Practical questions for knee replacement surgery

I can't answer the question about driving.

I didn't have a brace & I used my walker (i can't use crutches) then my cane.

I hope your surgery goes well.

I had my left knee replaced about 7 years ago and my right knee replaced just under 1 year ago

I am having surgery July 3 and most likely will stay overnight given my past post-op issues. in my experience you will most definetely stay at least 1 night if not 2. They have you up and out of bed within hours of the surgery. Not for long but they do have you stand. The next day you should be met by a physical therapist that will inspect your walker to make sure it fits you right. They should also have you walk up and down the hall with the walker as well as teach you how to manage stairs, getting in and out of bed etc. during recovery. you may go home that day but my experience was 2 night - both times.

Will I have a brace? Use crutches? I have a walker from my back surgery. No brace. First you will use the walker (I used this for about 2 weeks while I was home) then graduate to crutches (I used these the third week when I returned to work part time) and then a cane for another week or two. Depending on the season (in the winter you may want to use longer if you have to deal with snow etc.) but the summer recovery I only used the cane periodically and usually just out in public. I highly recommend you get a toilet seat riser - even if you have the tall toilets. The riser is a god-send especially in the middle of the night. Also a shower seat.

It's my right knee so driving will be an issue. Estimates on how long until I can drive? With my left knee I was driving myself to PT after two weeks. With the right knee I did have to have my DH drive me weeks 3 & 4. I believe I started driving once I was able to bend the knee fully without pain or hesitation.

Good luck with your surgery. It is a bit of a recovery and PT is rough at first BUT stick with it because the results once healed are worth it.

I've never had it, but my sil had it. Before surgery she was sent to knee replacement school. It was 1-2 hour prep class that prepared her for everything that she would need both before and after the surgery. You might call your othopod's office and ask if they offer such a thing or know of something that they can recommend. Sil, said it made a huge difference in her recovery. She was all prepared and had minimal if any pain.

I’ve had both knees replaced.

Here it is standard to stay one night after surgery. I was up and walking within a few hours, to the bathroom and also in the hallway. The next day I did more walking and did a few stairs and then was cleared to go home.

I used a walker at first. I actually had one downstairs and left a second one at the top of the stairs. That way I didn’t have to get the walker up and down the stairs.

I began using a cane within a couple weeks with the first knee, and even sooner with the second. And with the second, I only used the cane for a few days.

One big issue with driving is being able to bend your knee and sit comfortably in the driver's seat. And you need to not be taking narcotics. With my right knee, the surgeon told me it could be 6-8 weeks before driving, BUT, my physical therapist said most people were driving short distances at four weeks. I found that to be true for me. Unless you have problems, driving to school might work out - although I’ve heard that other people have been told to take 6-8 weeks off after surgery like this; I was retired so that wasn’t an issue, but I could probably have managed it sooner since my teaching job didn’t involve being on my feet most of the day.

I live alone. My sister spent the night for a few days with the first knee, and then only a night or two with the second. She was here off and on during the day. I did not have someone with me 24/7 after the first couple days. I needed help getting strapped in to the ice machine leg wrap at first and couldn’t get shoes on by myself at first, or the support stockings. All of those were because I couldn’t bend my knee much at all due to the swelling. I needed help with some things, but not as much as I had feared, and certainly didn’t need someone all the time after the first few days.

A toilet seat riser is a good thing, especially if you don’t have bars for support on both sides. Again, it’s because of not being able to bend the knee much and put full weight on it.

I did not have a shower stool as it wouldn’t fit in my step-in shower. I waited a few days to actually shower and when I did the first time I kept the door open with the walker right there. I kept reminding myself that if I dropped something, I should NOT try to catch it. No sudden moves on a wet surface!

Ice is crucial. I rented the ice machine that had a full leg wrap, with compression. We would run it for thirty minute cycles, and then thirty minutes rest and then do the cycle again. I could usually do three cycles before I’d have to take it off to get up and use the bathroom. After a few days my sister would come get me strapped in late in the evening and then leave. After about three cycles of icing, I’d take it off, use the bathroom and then sleep without it the rest of the night. She’d come back early in the morning and I’d ice again. We used small frozen water bottles instead of ice and had extras so we could rotate them in and out as needed.

The ortho practice I went to normally had classes before surgery, but this was during COVID so they didn’t do them. I did get a good booklet that explained a lot of things, including exercises to do before surgery and after. There are also tons of YouTube videos.

Both times I had surgery on a Wednesday, was home on Thursday, and went for my first out-patient physical therapy session on Friday. Someone else I know who lives alone had a PT come to his home for the therapy. And doing a couple days or more in a rehab facility was also an option if I hadn’t had someone who could be with me for the first days.

