I just got knee replacement surgery three days ago and I find this video very helpful..It has been so many years of walking with pain,I almost forgot how to walk loosely...
So true ! Walk normally and stretch out your steps a bit . I really like the info on swinging your arms ! Super helpful tips . I’m six weeks post knee replacement surgery and these are very helpful tips !
I’m one week post RTKR and found your channel today and am SO glad I did! I’ve gone to PT twice now and was walking really well until two days ago when the REAL pain hit. My PT appointment was canceled today and they didn’t have any appointments available that I could make, hence I turned to RU-vid and found your channel. I took your advice and loosened up, relaxed and off I went. Just like you said. Simple but the pain is so all encompassing at this point that making your brain work to figure something out is challenging. Thank you for knowing what those of us who are normally strong, wise and independent need to get thru this exceedingly “abnormal” time. 😮
Thank you for watching and sharing your comment. I'm very glad you the video and advice was helpful! Best wishes to you in your continued recovery after surgery!
I classified my walking as " Awkward " for the first 6 months...Unlike most, I used a walker for the first 3 months..The next 2 months I used a cane...Going into 6 months...I started walking unassisted..At 8 months I started walking naturally..at 12 months after my Totally Knee Replacement...I was walking Naturally. I applaud all patients that were able to achieve naturally walking after 2 weeks to a month..👏
This progression tends to vary a lot. Although a lot of people can transition away from the walker in a week or two, many also follow a similar progression as you describe spending more times with the walker, cane, and then eventually no device.
Thank you for this comment gives me hope 😅 I feel a little concerned when reading people’s rapid success stories and I’m not matching up, 😳 pleased for them, however my surgeon and physio reassured me the other day at my 6 week review and emphasised that only 20% of healing takes place at this point and slow and steady wins out in the end. Yes a marathon, not a sprint to a normal walking gait done without thought, think a year he said.. Glad to hear of your progress, wishing you continued good health.
I really appreciate seeing someone in the same boat as I am! I’m at 4 months post-op and until a month ago I was using a 4-wheeled walker almost exclusively. I just felt so weak and unstable. The past month I’ve mainly transitioned to a cane, so making progress, slowly. I’ve tried practicing walking unassisted in a narrow hallway a fair bit, and it’s an absolute mess. I tense right up and my gait that is pretty natural while using the cane suddenly becomes a massive limp. I’m sure a lot of it is that I’m tensing/bracing, which is causing the limping. Deep down I know that structurally my knee is likely fine to walk unassisted safely, but it’s overcoming the psychological fear part that is the toughest, I think. I’m hoping that after a couple months with a cane I’ll be more comfortable to try moving to unassisted walking with success. It’s incredibly frustrating to be 45 years old and still barely walking when there were 70 year olds in my early physio classes who were walking unassisted in 2 weeks. But every body heals in its own time, so I’m trying to learn to be gentle on myself. I know I’ll get there eventually!
Thank you so much for taking the time to try to help people. I'm floored by the people who feel so free to criticize. Some people are just weird. I really admire how kind you are to them. I just want to get on and tell them to f-off! 😉
So true, you put it well. I wasn’t sure if it was just a me-thing. My butt muscle gets tight/sore at the end of the day and I couldn’t figure out why. Because I’m constantly doing this. 6 months po TKA, work as an ICU NP doing 12’s. I’m definitely physically challenged. I have to constantly remind myself about the basic mechanics of walking, heel to toe, comfortably swing the arms, can’t carry too much weight in my work bag, etc. I also have to constantly stretch my hips, hamstrings, everything really throughout the day. It has not been easy but I’m in a better place then I was pre-surgery.
Thank you for your encouragement. 2 weeks post op, the pain is subsiding enough for me to begin feeling positive about my new and improved knee. I am aware that the various pains aches and stabs are quite different to the previous long term arthritic pain that I lived with for so long. This has given me the confidence to celebrate the excellent repair by trying to swing out with a bit of rythm and bounce when I walk. Well, still, in my head mostly 😏. I tell myself "This is a working knee joint!!" The rest is collateral 'ouch, groan, squeal" that you can handle. What's amazing is my knee is now able to straighten so much more than before, it feels maybe the new joint has been put in backwards! It's going concave for goodness sake! Your advice is much appreciated.
