Part knee op.. Post op gripes

[calthecat]

I'm "a month post op after having the inside of my right knee half replaced.. I have a few questions and would be grateful if anyone could throw some answers my way. I'm a month to 5 weeks after having my op all went well and I'm not in half the amount of pain I was in before and I can now walk without the limp most of the time, although I do have some issues. At night I'm still taking ibuprofen and cocodamol due to the stiffness and pain I get in my knee. If I lie with it bent it's OK for a couple of hours then I need to straighten it which is quite painful then if I lie with it straight it hurts to bend it due to stiffening. Is this common does it go and after how long. I'm up and down about 3 times during the night. I've tried pillows around my knees higher in the end of the bed to no avail.

Then theres how much walking should I do as after an hour or so I start becoming stiff and it starts to swell. It's not overly painful but does hurt me to get up from low seats etc.? An I expecting too much, doing too much and should I still be taking mess in the day to stop the swelling. My wound is fine and healed really well so no issues there. But the stiffness and getting out and in the bath I'm having issues with. Am I expecting too much for a month after? "am I not doing enough is this why I'm stiff. Why if I bend it too much is it painful and what degree of bend do I need to aim for?" any help would be appreciated as I'm at a total loss of if I'm doing things correctly. To go upstairs sometimes I can put my weight through it other times not, walking is fine until I'm tired then I limp a little. I can hoover do normal housework and light garden work... Not so good with carrying weighty stuff yet but most things I'm OK with apart from I can't get up from the floor mainly due to the bend and my other arthritic knee and getting out the bath. Please really me am I doing well... Behind with what I should be doing..... Not taking enough painkillers..... Expecting too much..... Do I need to do any other form of physio to enable a pain free bend. ("I can slide my heel right under a chair now)...... Am I doing too much? I'd be grateful of any answers or help please

[PMRPete]

"You should be able to stop using your crutches or walking frame and resume normal leisure activities six weeks after surgery. However, it may take up to three months for pain and swelling to settle down. It can take up to a year for any leg swelling to disappear."

nhs.uk/conditions/knee-repl...

myhealth.alberta.ca/Health/...

[calthecat]

I've been walking without crutches or a stick from two weeks after surgery

[arthritis_action Partner]

Thank you for your post calthecat - we do recommend you direct your surgery-recovery questions to the medical team who performed the procedure and certainly to your physiotherapist, as they will know you particular physiology, history and can check up your progress. No two people are exactly alike, and we are not medical professionals, but it sounds like your activity is going well a month after the operation.

If you haven't got a physio you want to speak to, you can find someone nearby on our network of associated practitioners: arthritisaction.org.uk/find... - we offer two subsidised appointments (up to £30/session) per year to our Arthritis Action Members, but you are welcome to contact someone you might wish to see privately, off the website, without being our Member - they have been vetted in terms of qualifications and experience and we recommend them as trusted professionals.

We hope you find the support on the community here helpful and we wish you speedy recovery!

All the best,

Despina, Arthritis Action's Comms Team