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I decided to have my knee replaced when..
How my life changed after knee replacement

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Banjaboy
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Hi, had my left knee replaced in August 2016, the right was replaced in Nov of 2017. I am presently a 67 year old male living in Vancouver BC Canada. I had been in much pain for 4 years prior to left knee TKR, the right was bad too, the left was severe. Surgery went well for the left knee, home after 4 days. Stiff as a board, sore, no sleep, I was regretting getting it done the first 2 weeks after surgery. I started physio twice a week one week after surgery. My practitioner believes in the no pain no gain, not severe pain but uncomfortable at times but recover after each session was rapid and progress was apparent after the second week.

I worked hard at home on none physio days. Rode stationary bike for 15 mins twice a day and the usual home stretching stuff. Though progress was good i was extremely depressed and still at times wished i had never done it. Then about 2 months post op I felt i turned a huge corner and strength retuned rapidly ROM was great, 125 regularly. After 3 months i achieved 140 and swelling, tightness and pain slowly went away. I began to do things i hadnt done for years.

Fast forward to last November...... time for right knee which by then was worse than the left one had been and totally negated the good left one. Same surgeon, same recovery. Same depression, desperation. I thought the second would be easier mentally having done it before but I was wrong! I started physio again at one week post op with the same practitioner. I constantly compared left to right, where was I at this point with the other? Well, here we are,April 2018, got 140 ROM again with right knee. Strength coming back, personal trainer once a week gym every day.
Moral of my success story? You gotta never give up! Do what feels right. If it hurts too much, you are doing too much. But you wont get full use out of your new joint if you sit on your butt feeling sorry for yourselves. We have all gone through the various recovery phases, depression, fear, elation, inability to sleep at night. But friends? It does get better. You get back what you put into this journey. Im going to England next month to visit my 96 year old father and for the first time in years I will be walking without pain
Comments
hhaze
thank you. I needed to hear/read this today. I’m approaching 6 weeks post op (bi lateral) and have been really having some at home pity parties for myself. This helps!!
TinaS
Thanks. Ten days post-op and trying to push past the pain and giving myself the tough talk. Needed to hear it!
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