Top Five Mistakes People Make After Total Knee Replacement

As hospitals ramp up elective surgery during the COVID 19 pandemic, we thought it was important to remind people of some common mistakes you can make around the time of your total knee replacement (TKR) surgery. Here the surgeons discuss what not to do when you are having your knee replaced. We filmed this video before the COVID 19 pandemic.

Medical emergency
Do NOT use the Video for medical emergencies. If you have a medical emergency, call a physician or qualified healthcare provider, or CALL 911 immediately. Under no circumstances should you attempt self-treatment based on anything you have seen or read on the Video.

General information is not medical advice
The general information provided on the Video is for informational purposes only and is not professional medical advice, diagnosis, treatment, or care, nor is it intended to be a substitute therefore. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider properly licensed to practise medicine or general healthcare in your jurisdiction concerning any questions you may have regarding any information obtained from this Video and any medical condition you believe may be relevant to you or to someone else. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this Video. Always consult with your physician or other qualified healthcare provider before embarking on a new treatment, diet, or fitness program. Information obtained on the Video is not exhaustive and does not cover all diseases, ailments, physical conditions, or their treatment.

[anniebieb]

I am 85 and had my left knee replaced four weeks ago. It was painful in the beginning. I took oxycontin for three days and switched to Tylenol for some relief. The most important thing I have done is exercise and walk every hour. My extension is 100% now and bending the knee is at 90%. I am very happy with the progress and recommend it for anyone who is suffering with serious knee pain.

[blancahumphrey]

Hi, I just had my knee replaced 6 weeks ago . Am doing great. Went to P.T. am done with that and starting to do some light gardening. Walking every day. Its such a relief to be able to walk pain free. I also just turned 82. Loving life.

[wcxkcvg]

Had my right knee replaced 4 years ago and it went OK. I didn't get the range and at times gets very stiff. Had my left knee done on Oct 24 and I'm way ahead of the game. I truly believe that you need to do exercises before your replacement. I was in the pool for 3 months before my surgery strengthening my quad muscles which helped me so much. After surgery you need to do your exercises 3 times a day and walking each and every day.
Don't forget to ice your knee and take your pain meds!!!

[hazelem]

As an anaesthetic nurse I have been involved in many knee replacements. I had my own when I was 60 (after 7 previous knee surgeries) and I expected it to be really bad post op. For me it was bearable. I took my meds, did my exercises and followed instructions. One tip I will give: my husband took small ziplock bags, filled them with water and put it on an empty coke bottle in the freezer. Then after I did my exercises I had ice packs which fit around my knee. The worst thing was sitting with my leg hanging down or sitting on a bar stool. When I was 18 months post knee replacement and my husband was 2 years post hip replacement, we did the entire 800 km walk on the Camino de Santiago. We took 38 days with 5 resting days with an average of 22 km a day. The surgery was the best thing ever for us.

[janewilliams]

I always took my pain med 1 hour before physical therapy. Helped me to do what was expected and healed faster because I was able to do the work. Been 15 years and still going strong.

[dj]

You two professionals are so refreshing. You are not reluctant at all to make fun of yourselves and it's very apparent you are good friends. I like that. Too often doctors are not very friendly.

[dawnakern]

Had a double knee replacement recently. The pain was intense for the first 2 weeks, I was in a wheelchair for 3 years before the surgery so my knees were bent unnaturally. I consider my muscle aches as markers showing me how far I've come. My goal is to walk my dog around the block.

[kylasaundersmiller]

At 57 years old, I had my first knee replacement. I did everything I was told and even though it was very painful, especial PT, I regained much of my motion. One year later, my second knee surgery was much, much easier. Maybe I just knew what to expect. Walking without pain for the first time in decades.

[grp]

I had both knees replaced 7 years ago when I was 70 years old, and I'm sure glad I did. After the surgery my doctor said I should walk so that's what I did, At first I couldn't even walk half a block, but I kept increasing the distance until eventually I was able to walk 12 miles, My knees are still going strong.

[sherrycastaneda]

I had a total left knee replacement, the pain meds were not strong enough. The Doctor would not give me more. She said that I would become addicted! PAIN was crazy painful. If I knew about the pain that I was going to have before this surgery I would have a total above knee amputation This two doctors in this video gave more information than my Doctor told me. I'm a retired nurse a d sought a second opinion These two Doctors should come here and teach these orthopedic Physicians!!!!