Thank you very much for sharing and for watching the video! Like anything, improving your walking and movement, and building confidence in your new knee, takes time and practice. It sounds like you are off to a good start in you recovery after surgery. Best wishes!
I'm almost 4 weeks post op from a RTKR. I'm afraid I did acquire a terrible gait with severe arthritis and a torn meniscus. I am trying to walk in a proper way now. Any advice ? Tfs
The hardest thing is that for me my arthritis has been bad for 10 years so I don't remember what just "walk like normal" feels like anymore. I need a lot more instruction than that.
I would respectfully push back on that... you probably know and feel a lot more than you think. Walking is a very intuitive sub-conscious activity. Sometimes keeping it simple and not overthinking it is a lot better. Maybe a better word than "normal" is to say "relaxed" and "casual"... You've been walking your whole life, don't overcomplicate it... this is the advice I would give if you were one of my patients in the clinic. Hope this helps, best wishes and thank you for watching!
Thank you for your expertise, this is very helpful I’m now 6wk post TKR doing ok my consultant and physio are pleased with progress. I’m 60 years old previously active till severe OA finally limited that, but now feel much older 😢, the surgery was successful so the original OA pain is away which I am very grateful for 😊 However I keep thinking will I ever move normally again and I know it’s a lot to do with being frightened of that initial severe pain post-op pain returning. Silly I know, so I practiced your suggestions a little while ago going up a flight of stairs at home, a particular challenge for me at the moment- I told myself to relax and walk normally and confidently, distracted my thoughts, it definitely helped. I think sometimes I have time to overthink things at the moment and forget recovery is a marathon not a sprint after such a major surgery! Thank you again. Best wishes from a rainy windswept Scotland. 🥰🏴🇬🇧
Thank you for watching and sharing your personal experience! There can be so many things going through your head as you recover from surgery and sometimes we have to remember to keep it simple. Relax, be confident, and just go for it. Trust your knee and body! Best wishes with your continued recovery!
Thanks for your video! I am 9 weeks post op and am doing great now, but it’s been weird getting used to my new (and greatly improved) gait after a few years of a knee caving inward and so much pain. Your demonstration and explanation will help me improve my gait now that I understand how I’ve been overly cautious and guarding against a pain that’s no longer there. Thanks again!
You are very welcome, glad to hear your knee is feeling better and you are walking and moving better. Best wishes with your continued recovery from surgery!
Thank you. I am at 1.5 years since my new left knee and this is year 20 since the TBI car accident that left me with my cane. I still walk with my cane outside but I mostly just tote it. I see a PT who has been challenging me. At this point I tote my cane outside to show others that I am not 100%. The more I just stand, the better I feel. I am not at 100% because of my ANKLE not the knee. All in all, I've seen major improvement since my TKR! The key for me is to just STAND.
Thank you for watching and commenting! It sounds like you are doing very well overall! Hope you continue to see improvements in your abilities, best wishes!
I'm going on 3 weeks out from TKR replacement. Went to PT today and the therapist wasn't my normal one. I've been having issues with my quad not want to stretch or contract. The therapist would push as far as I could go then stop and start massaging my quad. Today's session was mostly working on getting my quad to stretch and contract
Will be having total knee replacements, one at a time. Right now, I already live in that co-contracture state because of leg weakness, funky posture, collapsing knees, falls, etc., which have taken place and developed over a period of about 7 years. It seems your post surgery advice is good for people in the same condition as I pre-surgery. I'm only 1 person who will be trying out your advice (with our Son's help) to help build up the ability and stamina and balance I'll need to fully utilize my "new knees." I'll try to report back as to post surgery, post PT release conditions. Looking forward to the success I need to enjoy my everyday life. Thank you.
Thank you for watching and commenting! Best wishes to you as you prepare for your upcoming surgeries, and let me know if any questions come up in the meantime that I may be able to help answer!
