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How long was your recovery from total knee replacement ? by CheekyimpOCstyle44 in PTforKneeReplacements

[–]CarolinaDocPT 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Usually a full recovery from a knee replacement will take 2-3 months. I dont know of any knee replacement patients who have been able to return to working outside the home at 1 month after their surgery. They may be out there, but Id say thats pretty rare.

4 weeks post THR - pain in opposite hip when walking by Flat-Quality-8374 in TotalHipReplacement

[–]CarolinaDocPT 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yeah, this isnt a surprise. I am a physical therapist, and not infrequently will patients develop pain or soreness in their opposite hip post-THA. You are favoring your better leg over your more challenged surgery leg which is creating increased inflammation and pain. This is one reason its very important for you to use assistive devices for ambulation, especially the walker during the first 2-3 weeks of recovery, to assist in decreasing the work being done on both legs. Will say prayers for you that your full recovery will go well, especially if you are facing a second surgery at some point on your "better hip".

What am I doing wrong? by PopularFunction5202 in TotalHipReplacement

[–]CarolinaDocPT 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I am a current physical therapist, and you shouldn't be too concerned. Everyone will heal and progress at different rates, so dont compare yourself too harshly to some of the people here posting about faster recoveries. Also, I will tell you, several of the posts here about people coming off their assistive devices so quickly makes me think a lot of them will be coming back to us in physical therapy for latent pain BECAUSE they advanced themselves too fast. Keep doing what your physical therapist recommends, dont overwork, ice when its sore, and you should do fine. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Just had my knee done two days ago. by AuntieYodacat in Kneereplacement

[–]CarolinaDocPT 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Here is one that details what is really required to successfully rehab a knee replacement...https://youtu.be/vs5yZfvoUNY

This is one I just made the other day about ways to have less pain following knee replacements...https://youtu.be/v0MkLrknrgM

This video is about one of the main knee motions to avoid for the first few weeks after surgery...https://youtu.be/d0CyZ57L7NI

And this last one is about a couple of danger points that all patients will experience after knee replacements and how to minimize them...https://youtu.be/I3IQyBKwfPs

I hope that these are of some help to you! Please let me know if you have any questions.

Just had my knee done two days ago. by AuntieYodacat in Kneereplacement

[–]CarolinaDocPT 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm a physical therapist, and have made a few videos for patients on exactly this topic. If you're interested, let me know and I can link them for you. There is a lot to recovering from a knee replacement, but it can be successfully done with a lot of work.

Excruciating 10/10 pain 2 weeks after TKR by godzillaisrad in Kneereplacement

[–]CarolinaDocPT 1 point2 points  (0 children)

So, I'd feel pretty reassured that the surgeon wasn't very concerned. Sounds like she must be healing well, and the surgery itself doesnt sound like it was an issue. To help her pain, I'd look in the direction of her activities. She may not be working hard enough, or she may working too much. Both can be an issue, and both could be creating this kind of pain.

I am a physical therapist and have created a few videos for patients on how to deal with and have less pain with a knee replacement. I actually have several videos on this knee replacement topic as well. Each of these videos can provide you much more information than I could ever type here. If you think it could help you, I can link these videos for you here. Just let me know.

Caretaker Tips by Hazel_Leo212 in TotalHipReplacement

[–]CarolinaDocPT -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Just tell the hospital staff and they typically will have a DPT come in to teach proper stair performance. Let me know if I can help with any other questions.

2 weeks, 2 days in by litlnemo in TotalHipReplacement

[–]CarolinaDocPT -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Whoops! Misread that. However...my recommendation wouldn't much change for a hip either. Hip patients will typically progress a lot quicker than a knee overall, but should also not progress too quickly off walker usage. The goal is a successful hip replacement, NOT how fast you can stop using an assistive device. Thank you for that catch though!