[stevefirth]

I had both knees replaced, 10 weeks apart, 8 years ago. It was the best medical decision I ever made. I am 78, very active and knee-pain free. Fortunately, my surgeon, the hospital (HSS), and my physical therapist gave me the same advice as this video. Your recommendations are spot on.

[sherrytaylor]

I had a full right knee replacement 4 days ago. This is great advice and will listen. As an incentive I have put pictures all over the wall that I want to do including a boat, greenhouse, favourite plants and have a Red Mustang convertible. It keeps me going..Pain is extreme and meltdown happened. I knew it was coming as the surgeon warned me. Managing pain and putting one step forward of the other… one step at a time… one minute…one hour at a time. This too, shall pass ❤️ I had to pull back a little when I realized the body was tired and needed to rest a little. Then adapted and walking better. Up to 7 minutes every hour. Doing my exercises that hurt like a B…. But persevered. Trying to not be too hard on my self… it’s only been 4 days lol

[davenielsen]

This is all so on-point. I had mine done in December 2019 after waiting almost 8 years in constant pain. My boss gave me all the time I needed with benefit pay, I walked and climbed stairs before hand, took my pain meds before needed, (with tracking help from my wife), had a plan in place to NEVER be alone for at least the first 2 weeks, paced my self in the following weeks, and took all the time I needed to really attack physical therapy. 7 months post op and I was rebuilding 200 ft of privacy fence. Only regret I had was that I didn't have it done sooner. Had an amazing care team.

[ralphgreenjr.]

I had my right knee replaced 10+ years ago. Do not sit around, do your rehab exercises, walk, and do not complain it hurts, yes it IS GOING TO HURT. I had my surgery in March and I was in my tree stand the first day of deer season. I am now 74 and have a farm in southern Ohio. I do all the work I always did, pain free.

[lfbztyk]

I had my right knee replaced almost 4 weeks ago and my therapists are all really happy with my progress. I'm 68 yrs old and have been dealing with stiffness and pain for too many years. I had so many people tell me to do the exercises before surgery. I started doing them one month before and that seems to be the key! I do them at home after my surgery when I'm not at physical therapy. I'm not one to sit or lay around so moving really helps. Ice frequently after surgery is a must too!

[absorbingcreativity]

As a surgical tech, I have scrubbed 100s of TKAs. My husband is 2 wks post-op from his first knee replacement (yeah, second will be in 2024). So seeing the recovery side of the procedure has been eye opening!

[judeehebz]

I had my right total knee replacement in December 2021. I was able to take 8 weeks off from work (luckily I had PTO / short term disability coverage) and am glad I did. I would highly recommend listening to your surgeon and physical therapy team regarding all aspects of care and also do your research to find the surgeon who is right for you. My knee is doing great and my family, friends and coworkers are glad to see that I am no longer dealing with crippling pain. 😃

[susancasemore]

I had my first total knee replacement 4 weeks ago.
Already had hip done on same side.
It's been hard but keeping up with exercises regularly, being sensible and not over doing it.
Tried to do to much and was very ill next day.
I am getting stronger and better each week. Determined to get back to normality.

[jeh]

I am 5 weeks post-TKR for the right knee and have the left TKR scheduled for 6 weeks from now. I did not do a lot of pre-surgery PT but am now doing PT on both legs so the left one will be less of an issue post-surgery. One thing I will tell you about the PT folks - they may be able recommend things to reduce your pain level such as doing "soft tissue" work on the surgical knee and surrounding area. I had a lot of trouble with pain at night keeping me awake and my PT provided guidance on exercises that reduced the pain in my thigh that significantly reduced night time pain. Pain around the patella may also be reduced by soft tissue work by your PT. Until the PT showed me the ways to reduce my thigh pain, I was seriously thinking about delaying the second TKR. I am self-employed and taking 2 weeks away from the office made the return to the office in week 3 post-surgery challenging to say the least (even with a lot of pre-surgery planning). Now, I am pretty much pain free at night, and getting restful sleep is necessary for recovery from any surgery. My surgeon had said the post-surgical sleep issues were likely to not be resolved for 2 months after surgery. So very happy with being pain free at 5 weeks. Yes, the PT folks are paid to make you do the work, but they can really assist if you tell them the issues you are having. Looking forward to having working knees in time for the 2 week cruise that's happening over the Christmas/New Years holidays this year.

[donaldhall]

As a retired Physician (Family Practice) my #1 problem with patients having knee replacements was always patients not taking their PT seriously (and ultimately failing ). It was always frustrating to get those reports from PT stating "Suboptimal effort".