladders and put up tree stands. I would find out what knee (product) your doctor is using as there are some that are better than others. Do your therapy and be smart about your exercise program in the future. I went on an elk hunt this fall and did not have any problems related to the new parts I have.

Good Luck.