?? For those who have had a knee replacement...

[1I-Jack]

For anyone who has had a knee replacement, how long is the recovery?

I need both replaced before I retire (ie while I still have my insurance). I figured this is probably best done one at a time. I'm trying to figure out a "timeline" for doing this.

[Pipefitter]

My wife had her left knee replaced and was on a machine for 6 hours a day for 6 weeks that bent her knee a little more each day.
Do the physical therapy that the surgeon recommends is all I can say. And unless you really like being an invalid, your best bet is one at a time.

[earlmck]

You'll be walking around the block within a couple weeks and doing fairly decent in a month. But it was three years before I could go up and down a ladder like a normal person.

[1I-Jack]

My wife had her left knee replaced and was on a machine for 6 hours a day for 6 weeks that bent her knee a little more each day.
Do the physical therapy that the surgeon recommends is all I can say. And unless you really like being an invalid, your best bet is one at a time.

I definitely will be doing the recommended PT. They gave me no PT after my knee surgery 14 years ago and now I get to replace it.

[1I-Jack]

You'll be walking around the block within a couple weeks and doing fairly decent in a month. But it was three years before I could go up and down a ladder like a normal person.

"Fairly decent within a month" sounds like I better plan on 4 months before I'll be able to return to work. They've gotten stricter about physical requirements for letting people back in the past few years.

[RKJ]

As has been said, do the PT. My leg was bruised from the groin to the ankle and was super sensitive to touch for about 3 weeks. I could walk with no issues the next day, but stretching and working the knee hurt! It's been 2 years and I'm still stiff sometimes, but it sure beats the way it was. If I recall it was about 3 months before I felt completely healed after my surgery but I slacked off on my PT for a good while.
I would do one at a time, I've talked to a few people that have had both done at the same time and they always tell me their Doctor thought they were nuts.

[poppy42]

I had a total right knee replacement. I walked out of the hospital 3 days post op. I went back to work ( in an office) in 2 weeks. Just remember everybody rehabs and deals with pain differently. It hurt like hell for probably a good week. But it didn’t stop me from doing my exercises. I did continue rehab for a few more weeks. Within a month no one could tell I even had a knee replacement. I’ve had about 10 orthopedic surgeries on various different parts of my body. As far as I’m concerned my knee replacement was the most successful. Before I had the replacement I could not walk without a cane, The night pain was excruciating I had to sleep with a pillow between my legs, and walking more than about 30 feet was out of the question. Oh and forget about stairs. Like I said after the operation you can’t even tell I had a knee replacement. As a matter fact I once had someone call me a liar when I told him my knee was replaced. He promptly apologized when I showed him the x-rays.

[winelover]

Had both knees replaced four months apart. First one went so well, I decided to get it over with and have the second one done.

My surgeon does and MRI, first. Knee is custom made, based on that MRI. After surgery, he requires the use of a knee bending machine for thirty days..........two hours, twice a day. I called that machine the Iron Maiden. They brought it out to the house, prior to surgery. It is your responsibility to gradually increase the angle of the bending till you reach 135 degrees. PT ran another two months, or so.

They are not OEM replacements..............so they are not perfect but better than a sharp stick in the eye.

Good Luck............look at it like and adventure.

Winelover

[Boaz]

Had the right knee replaced about two years ago . I was walking with a cane in about a month . Took another two months to lose the cane . My leg had other complications , had to go to a 'limb salvage specialist' in Dallas . But the knee itself healed quickly and I'd have the other one done in a heartbeat if it needs it . You'll be glad you got it done .

[.429&H110]

I moved to AZ for the hot sunshine
and Tucson Orthopedic Institute (TMC).
They have plenty of practice
with knees hips shoulders hands.
That's SWMBO so far.
Good clean outfit, on-time appts.
On Mondays they do a hip per hour all day.
SWMBO had both hips replaced
two months apart
the easy one took 40 minutes
the pinned one took an hour.
They call it robotic surgery.
Both legs are within a millimeter
same length and she's 1/2" shorter.
She still maybe needs a knee job,
she ruined one in a car wreck.
You have to be healthy enough
wealthy and wise enough
to do the fiscal therapy/PT.
We can swim outside all year, here.
Hot dry sun, hours in the pool,
and on the stationary bike,
made her knees feel much better
after years in a wheelchair
now at 75 she can walk two miles.
Back to playing shop til you drop.
She always could outshoot me.
Complication of implants is infection
people do die from surgery.
She gets MRId every year as part
of an osteoporosis/ implant study.
So far so good.
Doctors practice, Jesus Heals!
All prayers
Psalm 73:2
Don't fall, for anything!
Nunc Demittis