Anybody here had a knee replacement?

[GAHUNTER60]

I'm 67 and currently planning a knee replacement for June, however I have a couple of big hunts coming up next fall.

I am wondering how long it will take to get back up and running (walking, actually) after the procedure, and whether I'll be able to hunt aggressively four months later. (If it was just deer hunting, I wouldn't sweat it too much, since most of my deer hunting is done from a tree stand. But one of next fall's hunts is to be a pheasant hunt in Kansas, and anyone who has ever hunted pheasant knows that you walk until you can't walk any more, then you walk some more anyway!)

If anybody here that has had a knee replacement, I'd love to hear your experiences, before and after, as it pertains to being able to hunt.

Thanks.

 

[280bst]

I didn't but my wife did had the surgery in the morning walking with help that evening slowly. Came home 2 days later walked in house with a walker rehab was about 2 months it's in house or go to rehab place that's up to you & Dr. I don't know how aggressive you will be 4 months later lot of variables but you will be walking and well I would think. She used the walker about a month then went to cane about a month most of that was me. after that doing fine hope this might of helped Good Luck

 

[GAHUNTER60]

I didn't but my wife did had the surgery in the morning walking with help that evening slowly. Came home 2 days later walked in house with a walker rehab was about 2 months it's in house or go to rehab place that's up to you & Dr. I don't know how aggressive you will be 4 months later lot of variables but you will be walking and well I would think. She used the walker about a month then went to cane about a month most of that was me. after that doing fine hope this might of helped Good Luck

Thank you. I plan on going to rehab center in Duluth for two weeks. My MD thinks his patients achieve better results with in-center rehab.

 

[fredw]

Following with interest. After six months of trial and with no results, I'm scheduled for knee replacement on April 18.

 

[bfriendly]

My brother had one knee replaced and is all messed up that was about 10 years ago? And then my mom had both knees replaced about a year ago and she actually watch really good on hers has had very good results and she’s 80 something years old. Each case is probably going to be different I would specked in the replacements to be a lot better than the past and I would feel pretty good about it ......... recovery time is going to be on you and how hard u work; how bad you want it.
I think you’re gonna do great!!

 

[Twiggbuster]

Buddy of mine had two replacements at different times of course.
He took most of summer recovering and was back at it by bow opener. Limps some but he gets it done. Doesn't seem to be in much pain just slowed quite a bit.
Good luck.

 

[rstallings1979]

After watching my mom replace both at the same time I will say that getting up and walking quickly is what they will want you to do anyway. I believe that the therapy is the most important thing. You will need to figure out a way to strengthen the new knee constantly so I would get with a good PT and follow his/her instructions at home as well. My mother did not do the therapy as she should have and she put on weight following the surgery. It has not helped her very much because of this reason in my opinion. Being overweight puts constant pressure on the knees so when you get the new knee you have got to figure out how to strengthen it and keep the weight off. Its going to be tough.
You should be fine for taking the trip. You will still be sore but walking around is going to be good for you and for the knew anyway. Unless your talking about an elk hunt etc. climbing up mountains. I will reiterate following the 2 week in house rehab you have to exercise that knee. If you have a rocking chair at home use it as well. Us that leg to push you back and forth. Every little thing will help it.

 

[Killer Kyle]

Like stated earlier, it varies case by case. My father wasn't getting around very well for about six months or so. It was more than a year till he considered himself fully recovered. (He is a pretty...rotund man). A friend of mine, Mike had one. He is a tall man, but lean. He was fly fishing on the Tuckasseegee River and wading in the river on slick rocks six weeks later.
I suspect that if my father had been 50 or 60 lbs lighter, it might have been much, much less stressful for his knees and bones. I cautioned him of this beforehand, but he just couldn't exercise because of two terrible knees, and he didn't have the will to diet.

