Help w/ knee surgery

[Deleted]

I’m about 4 weeks out from a bone and cartilage graft in my right knee. My surgeon had told me to expect 6-8 weeks completely non-weight bearing, then probably another 2-4 months to get back to full activity level.

This board helped a ton a few weeks ago when I asked about easy meals my husband can prepare while I’m off my feet. Now I’m asking for any other advice or things I can do now to set myself up for an easier time.

I plan to stock the fridge/pantry/freezer as much as possible, and have my husband practice cooking some. We don’t have a chest freezer (nor do we have room for one) but we do have a garage fridge/freezer in addition to our regular one.

I plan to ask for a temporary handicap parking permit. I may not be driving for a long time, but I’m sure it will come in handy when I’m a passenger.

Anything other tips and tricks I should consider??

[mae0111]

Do you have a tray that you can use to eat in bed or on the sofa? It may hurt to sit upright in a real chair, or even upright on a sofa with a tray table.

A small backpack to carry around the house while you're on crutches?

Ice packs that go into what looks like a knee brace and you can velcro it into position.

A table to keep next to you on the sofa to reach for drinks/snacks

Pads for your crutches - your armpits will hurt. Or maybe get a walker with tennis balls on it to use around the house as much as possible. I'm not sure how that would work if you're completely non-weight bearing.

Shower seat? Handles to get in and out of the shower? We found some suction cup handles that were super strong and were perfect for DH when he tore his Achilles. Also a waterproof bag for your leg. It's much easier to use one that is made for the shower, rather than try to tape on a trash bag yourself. Would it help to have a raised commode seat over your toilet? I got one of those for my father when he had his knees replaced.

[meanie]

My dad just had surgery and has a cold therapy brace, it hooks up to a cooler and circulates cold water around the knee. he also has some strap thing that goes around his foot and helps him get his leg in a reclining position if you have concerns around bending your knee.

Ditto mae0111 on the rolling table

Move as much furniture and other stuff as you can so you have a clear path between wherever you will be resting and the nearest bathroom

Wedge pillow that keeps you sitting upright

Bed risers for your bed and couch? Make sure you can get in and out without having to strain yourself.

I hope your surgery and recovery go well!

[orangello]

I just got done with 5 weeks non weight bearing. You will need a shower chair for sure. We were also able to borrow a collapsible wheelchair and it was a lifesaver - it was truly the only way I could leave the house; crutches are good for inside/short stints only.

ETA - getting up off the ground from a seated position is much harder than I thought it would be. I have tons of stairs at home and had to go up and down on my butt, and getting into a standing position required help at first, and then a short stool that I could use for leverage. Good luck!

ETA #2 - if you don’t have a removable sprayer head on your shower, I’d seriously look into getting an inexpensive one. Showering with a fixed head was a no go for me for various reasons; being able to let the shower dangle and not spray me in the face or head while I was scrubbing or whatever was key. I could then use the head to rinse off easily while sitting. I was not comfortable standing at all, even with handles.

[snapoutofit]

Cryo cuff
If your knee will immobilized so you can’t bend it one of those Reaching tongs (those long grabby things) would be helpful as well as a sock aid.
Shower chair

[mich1]

I spent nearly 2 months non weight bearing on my PAO. The first couple weeks were rough on my hands and shoulders until they got used to the crutches. While some got bike gloves, I just muscled through letting the calluses build up on my hands.

It’s easier to rise from a higher piece of furniture than lower. Look critically at your furniture to see where you are going to sit. You’ll be using your arms to push off of the arms of a chair. That works best. You really want to avoid a low, squishy sofa you sink into. If your furniture is too low, you can buy risers to raise them to a more comfortable height on Amazon.

You can buy suction grab bars to put up in the shower. However, have someone test them out each time you need to use them. DH would get into the shower and hang off them to make sure they were secure.

Get yourself a good coffee mug with a secure lid and a handle so you can carry your drink. There are a lot more options on the market now.

Another thing you might want is a raised toilet seat with rails. Some toilets are low, and even a couple inches makes a huge difference as to how easily you rise. The rails are important so you can use your arm to avoid putting stress on your knees.

Pull up all throw rugs, they are a tripping hazard.

You’ll probably want soft, stretchy clothes to wear. I wore either sweat pants or cotton athletic pants (depending on the temps). You don’t want anything to bind your knees, and chances are you’ll be napping and it makes it more comfortable to sleep. Narcotics really screwed up my sleep patterns, so I really only slept in 4 hour segments. Slip on shoes or slippers, with a rubber sole to keep from slipping.

