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If you’re considering knee replacement surgery, you might be wondering about your activity level after surgery.
- What will you be able to do after TKR?
- Will you be able to do all the same activities you could do before surgery?
- Will the activities you enjoy be painful?
I don’t know your specific situation. Each person will be different.
- Some people will have two knee replacements while others will only have one.
- Some people will be battling other health issues that may affect their recovery.
- Some people will be young TKR patients and bounce back quickly while others, like me, will be seniors.
I hope my experience and activity level pre and post knee replacement surgery provides you with the insight you need to better understand your situation
Overview
I was active before my knee replacement surgery. Unfortunately, the activities that I could participate in caused me a great deal of pain (read about why I decided to have
I could push through the pain but I’d always have swelling after the activity. I usually took an ibuprofen type pill before any prolonged exercise and then I would know that I would have to ice my knee and take another pill after exercise
All that has changed now that I’m 8 months post surgery. Things are good!
Exercise Routine
Pre-TKR
Before my TKR
I was able to use the stationary bike and the elliptical machines. Leg machines were painful and always made a crunching sound in my knee (due to lost cartilage in
Post-TKR
I now visit my fitness
I am
Swimming
Pre-TKR
After many years of pain in my
Other strokes especially the backstroke caused a great deal of pain in my knee when kicking so my workouts were limited to the breaststroke and the freestyle. I only pushed off the wall with my good leg after each lap because if I used the right leg it was painful
Post-TKR
Now I’m able to swim using multiple strokes and I can push off with both legs. I can use fins in the pool and I can do flutter kicks both on my stomach and on my back holding on to the edge of the pool or when using a kickboard (here is my detailed swim routine after surgery).
Bicycling
Pre-TKR
Bicycling was not something I did a lot prior to having knee problems. When I was in my twenties I would ride my bike around town occasionally instead of taking the car
Post-TKR
Now I’m able to ride several miles 3 to 4 times a week and my range of motion allows me to pedal a complete revolution from the get-go. I occasionally take rides from 6 to 20 miles
Pickle-ball
Pre-TKR
I began playing pickleball in my early 60’s. Until my TKR I had a noticeable limp when I approached the net and I was very limited moving to my right side
If I
Post-TKR
I now can play 5 games of pickleball in a row without any swelling. I no longer limp during the game and I can now cover more of the court than I ever could
Pickleball is the only activity that I am involved in that requires quick reactions and reflexes. Unlike golf, where your mind wanders, pickleball keeps you concentrated on the game and allows you to forget all the things that are on your mind
Golf
Pre-TKR
I am an occasional golfer and prefer to play nine holes versus 18. I use a pull-cart and prefer to walk the short course
Post-TKR
Now I walk and play a 12 hole course near my house once or twice a month pain-free
Hiking
Pre-TKR
I didn’t begin hiking on a regular basis until I was in my forties. I joined a hiking club that hikes 5 to 10 miles twice a week
I enjoyed hiking and getting outdoors but in my sixties I avoided the longer hikes and only did the five-mile hikes.
Post-TKR
Now, I can hike 5 to 10 miles without pain or swelling. The nice thing about hiking is that you can hike alone or with a group and you can choose the distance, the pace and the terrain that you want to hike on
Yoga
I just started a 30-day Yoga program with my wife. I can tell that I’m stretching and strengthening places on my body (joints) that I haven’t stretched in a long time.
This is a first for me and I will write an article after my 30-day trial.
Conclusion
In this article, I have mentioned some of the activities that I can do
I have mentioned the activities that I enjoy but you can look forward to being pain-free, with no swelling and limping when you participate in your favorite activities. If your surgery and recovery goes smoothly you should be active in 3-4 months.
I hope this article has encouraged you. After knee replacement surgery and your recovery, I hope you can enjoy everyday activities and other physical activity with minimal or no pain.
I am just 5 weeks post TKR, I have done 4 full marathons and at least 30 half marathons but the last five years I haven’t been able to walk not even a mile. I am hoping to be able to get active again. Thank you for sharing your routine with others. Therapy will be over in one week and I am planning to continue going to the gym at least 4 days a week
Can’t recommend enough to continue therapy/exercise on your own even if you’re cleared by your doc/therapist. The biggest improvements came in the first 2-3 months, but I still had gradual improvements over months 4-12 and I think self-therapy helped with that.
I am now 4 weeks post kr and was so excited to be able to push mow my lawn yesterday. The simple things. I am still only 125 range of motion but I get stronger and more flexible every day thru PT and at home exercises. I have been an active person my whole life and feel like I‘ve been given a second lease. It’s been a bumpy 4 weeks pain wise but I can safely say I’m happy I did it and would recommend it to anyone that has reached that pain level. My advice is to get ready prior by exercising your bad knee as much as possible, and lose weight to a manageable level. The docs do their parts we have to do ours and take PT seriously.
Great tips. I couldn’t agree more!