Hi…UK 🇬🇧viewer here. Good informative video which I can relate to. I had TKR approximately 5 months ago and I ain’t walking smoothly yet. My calf muscle feels very tight and the back of my knee is tight too. Another thing I’ve noticed is that my ankle is quite swollen. I ice my knee and it usually feels a little better after thankfully. I will definitely try your techniques you describe and fingers crossed 🤞 it starts to improve. Thanks for the advice 👍🇬🇧
@@msteariousmm7482 hi…pain in the calf has gone now but I still have stiffness in my knee. Surgeon said it takes 12 months to be as good as it’s going to be so that’s January 2023. I think I’m going to pay to see a private physio and see if we can’t speed up the recovery 🤞
Great video! Everything you said is true. Exactly how I’m feeling right now. Had RTKR July 6th. Have that fear of falling and all the thoughts and things going on. Going to try to be more relaxed and see how it works. I have PT tomorrow 😀
I had mine on July 7th a yr ago my therapist made me walk straight and slowly though. I was worried about the balance. Now I walk well, but I have sciatic nerve problem, L-5 is pinching the nerve though my L-4 and 5 were infused. A soft happened after the TKR, my heel is numb and painful.
Yup.. this seems like a simple answer but it is also important to understand what changes to our walking happen after a knee replacement or with pain, and then when that is understood the answer makes better sense.
I had arthroscopic 3 weeks ago, I found that I’m having to force myself to walk straight and without a limb. I walk 1.5 miles every morning with a very light jog for about 30 seconds. I’m getting myself in shape to go into the Department of Corrections at the age of 48. My knee has held me back but I’m rehabilitating and I will hopefully be able to start running again soon.
3 weeks is still pretty early in the recovery… the limo should diminish as you continue to heal and continue with your walking program. Follow the instructions of your personal healthcare providers but you probably start to progressively build up your running distances in a few weeks. Best wishes to you.
Thank you very helpful. I'm 5 weeks out, and I so want to get back to walking. I find my gait out of rhythm, and the reminders you gave are very helpful. Loosen up, breath etc. I appreciate your video.
Why are people so impatient. The guy is explaining why people end up walking incorrectly and how to improve it. This information is free and really helpful. I know your probably in a lot of pain but you don’t have to be one. FYI I’ve just a TNK so I get. Have a great day 😊
I got total knee replacement done two weeks back and am using walker. But I tried to walk as suggested by you and feeling better and confident. Thanks a lot. How many times should i walk in a day? As still left knee has little stiffness.
I recommend frequent short walks throughout the day. There is no set number but I recommend getting up and moving around at least every 60-90 min at a minimum with a few walks a little longer in distance.
Thank you for your video. I’m 2 weeks post op and yes I have the anxiety of falling not mention the pain that comes and go. I will be concentrating on walking as normal as I once did, vice thinking of the knee and doing the “total knee shuffle”.
just had surgery of knee in november and find it difficult to walk normally.I will try to take the advice and walk as normal as possible which will be hard because of the way I walk.thank you for the video.
Thank you for watching... stay the course, it is very normal to have walking difficulties after surgery and takes time and practice to see noticeable improvements...best wishes!
Essentially all of the concepts and cues are the same just you have to be realistic about the extent of improvements you see... You may still have some deficits and never fully achieve a "natural" gait but you can still make significant improvements with practice.
What if i haven’t had surgery done and am trying to walk? I also still have pain I tore my meniscus and the doctor just told me to do physical therapy exercises at home but I’m trying to walk without feeling so stiff
All of the advice from this video would still apply in your circumstances. Keep it real simple, big steps, relaxed movements. This will become easier and more automatic with lots and lots of practice.
@@KneeReplacementTherapists One more question, for some reason it’s like I forgot how to walk with my good knee too. I’ve been trying to walk without crutches and it feels like I try too hard to straighten my leg all the way and it feels wrong. I’m afraid I’m hurting myself more by doing this, not walking properly. Does it just come with time and practice?
I have total knee replacement coming up and i also fear of not being able to walk the way i want. My knee getting replaced has ben so bad that i have developed bad walking habits over time just to compensate for it.
This is common. After surgery, you are going to have a ton of different sensations and feelings in your leg and body. It will take time and practice to re-learn simple things like walking, but with practice and cueing and instruction from a trained physical therapist often folks make very significant improvements.