 

[Crakajak]

I am 58 and 6' @ 245 lbs.Had a knee replaced last Feb 8th.I had a great doctor and rehab. Pain was bad,but the rehab is the key to get good results.Ice is your best friend for several months.It took me 4 months until I could get back to walking without assistance. It took me 6-8 months to start walking where I felt comfortable.Recovery will vary depending on degree of scar tissue involved.
I had had 2 ortho procedures done and a total knee joint rebuild then 2 years later the device removed 20 years ago.
The knee joint is great, the scar tissue is what causes most of the pain .
I had several patients in rehab while I was there and most had a better recovery than me because of less scar tissue.(only had a knee replaced no prior surgeries on the knee joint.
I still have swelling,but is controlled with medication.Keeping the joint moving is very important.P.M. me if you want more information.

 

[Philbow]

From July 16 till March 17 I had no cartilage in right knee. Walking on flat ground hurt a little, walking uphill hurt a lot more, trying to walk downhill please somebody just shoot me.

Dec. 16 Got the "Shot" in the right knee, supposed to last 2 weeks to 6 months. It lasted 2 weeks and one day.

Right knee replaced last March (after trapping before turkey season).

Day of surgery = great.

Next day = great, Still on hospital pain meds, felt wonderful. Went home that afternoon.

3rd day = Good God Almighty! This is Horrible. The absolute worst day of my life. The only thing that helped was ice packs. Ate the pain meds like M&Ms, not sure they actually helped but it gave me something to do. Started Therapy and met the most evil sadistic people on earth. Usually the problem after knee replacement is either the knee will not bend far enough or the knee will not straighten. I was a not straightener. The therapists were determined to get it straight, even if I didn't actually survive the procedures.

4th day thru week 4 = This SUX, this is Horrible. The therapists managed to straighten the knee. I did the exercises at home diligently, no matter the pain, which was horrible. Week 4 weaned myself off the pain meds which was horrible.

Week 5 and 6 = Horrible. Continued the home exercises.
Hobbled to the Turkey pop-up blinds And killed a 3 year old gobbler. All in all still SUX.

Week 7 = Well this is not too bad, not great but not too bad.

Week 8 till present = This is great sometimes a little stiffness but walking uphill/downhill only problem is being old and fat. Should have fixed the knee earlier.

That's my story The first 6 weeks were horrible but if you don't do the therapy, no matter the pain now, then you will continue to have serious problems.

My Mother had knee replacements at 83 and 84. She had NO PROBLEMS at all either time. Which is what I expected for myself, I was wrong, each person is different for recovery. I did not inherit my mother's knee genes.

At the hospital you will probably have a circulating cold/ice water thing around your knee, they will throw in in the trash, so carry it home with you. It would cost $60 + if you order it. Before surgery get a circulating ice water cooler to use at home, find out from the hospital which brand they normally use. It is truly wonderful thing. It was better than the pain meds for me.

 

[GAHUNTER60]

Thanks for all the input so far. From what I'm hearing, the first couple of months gonna hurt!

A friend of mine had one replaced and said the same thing as y'all - first two months be prepared to hurt' But, he says, after that, he got to where walking was not so mad, and in fact is now walking four miles every day just one year out of surgery.

Can't be much worse than what I'm living with now.

 

[Crakajak]

Stretching the muscles and scar tissue is what hurts the most.I should have had it do several years ago.Best decision was having it done. Worst decision was waiting to have it done. Should have had it done 5 years ago.
Ice is your friend and follow the doctors orders.
You can also see them on you tube. I looked at it and said.....No wonder I hurt so bad.

 

[GeorgiaBob]

You are so right - the first couple of months ARE GOING TO HURT.

I had a left total knee replacement in November 2007 and they had me up trying to walk the NEXT day. It hurt! The second day after surgery I was released from the hospital and that afternoon was my first therapy session. I was very surprised at the level of pain. When the therapist asked me to raise that leg, I cried - actually cried - at the level of agony from that attempted motion.

Part of my issue was it took a week to come up with a pain med that I would tolerate and actually did anything about the pain. (Opiates don't work for me, they just cause my skin to itch) I continued to show up for daily therapy and tried to do all the "exercises" the therapist sent home with me. After about a week, and a pain pill that "kind of" worked, I was able to do all the exercises and all of the repetitions asked of me.

