Knee Surgery

I had total knee replacement surgery in June 2023.Find a doctor that does the Mako Robotics.Prepare yourself physically and mentally before your surgery.I cannot stress enough after surgery,work on your range of motion,physical threrapy and don't just sit around and wait to heal,move.The doctor probably won't sit down and have a long conversation with you,so do your own research.Believe me it really helps with recovery.Pain?Some pain is to be expected,but my doctor used a nerve block,so I never experienced the pain I was expecting.It was more discomfort and swelling than anything.I took the prescribed oxycodone for only one and a half days expecting a lot of pain,but I never had it,so I quit taking it.I used a walker for three and a half days,forth day I quit the walker,by the fifth day I was walking the whole store.Watch the videos and save the last link,it's a really good reference on where you need to be in your recovery.It really helped me a lot in my recovery.In two weeks my range of motion was at 125 degrees.My physical therapist was Wow!.Went I went to see my doctor two weeks post-op,I showed him my range of motion progress from physical therapy and he too was Wow!Many of the people in physical therapy were around 110 degrees of range of motion at eight weeks post-op.So educate,find a good doctor and work hard in your recovery.It gets better over time and I'm fully recovered and no more pain.

I set the record at out physical therapy after knee surgery 133 degree range of motion.
I know are doctor would not do your knee surgery if you were way over weight. His explanation was that if you didnt have the drive to loose weight you would not do the physical therapy therefore the surgery would not be a successful one.

In the last 2 years I have lost 67 pounds and keeping it off.
If I go more than 8 pound increase I go in a 1 meal a day regimen until back to my target weight.
I have a friend in Louisiana that is way over weight and they still did the surgery but told him he would not heal like a normal person.
He did it anyway and is in bad pain and won't move until the pain stops. That may never happen.
I don't want that problem so thanks for the reminder on weight.
If and when I do the surgery I will try to beat the 133 range of motion and give you a reply.
Thanks again. I have had 8 major back operations so I am aware of pain.

. I have had 8 major back operations so I am aware of pain.

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If you made it through all those your good to go through anything without a worry in the world.
Good job on your weight loss

Rediscover your go!! Smith and Nephew !! Google it boys !! You may find it interesting!!!!

martyj said:

I set the record at out physical therapy after knee surgery 133 degree range of motion.
I know are doctor would not do your knee surgery if you were way over weight. His explanation was that if you didnt have the drive to loose weight you would not do the physical therapy therefore the surgery would not be a successful one.

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I was at 133 degrees in 4 weeks post surgery. I wanted to mow my yard in two weeks post surregery.My doctor said no wait.I did anyway.Gotta keep moving and your results are quicker and better.

That inspires me baldhunter! I am an over achiever as well and will do the same.
I met with the doctor and they are checking both Medicare and my Humana insurance and hope to find out next week if I will owe anything above and beyond both insurances.

Well you boys might want to remember the surgeon implanted the hardware he or she carefully closed the soft tissue , muscle and skin with sutures and staples ! In layers from the bone out to the skin ! Why take a chance on damaging his fine meticulous work just to mow the damm lawn !! I'll bet if your custom gunmaker told you what not to do with your new 6 thousand dollar rifle you would listen ,maybe !!

Lenny Foffa said:

Well you boys might want to remember the surgeon implanted the hardware he or she carefully closed the soft tissue , muscle and skin with sutures and staples ! In layers from the bone out to the skin ! Why take a chance on damaging his fine meticulous work just to mow the damm lawn !! I'll bet if your custom gunmaker told you what not to do with your new 6 thousand dollar rifle you would listen ,maybe !!

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Mowing the lawn was easier and less stress than what I had to do I physical therapy.

It was a long time ago but I remember alot of smooth jazz playing on the radio. I missed alot of high school back in the early 90s doing pt. It was a time where I couldn't get a pair of pants up above my swollen knee. Most painful time in my life. Went in for a fluid drain ( giant turkey baster needle shoved in till they hit bone and draw fluid) . They usually give you a local to numb the location before . Mine was a ball on top of the fluid so 4 big nurses held me down and the Dr said don't straighten your knee . If you break the needle we have to go get it . They took 50 cc of fluid out twice . I didn't make it to the corner to catch the bus before it was swollen just as big . It sucked being 16 and having 3 cars you couldn't drive because you can't bend your knee.

Old Rooster said:

It has been years since the last conversation about knee problems/Surgery and I mentioned I use Boron to control the problem. It has worked great until it didn't anymore. That was 15 years ago that my doctor said I need new knees.
For those that has had new knees. How are you doing? Would you do it again? Any limitations?
Thanks in advance for your results.

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Rooster, I hate to hear that the time may have come for you to be seriously contemplating this.

Many people have had great success……others a dismal failure. Though, I think that some of the failures have been people that just didn't want recovery bad enough!

I guess that my greatest fear is……afterwards, there no changing your mind!

If you do it……I'm certainly wishing you The Best my friend! memtb

My sister had. Bi lateral knees done ! I would never suggest getting both done at the same time !!! Sitting on the toilet is extremely difficult for the two weeks following the procedure if you can't bend both knees !! She did not really try and work at the PT that followed the procedure,so she still doesn't walk well even with two new knees ! You need to really commit to the PT post opp!!!!!! Yes it will hurt But each week it will hurt less , until it works just fine and you are pain free for years to come ! Even if you happen to wear out the poly insert because you are very active. It is possible to just do a poly liner replacement! If the femoral and tibial components are still well fixed Your Ortho Surgeon may just elect to change the poly liner !! Then your good for another 90,000 miles !! You want the surgeon that does 8to 10 a week ,not the guy that does one a month !! IMHO

I was going to keep my comments to my self on this issue and as my brother says. You have the right but not the ability. Any way both my wife and I have had both knees replaced and by the same surgeon. Her's have been perfect. One for 20 years. Mine not so much. Mine were done in 2017 and 2018. First one, left, has been fair. Some discomfort in knee and pain in my foot. Second one, right, fair amount of pain in my knee, down my shin burns like crazy and pain in my foot all 24/7. Please understand I did do my physical therapy and have good range of motion. When mine were done they kept me in the hospital overnight. The next day when the physical therapist came in I was up and about. He put me through the paces and after he left the nurse said I've never seen him turn anyone lose like that and just let them go. Yes I can use my legs I'm almost 75 years old and I archery hunt not every day but quite often I walk 4 plus miles a day hunting elk in the mountains. Helped pack out a bull my grandson got this year. No I don't think I'm tough just trying to explain my situation. I don't know why my leg hurts like it does but it does. But it doesn't seem to hurt much more if anymore when I use it. Everyones advice about doing your PT is right on. Would I do it again? Left one probably, right one I don't know. A good friend who is 96 can hardly get around because of his knees and they won't replace them because of his age and he refused to have it done earlier in his life so now he second guess his decision. Best wishes and have a nice day.

Great testimony Mr DMJ. Aside from my sister. My dear friend Joe who is himself an orthopedic surgeon has had both his knees done ! One knee done at a top NYC hospital and he is not happy with it at all !! If I were ready for mine I would ask him to do the procedure ! He is a skilled cutter and a great mechanic! He could replace my knee in his garage and I'd be fine with that ! After seeing him do a100 knees several hundred total hips, I'd take him ! As I am dealing with rheumatoid arthritis and osteo arthritis ,my time is comming fast !! So ……….. how about that 7mm 180 Grn ELD. Match ??