It's possible that rushing hard on your operated leg to catch a flight might have put excessive strain on it, which could contribute to discomfort or complications like plantar fasciitis. There a number of factors that can play a role. The good news usually with some rest and simple exercises this can resolve over time...sometimes takes a little longer than we wish though... Some good exercises to consider are standing calf stretches and heel raises.
I'm very sorry to hear this. Hopefully, with time and practicing walking in addition to other exercises you will feel better and move better. Best wishes to you and thank you for watching!
Essentially all the same recommendations, but you'll have to focus extra effort on a few things. One is stretching for your whole body: legs, trunk, neck, shoulders to maintain good posture and mobility. You also need to emphasis the amplitude and speed with all your movements: walking, exercises, etc. as Parkinsons makes your movements slow and small. Lastly, lots of balance and stability exercises. Hope this helps!
Walking downhill is similar to any recommendations for walking downstairs as they are both eccentric movements... controlled movements going with gravity. Here is one exercise that may help ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-WQAFrcpnSAo.html Also, if you are having difficulty try to lead with your surgical leg when walking down hill as the back leg will support more of your body weight and does more work.
I had met an accident 3 year ago and the doctor added rods in my left accidental leg so before 3 months Doctor took my rods out but now i dont walk normally so can u suggest me how to walk normally like before ? Can I really walk normal like before?
Lots of practice. Two simple things to think about are large steps and walking at a comfortable but brisk pace. This oftentimes corrects a lot of walking deficits we notice. The more you practice this the more automatic it becomes. Best wishes to you!
It's all good advice but the video does take quite a long time to say, "People invariably walk stiffy after a knee replacement. Try not to. Try to keep lose and swing your arms."
Sounds good to me. Just be aware of your pacing and duration. Start with a short walk on mostly level surface and go from there as you continue to heal and recover following surgery.
It has been two weeks since I have had my right knee replaced. My left knee is deformed due to rheumatoid arthritis. I am doing few exercises since my surgery. I don't feel like standing on my both feet yet or walking but everyone around is pushing me to walk. There is pain in my feet and one hip joint due to arthritis along with the pain in the replaced knee. What should I do?
Unfortunately, my advice would be to do your best to start walking and moving. There are numerous negative side effects of prolonged immobility and being bed bound or chair bound. Have someone there to help assist and guard you, it may just start with trying to stand in place. There likely is going to be some pain, but you are going to have to work through some pain to build back your mobility and strength. A little bit is more than nothing.
Please try and walk. It's painful at first. If you don't you may have a longer recovery. A lady in my ward, same knee replacement as mine is struggling as she didn't walk enough. I struggle, in saying that I have 110 degree bend and walk well. The struggle is the pain. If you have a good Dr you may be able to chat about pain management. Good luck. 👍
This is a common complaint I hear from knee replacement recipients... Check out this video to learn more: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-AKTh6mK1EhE.html
It certainly does. I got my knee op on Nov and I'm 12 weeks now It has been extremely painful in the winter months. It's getting a bit better not so painfull but still very stiff.
You can start incorporating these techniques right after surgery… even if using an assistive device, you can focus on relaxed smooth movements. Practice makes perfect.
Sorry to hear that... unfortunately, for some folks it does take a long time to feel like your walking has returned to "normal" Keep at it and continue to stay active in other ways and hopefully you will continue to see improvements.
Its been 5 months since my knee injury. Torn meniscus. Its getting better but I'm still walking like Matt Dillon's deputy Chester on Gun Smoke. Thanks for the great advice.
I had a TLKR 5 months post-op. On my 3rd month, I had an MUA done. I'm in physical therapy. My therapist manually bends my knee 3 times a week. It's painful, I scream and cry most times. I have stairs at home (14). How long does my therapist need to keep bending my knee? I've developed anxiety knowing I'll be bending ..
How long really depends on your personal goals and your progress. At some point your range of motion will either plateau or you will reach an amount that is enough to do the things you need to do.. walking, stairs, getting up from a chair, etc... it comes down to a conversation with you and your PT and making sure you have an end goal in mind.
