My orthopaedic surgeon has given me the choice to have a right hip replacement or a total replacement of my right knee.
I have pain from my hip when walking for any lengh of time but generally not from my knee & pain from my knee mainly at night when lying in bed due to bone on bone when sleeping on my side but generally not from my hip.
What would anyone recommend who has experience of either or both of these operations as I would gladly appreciate any feedback.
I am still able to walk daily with moderate pain/discomfort.
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lmoore
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They say that you should go for a hip first, although I am not sure how correct that is. A new knee is supposed to be more painful and more recovery time than a new hip. I have only had new hips so I don’t know about knees.
When I had my left knee replaced, the surgeon told me that knee operations are far more complicated than hips. But the recovery time is much quicker with knees than hips. This as born out in other I know have had both.
Well I would say which one is giving you most grief?
I had both done - different sides not same as you - about 6 months apart…knee first because I had problems with that for a number of years. Hip not an issue at that time, but it did deteriorate rapidly - surprisingly rapidly compared to knee I thought.
From a point of recovery I found hip easiest….so you might want to consider that as well.
Here’s a bit of info I penned re operations/recovery etc for someone else-
General advice for any replacement surgery - especially useful if you live alone.
Before you go in - just get yourself organised at home (patient leaflet will go over certain aspects) - so get all plates, utensils, cooking pans out of lower or higher kitchen cupboards - and place where they are easy to reach, you don’t want to be bending or stretching unnecessarily.
Hanging washing outside is difficult!
Hip operation - you cannot bend more than 90degrees so beware if you have a floor standing oven - washer, dryer, fridge etc.
Stock up freezer with either ready meals or home cooked so you don't have to cook from scratch all the time- frozen veg is very good nowadays - and sometimes you just don't feel like cooking.
Likewise clothes in bedroom dressers, shoes etc.
Make sure you can access clothes easily - and initially loose trousers, skirts, tops - so you don’t have to struggle around your replacement.
Just plan ahead as much as you can...if you sort of make a note of what you do on a daily basis and think "I shan't be able to do that" you can get ahead of the game...and then hopefully when you get home you don’t suddenly realise you can’t do something, and there’s nobody to help.
If you are using crutches for knee replacement remember you won’t have a free hand to carry things initially..
If you have trouble getting compression sock off/on - who doesn’t - might be worth buying an extra pair - plenty on line at reasonable price. Hospital may give you extra pair to bring home.
I found that if they were too difficult to get off - I left them on when I had a shower - and dried them with a hair drier!
Probably cause the H&S people to have a fit - but you need to do what you need to do. And don’t be shy, if partner can’t help, or if on your own and you have a visitor ask them to help you get one pair off and new ones on!
Do as much pre op exercises as you can - plenty on line if you haven’t already got some - they really do help recovery.
You will find getting around a bit difficult - certainly if you aren’t used to crutches! So make sure you have enough room to manoeuvre yourself around bedroom, bathroom, living room.
Invest in a hot water bottle or similar - you will be sitting more than usual initially and the worst thing is feeling cold.
If you’re a side sleeper that’s not possible, and you may need extra pillows to get in a comfortable position.
Good luck whatever you decide.
PS - just realised have given you some of this info before, but never mind…..
Hi there,
I have had a right knee replacement but no hip replacement. From friends comments I would have the hip done first, simply on the basis that recovery is allegedly easier and speedier than a knee job.
My right knee took 11 weeks from go to wo - allow 2 weeks for Christmas intervening ( when I had mine done) the earliest you could expect from a knee replacement is 8 to 9 weeks recovery. I reckon you could be back driving an auto transmission car at around 6 to 8 weeks. I was 11 weeks back working driving a bus.
Hi I’m in exactly the same position.I was told this week both left hip and knee are severe and need replacing.The surgeon said it’s one of the worse knees he’s seen☹️I have pain and stiffness in both and also have to decide which to have done first.I had my left knee done 7 years ago a great success, we did a road trip to Greece 9 weeks later.Are you going N.H.S or private.I don’t have insurance now so will be nhs and a long wait.The surgeon has offered injections to give me a bit of relief.Good luck hope all goes well.
Is there any possibility that if you have the hip done first, the knee problem could improve or vice versa? I'm a total ignoramus about hips and knees - except for what I've learned from friends who, between them, have had quite a variety of treatments from injections through 'tinkering' to replacements and from the occasional visit to an osteopath. But I do know that a problem in one place can be the result of compensating for one in another place and that dealing with one may well improve the situation in the other.
Hiya. I had a total left hip- replacement 11wks ago. It's wonderful. I'm treating my new hip with the respect it deserves & am steadily increasing my walking. I have noticed that my knees do ache a lot & I think that's due to the difference in how my weight is distributed during the healing of the hip. I would weigh up which would benefit you most & which is more painful & get that done first! Both ops. are big & take a while to recover from. I've not had knee done by the way! Ask Surgeon which is the more worn-out one - he IS the expert after all 🤔
I have had both my hips replaced and I'm on the waiting list for a knee replacement I suppose it depends on what pain you are in if it's affecting your walking then maybe hip first ?
I recovered well from both of mine and was surprised how quickly too
Sorry, I have no advice, but it is all interesting what you're all saying. I have been signed off from the knee people (osteo-somethingorother) as I have had all the injections they're allowed to give me, my knee needs replacing now.............but I am too young!!! They won't do it till I am 65. Even though my hip is now going, my ankle is very painful and I am an amputee on the right side................I do try not to stay in bed every day but it is bloddy hard to actually get going some mornings.
Sorry, I don't want sympathy or to hijack your post, I think I just needed to vent, lol x
PS, on the bright side it is nice to be too YOUNG for something, that hasn't happened since I was 17!!.
I did find that when the hip was done first the pain in my knee lessened somewhat.
My orthopaedic surgeon explained a lot of knee pain is referred pain from the hip.
Knee pain which goes down your shin to ankle is definitely knee pain not hip.
I would definitely say go for the hip first as it is a much easier op to recover from and walking and other movements are less painful. Then when you do have your knee done, your leg is already much stronger.
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