Other things to consider: furniture in your home; you will need to sit on stuff that isn’t too low or soft, preferably with firm arms. I had someone bring in an outdoor chair from my screen porch that was very sturdy, higher than most of my regular chairs, firm, and had good arms for getting up. Sleeping can be hard if you aren’t used to sleeping on your back; it took me a while to figure out how to lay. Getting your own food and drinks - I quickly found I could get things out of the fridge, move them around the counters while using my walker as support, moving the walker a couple feet, and repeating, until I got around to the peninsula where the bar stool was.

One more thing I didn’t know - after this type of surgery, your quadriceps (front of the thigh) pretty much goes to sleep. I had to have my sister lift my foot over the hump at the edge of the car seat because I couldn’t lift my leg in that position. It’s a weird thing to be trying to move your foot and leg, and nothing happens.

You have gotten some good advice. You may or may not stay overnight. If you didn't have any post op issues, a lot of surgeons will do an outpatient procedure. My mom just had her knee done and the doc said if she was 10 years younger, he would have done outpatient. When I had my hip done, it was outpatient. You will use a walker for probably about 1-2 weeks then graduate to a cane. My mom never used crutches. I actually found for me, crutches worked better than the walker.

Most surgeons won't give a timetable for driving. You just have to be off all narcotics and be able to bend your knee. My mom was driving with her right knee done after about 3 weeks.

Good luck with your surgery.  I'm having my other shoulder done on July 3 as well.

My friend just had it done less than two weeks ago. She is using an ice machine. When she went back for a follow-up they couldn't believe she had no bruising at all and they attribute it to using the ice machine.

My neighbor just had her second knee done. Says she was completely over it at eight weeks.

"One more thing I didn’t know - after this type of surgery, your quadriceps (front of the thigh) pretty much goes to sleep. I had to have my sister lift my foot over the hump at the edge of the car seat because I couldn’t lift my leg in that position. It’s a weird thing to be trying to move your foot and leg, and nothing happens."

Get something like this for lifting your leg. It also is good for pt exercises.leg lifter

My mother had knee replacement surgery a few years ago - she religiously did the PRE-OP physical therapy and said it made all the difference in the world in her recovery. Many other patients going through post surgery rehab struggled bc they didn't do the pre-op strength work.

Also - there is some kind of ice sleeve you can get for post-op recovery - get at least one of those.

I'm 7 weeks post op today - also my right leg.

I am having surgery July 3 and most likely will stay overnight given my past post-op issues.

I spent the night that first night, and as others have said it's pretty common to do so. I lost so much blood during the surgery that I was anemic, and got severely nauseated and light headed the day after. In my case PT has to come in and they're the ones who release you. If I had not been able to walk well by the afternoon I would have stayed another night.

Will I have a brace?; Use crutches? I have a walker from my back surgery.

I went home on a walker. Transitioned to a cane after several weeks. No brace, but they did put my leg in an ace bandage after surgery. Before I was discharged from the hospital the nurse came in and changed it to a "super long bandaid" over the incision. That was removed at 2 weeks post op when the staples came out.

It's my right knee so driving will be an issue.  Estimates on how long until I can drive?


Again, everyone is different. I was driving at 4 weeks because I had to be. You have to have enough bend to be able to get your leg under the steering wheel and operate the gas/brake pedals. DH had a colonoscopy scheduled and I had to be able to drive him home on the day. it sucked, but I got it done.

We've worked it out so I will have someone with me for the first 2 weeks.
This is the worst of it IMO. By the time you get past the first 2 weeks stairs will be easier, driving will be easier and once the staples come out bending gets easier.

Ice is your friend, that and elevation. I actually bought a wedge and still use it 7 weeks post op. As for returning to work, I took 8 weeks and honestly could have gone back after 5 but I'm happy to have had these past few weeks where I didn't feel like I'd been hit by a truck and could get stuff done.

I also had to purchase additional compression stockings as my large thighs and the ones they gave me were not compatible. Then I had to invest in knee high compression socks which I still get to wear.

Hope this helps

I am not, but my sister is. She has had both knees replaced. Her surgery was not entirely successful because she didn't follow through with therapy, but she was able to get the surgery despite her extreme obesity. She had to shop around for a surgeon and they did both at once.

There are many options before surgery like steroid shots, gel shots, etc. Find a good orthopedic surgeon and shop around if one blows you off.

Yes, I am and I had my knee replacement 3 years ago.
No problems.

We purchased ours. I loved the electric over the gravity fed ones. We used ice but also frozen water bottles in the cooler.

Good luck to your mom.

mycoldtherapy.com/products/cryo-cuff-ic-knee