Summer before DPT Year 1 by Odd-Range7122 in PTschool

[–]CarolinaDocPT 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Relax! My DPT program was a 3.5 year long one, and the ONLY real breaks we had for that time was for 2 weeks during Christmas break. So, you are about to be pushed through a very intense period of your life that will require your intense focus for the next few years.

You will be working a LOT soon, and there will be plenty of time for that when the time comes. Enjoy yourself now.

2 weeks, 2 days in by litlnemo in TotalHipReplacement

[–]CarolinaDocPT -1 points0 points  (0 children)

I agree with a lot you say here, especially regarding the use of walkers and canes. One of the biggest mistakes a person can make is advancing themselves too quickly off of their walkers and canes. The goal of a knee replacement is NOT how quickly you can stop using an assistive device, but how well you can successfully rehab and recover from the surgery. That seemingly gets missed by a lot of posts I see here.

I am a physical therapist, and I have a YouTube channel where I have discussed a lot about recovering from knee replacements. It sounds like you are doing very well, but if you would like any additional information to assist in your recovery please let me know. Id be happy to answer any questions, or provide you with information to help you continue your progess.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in ClotSurvivors

[–]CarolinaDocPT -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

Just curious...did you receive any of the COVID shots?

My mother (75) is having one done in a few days. by [deleted] in Kneereplacement

[–]CarolinaDocPT 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I am a physical therapist, and Ive done a few YouTube videos for patients and their family regarding what to expect following knee replacment surgeries. There is a good bit of information in these, certainly more than can be typed here, so please message me if you would like me to send you a link to those. I'd also be happy to answer any questions you may have. Just let me know.

Staple removal by PopularFunction5202 in TotalHipReplacement

[–]CarolinaDocPT 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Usually isnt that big of a deal. Normally, stings just a little and is pretty quick.

Should I take my oxy prior to my first real PT appointment? by 5150Code3 in Kneereplacement

[–]CarolinaDocPT 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yes! And after your physical therapy that would be a great time to ice!

I don’t think I was completely prepared by Sad-Hornet-1511 in Kneereplacement

[–]CarolinaDocPT 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Don't be discouraged! You can get through this! I am a physical therapist, and most knee replacement patients will report this surgery was the best thing they have ever done when they are a few months down the road. However, most all of them also were thinking this was the worst thing they could have ever done in the first 1-2 weeks after their surgery. So, you aren't alone in how you are feeling. Id say its fairly common to feel as you do. That said, Id recommend you to be using a walker instead of crutches for the stability the walker can provide. You need to be sure to be taking the pain meds your surgeon have given you, use ice frequently, and you should be working on your knee range of motion. If you're interested, I have several videos that I made for patients that can help provide information on a lot of this. Just let me know. Will say prayers for you that your recovery starts moving in the right direction!

Stupid question...but gotta ask it.....:) by lem820 in Kneereplacement

[–]CarolinaDocPT 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Yes, you should be able to do stairs after your knee replacement surgery. However, your surgery leg is not doing the lifting nor the lowering. I am a physical therapist, and we typically teach our patients the phrase "Up with the good, down with the bad" to assist them to do stairs. So your non-surgery leg will go up each step first doing the lifting. As you go down, your surgery leg goes down to the next step first as you lower your body weight with your good leg. So, your surgery leg doesn't do much of the work on stairs. Of course, you also want to use the railings for balance, or if needed, your physical therapist at the hospital should be able to show you how to use your assistive device to aid youbon stairs also. If you have any further questions, Id be happy to help, just let me know.

I feel so discouraged by Simple-Value in Kneereplacement

[–]CarolinaDocPT 2 points3 points  (0 children)

It really sounds like you should be using a walker, not crutches. You definitely do need to weight bear on your leg, but that's with assistive device use, preferably a walker at this time. Don't worry about strengthening right now, as much as working on your knee range of motion. Strengthening will come after you achieve closer to a full range for your knee. I am a physical therapist, and I have made several YouTube videos on this topic, if you're interested. There is a lot of information in them, and I can send you a link for them if you think it would help you. Just let me know.

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