Second Total Knee Replacement Weeks 1 & 2 

Hi Sharon! You and I have similar experiences, but you are exactly right, if you don't put in the work and work through the discomfort, you won't see the results. Wishing you continued success and a full recovery and a Merry Christmas!

Hey! Thanks for following my journey, and I pray yours goes well! My surgeon told me that for unknown reasons, the second one hurts more than the first. In my case he was right, and it's slower progress than the first, but it's not much worse. One thing I realized is how different each individual's journey is. Heck, even my left knee is different from my right, but we'll get their it. I'll be posting more soon.

@kputala thanks battle

Hi Tami! It's my pleasure! I hope these videos are helpful to you abs others going through TKR. Trust your surgeon and his team, have Faith, and know you are willing to do what it takes to rehab your knee, and you will be perfectly fine. Yes, it will hurt, yes it will be stiff, you won't sleep right for weeks, but it will be an immediate improvement as soon as you wake, and will just get better as you train and restrengthen. It's all up to you, and you've got this! 👊👍

Exactly!

@cindylee3322 Hello Cindy! Being anxious is normal, as it's a big surgery with all they do. The pain will not be excruciating as I thought it would be, but it will hurt afterward. Don't be afraid to use your pain meds!! Use ice, as it will control the swelling and pain without relying solely on the meds. As I told another who has their surgery coming up, trust your surgeon, have Faith, be determined to do all you have to do and put in the work needed to rehab, strengthen, and become better than before, and you will do just fine. The worst of the pain is the first 5 days. By day 6, it will start to improve, especially if you are doing your exercises. I am praying you have a successful surgery and a complete, full recovery. You've got this, Cindy! 👊💪

I appreciate your support so much! Thank you. I have a question about anesthesia. I know they are going to do 2 blocks during surgery but they are offering a spinal block for surgery or general. Thoughts, Ideas, do you by chance know which is best option in your opinion? @@kputala

@cindylee3322 Glad I can help. 🙏 I'm not a doctor by any means, but personally, I did NOT want a shot in my spine. I was given one nerve block in my leg prior to surgery both times. The first one worked amazingly well, the second not as good. Prior to bring sewn back up, my surgeon also injected meds for pain in the tissue around the knee to control pain after the block wears off. The nerve block lasts about 24 hrs. I was put out under general anesthesia both times and it was the best sleep I've ever had! 😁

Good to know!! Thank you!!@@kputala

@teresa8919, That's great! Having both knees done, my left started getting sore again working my right. Like you said, we just have to soldier through. I'm being careful not to go overboard with the weight, doing 2 resistance training sessions per week with cycling, stretching, and walking in between. Stairs going up are OK, coming down... not as much. The rehab from this surgery is no joke.

Thank you, Dan! I'll pass those compliments on to my wife! 😁 I understand your anxiety over the pain afterward, as I had it too, both times. For all they do in the surgery, I expected it to be excruciating. Taking into account your surgeon and that everyone's pain tolerance is different, my first surgery wasn't bad at all. Prior to being wheeled into the OR for my second one, my surgeon told me that usually, the second is more painful than the first. He was right. This time around, it was more painful but easily tolerable using ice and the meds as needed. The worst of the pain is the first 5 days and then there is a noticeable difference. For me, every 3 days the pain level lessened some. That's providing you're putting in the work, doing your exercises 2-3 times a day, 7 days a week. As for the meds, I was prescribed Hydrocodone w/ acetaminophen for extreme pain, Tramadol for pain, and Tylenol for light pain. I only use the Hydrocodone as needed if the pain increases after therapy, and I take one at night to help me get some sleep. The Tramadol I use more, if I need it to make getting around the house easier. My surgeon allows only one refill of the Hydrocodone and Tramadol the first 6 weeks. The first surgery I never got the refill. This time, I am going to get it, only because I know the knee is going to hurt more when I begin strengthening and rebuilding, upping the exercises. I hope this helps some. Yes, you'll have pain, but I'm sure it's nothing you can't handle. Just put in the work and fight through the discomfort and you'll be fine. I'll be praying your surgery goes well and that you have a full and complete recovery. 🙏

Hi Tory! Glad to hear you started PT. Yeah, they're the exact same as last time, but like I said, this knee is totally different. It's progressing well but at a slower pace. I have me post Op appointment this coming Wednesday and get the stocking and bandage off. It should fell much better and progress better afterwards. Praying you have a full and complete recovery! 🙏

@@kputala Thanks so much and I hope and pray the same for you 🙏 I have fibromyalgia and Rheumatoid Arthritis I couldn't handle the stockings and took them off after a week as they hurt to wear. They are a protection so hang in there ha ha

My knees were the opposite of yours. My surgeon wouldn't do them closer than 3 months apart because you need a decent leg to stand on. My left was done 8/7/23 and my right on 11/28/23. The progress on your first knee will slow down after you get the second one done, but then you work on strengthening both back up gradually. Stairs, especially going down, are still a bit of an issue for me. I just started back in the gym to use the leg press, seated leg curl, etc. But I'm only able to do 20 lbs right now. It's a slow road back, so don't rush it. Praying everything goes well for you, keep me posted!

Thank you Terence!

Hi Cindy! Sounds like you're doing well and putting in the work. To straighten the knee, I heavily relied on propping up my ankle with a foam roller and just pushing downward as hard as I could, trying to press the knee downward and locking it out, as well as stretching. My right knee is coming along slower than my left one did and is still sore in spots. At 8 weeks post Op it's slowly but steadily improving. I know it will be 12 months before it's totally healed, so there's a long way to go and much work to do until then. We just need to keep working at it regularly.

Hi Bill! I call it a pain in the ass, but it's just a compression stocking to guard against blood clots for the first two weeks and help with circulation. I will be getting it off at my 2-week follow-up this Wednesday, along with the bandage! The knee is solid, stitched together inside and cemented shut on top, it has nothing to do with holding the knee together.

@@kputala thanks. I have a 1 wk post op apt tmw, will be day 6. Has been pretty rough but seem to be a little better each day. I asked because my lower leg feels like it slops around with movement in the joint since I'm still too week to contract the muscles when moving around.

@billjames2090 Hi Bill, I have my 2 week follow-up today. I noticed this time around that after the initial 5 days that are pretty rough, there was a noticeable improvement in the pain about every 3 days.. My surgeon told me depending on the amount of work he had to do to clean out all of the arthritic damage, the knee feeling sloppy is normal at first. My left knee felt the same, but this one didn't. It'll get better and easier little by little. I'm praying you have a full recovery!

Hello John, great question, and one I've thought about a lot. To be honest, I do believe that my years of Tang Soo Do and being so focused on kicking, has alot to do with my knees wearing out. From full extension and locking out during forms, to kicking the heavy bag full power, as well as the military and just age and arthritis are what did me in. Over the next year I'm solely focusing on rebuilding, strengthening, and learning to walk properly with the correct stride and gait. Not sure if I'll be returning to any martial arts. It has gone from something that bright me such peace and joy to something that just causes me more and more pain. We'll see.

@@kputala Makes sense. Maybe down the road do a fit over 50 sort of thing. Some garage weightlifting, cardio, nutrition stuff?

@@BigBadJohn7 That may be the path to take. 👍