Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Upcoming Knee Replacement

Having my left knee done on April 21st. What advice can you give me, pre and post op? How long before a guy can get around pretty god without canes or crutches? Thanks.

Sorry to hear you have it upcoming. Probably a good idea to get it over with though.

Thanks rock. I've been getting injections for the past 4 years now, and they aren't working very well anymore. Cortisone helps for a couple of months but that's it.

I had left knee done on 20 Jan 2017. Three days in hospital. Two weeks at home with health care. On walker for one week then to cane. Then to therapy three times per week. Threw cane away. Therapy for six weeks, then quit. Had last Dr visit last week.

I'm not a 100% but close to it. I can do everything I want to do. Good luck with your surgery.

Biggest issue was trusting knee. Also putting sock on left foot, you'll figure it out. Do all your exercises while in therapy.

Good luck with the procedure and keep us posted on your progress. I am about 2 months into my first cortisone injection on my right knee. I've been wondering how long before I have to go under the knife. Sounds like I could get by for a few years.

If you are in good physical condition, and not overweight going in, you will be pleasantly surprised at how quickly you can recover--if you do the post-op physical therapy religiously. I had mine done the first week in July and was back on my mountain bike by the middle of August. In the second week of October, I was hunting elk in Colorado, two days of which was in knee-deep snow.

On thing that the surgeon told me right after the surgery was to take the pain meds and stay ahead of the pain. He assured me that I was not going to become addicted, and that I needed to start working the knee right away so that it didn't stiffen up and make the PT more difficult. It worked for me.

All I can offer is a hearty good luck to you JG.

I hope I can come close to your recovery mudhen. I can't say I'm a lardass.....but I've always been "not small" @ 6'2" 240lbs. In decent shape for a 56 yr old I guess. I've had 4 prior knee surgeries so I am committed to the PT deal for sure.

Thanks for the well wishes guys.

Keep us posted please. Looking at the same thing with my left knee soon.

Best wishes, follow your Dr's advice and you should be up and going shortly . What brand of Knee is he using? 70 year old woman that lives in the development had her done a few years ago and she is quite active, still plays tennis

Trim your toenails the day before. Might be a while before you can get at em again...

I'll post a separate thread, but I'm getting a new hip next month. Let me know how yours goes.

My experiences were a bit different, and not nearly as positive. My replacement surgery was at the end of June; there was no way I would have been able to elk hunt by October, and in fact did not hunt at all that fall (not drawing any tags didn't help, but I really wasn't ready). I did fairly well hiking around the following season, and much better this year, but still cannot stand for long periods of time, and have a tough time walking long distances. The knee continues to retain a good deal of fluid and gets pretty sore if I use it too much. Basically, some of the same issues I had prior to the surgery still exist (just as the orthopedist said they would), the positive exceptions being the lack of chronic arthritis pain and the correction of the joint deformity.

For the record, I diligently did all the PT, lost 40 pounds (I'm 6', now 190#), and am in excellent physical condition otherwise.

I recommend getting an ice machine. That helped quite a bit.

JG,

I have no direct experience, but plenty of my patients have had knee replacements and most all of them report they bounce back quickly and without pain!.

Keys are: take your meds as directed and bust your hump doing the rehab. I know you will do fine, and am confident you will be thrilled to move around normally without chronic pain.

PS- should have played 1b!

I had my right knee done 12/09/2016 at the Ft. Meade VA. 3 days at Hospital, 5 days on a walker, 5 days on a cane. Knee is doing fantastic. After leaving Hospital I've taken zero pain pills (I am pretty tolerant however). Should have done this a lot earlier. The VA system here in the Black Hills is super!
Good Luck to you sir.

I'v had both knees replaced. The left knee was done first, about 5 years ago. The first week was the toughest because of the heavy meds, and the lack of sleep. Everyone I've talked to who has been thru this says the first week or two is the toughest because it really is hard to get a good nights sleep for about the first 2 to 3 weeks. Just make sure you do the PT, and if you have a therapist who pushes you, all the better. If you don't have a therapist, make sure you push yourself, and I can't stress that point enough. I was golfing, and pretty much back to normal in about 7 to 8 weeks. Again, pushing yourself with the prescribed exercises is key.

The 2nd knee I had done 2 1/2 yrs ago, and was much easier than the first. The Dr said I couldn't drive for at least 3 to 4 weeks, and I was driving in less than a week, and I was golfing in a month. I will say I was in much better shape the 2nd time. I had been working out 4-5 times a week, for a couple of years, and I believe that made the recovery much quicker. Again, I pushed myself very hard with the exercises. Today I am pain free in both knees, and can do pretty much anything I used to. The only thing that bothers me today, is kneeling on a hard surface floor.

Good luck with your surgery! Push yourself with your recovery exercises, and ice your knee as much as you can.

I had both done December 13. Made it to SHOT a month later.

My experience: The first few days suck. After that, you get better fast.

The pills SUCK, but you gotta take them. When I got off them, I turned a huge corner and actually started getting out of bed and living again. The pills knocked me on my a$$ about as much as the actual surgery, at least after a week or so. But without them, the PT the first few days won't be as effective. Take the pills. Grin and bear the PT the first few days. Then you should start feeling better by leaps and bounds.

Ice. A LOT. Makes a huge difference.

Four months later, and I am in the weight room doing leg presses and curls, walking stairs two at a time, and pretty much feeling normal.

Godspeed!

Might be to late for pre-op, but never hurts, start doing squats NOW, build up quad strength, do one leg balance exercises on that knee now. If you've been through PT before for knee surgery you know the drill!

The better shape your legs are in now the better you can recover.

There was this guy named Will Clark that screwed that deal up......

"On thing that the surgeon told me right after the surgery was to take the pain meds and stay ahead of the pain. He assured me that I was not going to become addicted, and that I needed to start working the knee right away so that it didn't stiffen up and make the PT more difficult. It worked for me. "

This in spades.....do not get behind pain meds....my wife had it 2 years ago and learned real quick to not do that. She is much tougher than I and thought she could do it drug free...
HAH!
Not gonna happen.

Good luck!