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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Knee surgery - to ask if it was worth it for you

21 replies

HealthRobinsonCrusoe · 16/12/2024 15:01

And what essential items made the recovery more tolerable?

OP posts:
boulevardofbrokendreamss · 16/12/2024 15:04

What sort of surgery? I've had an ACL done and a cartilage trim, they don't recommend surgery for cartilage anymore. Recovery was fine, didn't need any essential items.

If it's knee replacement it may be a bit different but from family experience they want you up and mobile asap.

HealthRobinsonCrusoe · 16/12/2024 15:22

boulevardofbrokendreamss · 16/12/2024 15:04

What sort of surgery? I've had an ACL done and a cartilage trim, they don't recommend surgery for cartilage anymore. Recovery was fine, didn't need any essential items.

If it's knee replacement it may be a bit different but from family experience they want you up and mobile asap.

Replacement! Hopefully it all links up quickly.

OP posts:
Fr1day · 16/12/2024 15:30

I know a couple of people who have had knee replacements. Both said that the recovery was hard and for the first 3 months they wished they had not had the surgery. But once through that time they were then very happy to have had it done as the improvement from before surgery was massive.

huntersmum · 16/12/2024 15:43

I had it done a year ago and yes the first few weeks were very painful but I’m glad I had it done. It will never be a normal knee but if I needed the other one replacing I would have it done. You will need a toilet seat raiser as a normal toilet seat will be too low as you cannot bend your knee. Also buy ice packs to strap around the knee and keep the leg elevated. Use a towel as a sling to lift your leg on and off the sofa or bed.

SoManyTshirts · 16/12/2024 15:53

You should be able to get a “leg lifter” (loop on a pole) which would be easier than a towel - I got one when I had my hip done, from the hospital.

SeatonCarew · 16/12/2024 15:54

My DH has had two knee replacements done. Tough going for a while, but so, so worth it . Good luck OP.

superplumb · 16/12/2024 16:09

Mums had two.both were very painful. However she is used to taking very strong pain meds.
Dad had his done recently. He's in min pain and taking paracetamol and ibrophen!! Keep moving and elevate. Wear the stockings, keep up with exercises. Both found the high toilet seat helpful as they couldn't get down low enough to use it. Get a stool for evening to keep leg up.

ACatAsleepInYourHat · 16/12/2024 16:19

I've had both knees replaced, and yes, it was tough. The surgeon will tell you it takes a year to recover, and I'd say that was about right. There were certainly many times in the weeks after the first op when I regretted it - the pain was atrocious, especially at night. I was damn near to overdosing on codeine which was barely touching it and giving me awful constipation as well, II couldn't find a comfortable position in bed so save my life, so could barely sleep....

Well, you get the picture.

The second knee was better as I knew what to expect, but it was still a tough recovery. But all in all, I have absolutely no regrets.

ACatAsleepInYourHat · 16/12/2024 16:23

And I forgot to mention, gel packs from Amazon, the ones which can either be microwaved or frozen, were great.

BeaLola · 16/12/2024 16:46

ACatAsleepInYourHat · 16/12/2024 16:19

I've had both knees replaced, and yes, it was tough. The surgeon will tell you it takes a year to recover, and I'd say that was about right. There were certainly many times in the weeks after the first op when I regretted it - the pain was atrocious, especially at night. I was damn near to overdosing on codeine which was barely touching it and giving me awful constipation as well, II couldn't find a comfortable position in bed so save my life, so could barely sleep....

Well, you get the picture.

The second knee was better as I knew what to expect, but it was still a tough recovery. But all in all, I have absolutely no regrets.

My DH had his done in June and would have written this reply... he had had various things over the years eg kidney stones but to him the knee pain after surgery has been the worst

He is assured that by a year it should be good .

To be fair he was mobile quite quickly and does all physio and icing etc but it's certain movements where the pain has been very bad - he ended up having another MRI for them to check things

MumonabikeE5 · 16/12/2024 16:47

My mum has had two knees, two shoulders and one hip.
the Hip was easiest. Shoulder worst.

she had a home assessment to make sure loo and showering facilities were ok,
and that house was accessible .
I had already made her space step free, and accessible,
others might need handles attached in bathroom, or to get up through front door.
I had already done this with aesthetic options which haven’t impacted the appearance of our home, but the NHS will fit functional ones, which will do the job.
definitely don’t avoid stuff like that if it’s necessary. Because falling is a problem.
it’s very hard to get up from the floor, even if you haven’t been injured by a fall.

wear your phone on a lanyard.

but proper shoes instead of slip on slippers.
for wearing in the house.
but obviously bending over to put them on will be tricky for a while, so maybe sketchers no hand slip ons are worth a try .

she has a chair in shower - they set it to the correct height.
she had a riser on loo too for a while.

you will likely be with a zimmer and then crutches .
you can buy a zimmer with a tray or bag atttached if isn’t provided .

so you’ll need a good water bottle and thermos and spill free thermal cup.
plus a cross the body bag to carry them .
A bumbag is useful is you are using crutches because it doesn’t flap about or fall drom
shoulder.

a kids high chair (normal wooden chair but higher as seen in ikea) the seat is higher than a normal chair so easier to get up from.

was helpful in kitchen. For resting on, when boiling kettle etc.

good luck!
you will find the pain is so much better than it probably is now .
and your mobility will improve too .

mum did lots of physio in a gym, which helped her gain strength in the muscles around the joint.
using resistance bands too.

what you put into your physio and rehabs will really affect the result.