By the end of my second week of rehab, I quit the pills (they dulled the pain but always left me with a headache) and started doing extra repetitions at home. Weeks two through four continued to be frustratingly painful. After a month, I got the surgeon's OK to stop the rehab and work on my own. At my 2 month follow up visit, the doctor told me to slow down because I had developed tendonitis from overworking the new knee.

By 4 months I was walking normally for lesser distances, without any problems, except a little bit of pain. Even with all the extra work I did, that "new" knee would begin to stiffen up and really hurt after an hour or so of walking. Six months after the surgery I sailed a 42' sailboat solo on a 5,000 mile journey that involved rough sailing and lots of stress on the knees. The only knee issue to come from that trip was in the original equipment right knee, the Stryker supplied left knee performed flawlessly. Ten years later, I am now in my mid sixties and that replacement left knee clicks a little when I get out of bed in the morning, but otherwise works better than my right knee.

My guess is: if you push through the pain and work rehab as fast and as hard as your surgeon allows, you will have no trouble chasing birds around Kansas. If you are going on that hunt, four months after surgery, try to build into your hunt schedule a few breaks where you can elevate the knee and relax for 20 or 30 minutes every couple of hours.

 

[Canuck5]

I helped my Dad thru 2 knee replacements in his late 70's and, like everyone has stated above, it's going to hurt, but he did well and was glad he did it.

The best thing you can do, is to get the knee bending past 100 degrees, I think 110, preferably, if I remember correctly. The reason for that is if the knee doesn't easily bend that much, you have difficulty going up stairs.

Just keep stretching and working it multiple times every day, even beyond physio.

 

[Canuck5]

Oh and be sure to take your pain meds. If you don't you aren't going to be able to do your exercises, properly.

 

[georgia_home]

dad has his done at about age 77-78. (late 90's)

it was about 6 weeks, and he was moving well ahead of doctors orders. was having PT regularly. he stayed at my place, and was in a hurry to leave. (fire and gas)

prior to surgery, make sure you have pain pills to last for a while after discharge. you're gonna need them, and they only gave my father a few days supply. and because it's narcotics, they couldn't be called in. it was about 60 mile round trip to get prescription from the doctors office.

 

[NCHillbilly]

My mom had one done when she was about 80-81. She was fine in two months. My wife had one done a couple years ago, she was walking fine in a month, driving again in five weeks, and pretty much back to normal in six weeks. It took her longer for the mental part of trusting the knee than the physical part. Neither of them had significant pain after the first few days. I think getting up and moving is the BIG key.

 

[shdw633]

Not to change the OP's subject but have any of you done the injections. My sister has that done once a year and says she's usually good for a year to a year and a quarter before the pain comes back. Three injections over the course of a couple of weeks and then pain free for a year. I am thinking of that over the knee surgery because I just don't want to be out of work that long.

 

[mojomo]

Had mine on Monday in hospital til wed, walking with no assistance on Thursday. Ice water machine to keep swelling down was the trick.

 

[1bidbob]

I had mine 45 days ago. I picked a great surgeon and my therapist tells me I am a month ahead of schedule. I have been walking without assistance for 2 weeks. Now for the facts: This is gonna hurt bad the first 3-4 weeks. Your leg owns you the first month. You will need to ice frequently and do your exercises 3 times a day. I personally think that going to a facility the first two weeks is a waste of money as you will have swelling in your quadriceps and will be limited as to what exercises you can do. I had home health come in 3 times a week for 2 weeks and go to therapy now twice a week. The exercises you do on your own are much more productive than therapy. The biggest problem you will have is trying to sleep as your leg feels unnatural and will hinder your sleep. Be sure you elevate knee above heart for 1 hour twice a day. Elevate the second time and ice right before bes and you will sleep better!!! I had mine done at Piedmont-Atlanta and did my homework picking my surgeon. Please make sure your surgeon is an Ace. Also, the more weight you lose the easier this will be, Good Luck