This is part of it... Mainly, walking with excessively stiff small steps and movements, not just with your knee and surgical leg, but your whole body. Instead, you want to focus on smooth, relaxed full movements trying your best to just walk free and naturally, This gets easier with practice and as your pain, range of motion, and strength all improve.
Excellent video much appreciated. Going to remember all you have pointed out in trying to relax body & walk as normal as can not to tense up when have my TKR few weeks time 🌻🌻🌻
Lots of practice... for right now hopefully you can get connected with a physical therapist to provide you some exercises you can do before surgery to optimize your range of motion and strength going into surgery... after surgery it will be a lot of exercises and also doing a lot of walking to retrain yourself how to walk optimally with good speed and amplitude of movements/steps. Best wishes to you!
I'm 9 weeks post op TKR right knee (UK). I'm having knee spasms after waking in the night or in the morning - 5 or 6 painful seconds at a time. Is this inevitable as I don't recall this degree of spasms last year with my left knee? I sleep on my side with a relatively thin pillow between my knee.I assume it will correct itself in time. Is it related to the pain I'm getting in both sides of the knee below the patella. Thanks.
The spasms are very common and issues with sleeping are common, too. For most people this improves over time as your knee and surrounding tissues heal and recover. You can try some massage, icing, and/or heat prior to bed to hopefully decrease the frequency or intensity of these spasms. Also taking pain medicine within about a half hour of going to bed can be helpful sometimes, too. Hope this helps!
I can't provide you an answer to that because it varies so much. It depends where you are getting the knee replacement, if you have medical insurance, and other factors.
@@jeanetteblaurock6958 Hi Jeanette, I did find another after the first one almost killed me and they had to rush me to another hospital to save my life,after a 4 hour surgery the doctor told me that if he wouldn’t have operated right away I could have died or lost my leg and the following 3 surgeries I had one of the best surgeon but he said that the first surgery was done so badly that it is impossible to repair the damage that the first surgeon done and I would have to use my walker for the rest of my life and when I had my fourth surgery done, I had 2 surgeon working on it,one-was repairing my tendons and the other one was doing the rest and now my knee is stiff for good.
@@klausristau4243 Sorry to hear the tragic situation you experienced. That was totally unnecessary but it’s a lesson that ALL patients must learn before deciding on any surgery…… that lesson is: Do your homework….. do research on that surgeon. Im glad you are ok and that you didn’t lose your life.❤️😘❤️
I like your video's......but!... I usually don't watch video's that don't use a microphone because it makes it difficult to understand what you are saying.
I had terrible pain for two months after TKR, I thought something was wrong. Finally having less pain in knee but hip, sciatica and low back pain has set in.
I cannot believe people here are commenting as if because theyve had a knee rep, then they are more knowledgeable than the physio coz he hasnt had a knee rep...??? So you expect your brain surgeon to have had brain surgery or your dentist to have had all his / her teeth pulled out before you'd get a set of falsies???
Brain surgery, knee or any others personally, as requirement for experience surgery? No of course not...but as for your teeth example, YES, there are teeth-puller dentists out there with instant assembly line procedures on certain days$$$, themselves with gleaming white natural smiles. I WOULD NEVER LET THEM DO IT TO ME, EVEN AT 75! Permanently cruel, disfiguring if face, and unnecessary. With all the state if the art known. Implants, 3toithbrudge replacements. Nope.
@@KneeReplacementTherapists it is better to be performed on normal knees, because if you develop OA later they will overcorrect it for you which affects you in many aspects, starting from the day of surgery with severe pain to late recovery, then to a valgus knee, in your situation you only need correction nothing more. Because you have no OA but normal knees
This is not very helpful for me, and this is easier said than done, especially when there is a lot of pain involved and when you have had arthritis for so long that you forgot how to "relax and walk normally."
I totally understand this isn’t easy, but the more you can be conscious of it and practice, even if far from perfect, you can start to see improvements little by little. Thanks for watching.
Thank you for watching. Range of motion and pain management are important, but sometimes we tend to overcomplicate things and this just feeds into our anxieties and impairments. Often times focusing on the simple things can be the most helpful.