ARealitycheck · 16/12/2024 16:57

Very painful immediately afterwards. Be very strict with yourself on doing the exercises they give you although it is sore. Gel ice packs to help with swelling. The one thing for me which I believe can be common is that I cannot stand in once place for any length of time. But compared to the constant pain prior it was worth it.

Cyclistmumgrandma · 16/12/2024 16:58

Had my knee replaced. Absolutely worth it but the younger you are the easier recovery is, so don't keep putting it off. As for it not feeling like a normal knee, that depends on how well the prosthetic fits. Mine was a made to measure 3D printed prosthetic and feels exactly like a normal knee. (I was lucky enough to have it done while working in Switzerland but they might well be available in UK if you go private! I have heard that some NHS trusts do them as they find that recovery is quicker and there are fewer complications so it's cheaper in the long run.

LakieLady · 16/12/2024 17:05

I had a partial knee replacement 3 years ago.

I didn't find it very painful, but that might be unusual (I once went to work for 3 days with a broken wrist that I thought was just a sprain, so I miay have a high pain threshold). They got me up and using crutches the same day, and going up and down stairs the following day. I didn't have any trouble using a normal toilet. I also had post-op physio.

However, I still have pain if I walk more than a mile or two, and I can't kneel on that knee. As soon as my kneecap touches the floor, it's really painful, and painful when I press on it with my hand. I mentioned it to the surgeon 3 weeks later at my post-op appointment, and he told me that only 30% of people could kneel following a knee replacement.

I wish I'd known that before. I might have opted for just having an arthroscopy, but the surgeon told me that most people who have arthroscopy on the knee end up having a replacement within 2-3 years, so I opted fto go for it. (I had an arthroscopy on my arthritic shoulder a couple of years prior, and it worked an absolute treat.)

Because I live alone, I had to go and stay with my SIL for a couple of weeks. If I hadn't had that option, I'd have had to go and stay in a rehab unit, which wasn't an enticing prospect.

The inability to kneel is really frustrating. I had no idea how often I had to kneel to do things until I couldn't do it. The other thing that is still difficult is getting in and out of the car. I have to open the door really wide, because it really hurts if I have to bend my knee more than 90 degrees. If someone comes and parks close to my car, I have terrible trouble getting in it.

Manara · 16/12/2024 17:08

Watching with interest as my mum is having one soon.

Any tips for someone caring for someone getting a knee replacement?

LakieLady · 16/12/2024 17:11

Manara · 16/12/2024 17:08

Watching with interest as my mum is having one soon.

Any tips for someone caring for someone getting a knee replacement?

Buy them a flask.

It's bloody annoying being able to make a cuppa, but having to stand in the kitchen to drink it. It's not possible to carry a cup of tea and use crutches at the same time!

Manara · 16/12/2024 17:13

LakieLady · 16/12/2024 17:11

Buy them a flask.

It's bloody annoying being able to make a cuppa, but having to stand in the kitchen to drink it. It's not possible to carry a cup of tea and use crutches at the same time!

Thanks! A flask with a neck strap?

JuliaLivilla · 16/12/2024 17:17

HealthRobinsonCrusoe · 16/12/2024 15:01

And what essential items made the recovery more tolerable?

I had a double knee replacement. Things that helped are items that mean that when you are sitting your hips are higher than your knees, to make it easier to get into a standing position. Things like toilet seat boosters, a booster cushion that you can take to places like restaurants, a higher bed, risers to put under your sofas legs (cheap from Amazon), electric lift chairs, kitchen seats that are sturdy enough to not slide when you stand up - or placed near a wall. I actually bought my current car because it had the best positioned seat in my price range.

I really still can't manage stairs and am in the fortunate position of being able to largely avoid them.

rockingbird · 13/01/2025 21:41

Reading this thread with interest.. I'm waiting for the consultants secretary to call me back this week for my op date 🙈 I was given two options - knee replacement or tibial osteotomy. It was agreed the later would better as I'm younger and active (his words)..! I've held off to get through Christmas and now that's out the way I have to go ahead and agree a date! I'm OK with pain so whilst I get it's going to hurt I'm not too bothered about that. It's more about not being mobile that worries me!! Thanks for all these tips.. very helpful.

VickyEadieofThigh · 13/01/2025 21:45

Only one pp has mentioned physio - my partner had a knee replacement 6 years ago and crucial to her recovery was having an excellent physio who ensured she was doing the right exercises EVERY day for months. You HAVE to do the exercises, even though it's very painful for a while,.to get the bend back in your knee.

dynamiccactus · 14/01/2025 20:26

My DH had a partial knee replacement and recovered really well. He was very diligent with his physio,

It wasn't as painful as he feared it would be. We hired a machine that acts like a constant ice pack. It was recommended by the hospital. That made a big difference to him and the levels of pain. It was called Hilotherm. They were super-efficient as well. He also slept downstairs on our sofabed so he could move around and prop himself up (a friend of my mums slept in a reclining chair for the first six weeks).

He was able to walk around right away with crutches and then one crutch.

After a year and a bit, he started running again but was walking well and back to normal within a few weeks.

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