PT should adjust your crutches correctly, teach you how to use them and how to do stairs. Underarm crutches should not go all the way to your underarms, but about 2” short. Your arms should be slightly bent at th3 elbows.

[mae0111]

meanie - I forgot about that brace - those are fantastic. My dad swore by his. Definitely grab one if you can!

Also, my mom is the Queen of Area Rugs. We rolled up ALL of them before my dad had his replacements. Just get that stuff out of the way.

And good luck!!!

[picksthemusic]

Do you have an ice water circulator? It's basically an ice chest with hoses and a limb wrap attached and a motor inside. You put (ideally) frozen water bottles and ice cold water in it and it circulates the cold water into the brace/wrap so you have your knee completely surrounded by ice water. My dad had one for his knee replacement and he swore by it. You might be able to find them for cheaper on FB marketplace or rent one (or maybe someone you know has one lying around) as they can be super pricey. Good luck!

ETA: Like this one:

a.co/d/e5Ok2p7

[bugandbibs]

The ice water/cryo cuff machines are a life saver. Freeze water bottles and rotate them in the water so you don't have to deal with ice. Most of the time insurance will pay for it post surgery, your doctor just has to request one and they send it home with you.

Any chance you have an adjustable bed? You can rent hospital beds inexpensively through insurance if you don't. It's really helpful for being higher up and being able to raise your leg/sit up in bed for long times. Or you can buy an "inexpensive" platform adjustable bed online if you want to invest (the prices are much higher through mattress stores).

Grabber bars in the bathroom toilet area are helpful. Try sitting in a rolling chair and move through your house. What is hard to reach or maneuver. You can address those things now to avoid trip hazards, clear pathways or make things easier to reach.

[Deleted]

Great ideas! Yes, we have an ice water circulator from my last knee surgery (I was only on crutches for about 3 days). We have a Sleep Number adjustable base bed. Our shower has a built in seat and a spray head, but a shower seat is a good idea as are grab bars.

[stemmie]

I had TKR, so not non-weight-bearing. But these helped.

Cryo-cuff-- spring for the motorized one if you can afford it.
Countertop ice maker unless your freezer does ice quickly.
Shower chair.
Long handle shoehorn or slip-on shoes.
Sock tool unless someone will be assisting.

[rupertpenny]

A few years ago I went on weekend trip with a friend who was using a knee scooter due to a broken foot. She called everywhere we went in advance to ask about accommodations and people were so helpful. Like, we were given a VIP area at an event for free because there were no stairs between the VIP level and a bathroom. If it were me, I don't think it would have ever occurred to me to call ahead for something like that. So I guess my advice is to not be afraid to ask for help in advance.

[ssmjlm]

We bought an inexpensive rolling table when E broke her leg. It was great to move around and roll up where needed. She used it a lot at the couch.

[mich1]

Oct 11, 2024 8:26:57 GMT -5 ssmjlm said:

We bought an inexpensive rolling table when E broke her leg. It was great to move around and roll up where needed. She used it a lot at the couch.

An ironing board will also work as a makeshift desk.  

[Deleted]

Oct 11, 2024 6:42:41 GMT -5 stemmie said:

I had TKR, so not non-weight-bearing. But these helped.

Cryo-cuff-- spring for the motorized one if you can afford it.
Countertop ice maker unless your freezer does ice quickly.
Shower chair.
Long handle shoehorn or slip-on shoes.
Sock tool unless someone will be assisting.

Oooh, the countertop ice maker is a great idea! Do you have any recommendations?

[stemmie]

@villainv,

I bought one at Costco ahead of DS's wisdom tooth removal. I think it's a Frigidaire.

[orangello]

Oct 11, 2024 17:58:19 GMT -5 @villainv said:

Oct 11, 2024 6:42:41 GMT -5 stemmie said:

I had TKR, so not non-weight-bearing. But these helped.

Cryo-cuff-- spring for the motorized one if you can afford it.
Countertop ice maker unless your freezer does ice quickly.
Shower chair.
Long handle shoehorn or slip-on shoes.
Sock tool unless someone will be assisting.

Oooh, the countertop ice maker is a great idea! Do you have any recommendations?

I used frozen plastic water bottles in my cryo cuff- they last much longer than regular ice. I got several, and would use half until they started to melt, then toss back in the freezer and replace with the rest of the frozen ones. Much easier to deal with than ice cubes!

[Deleted]

Oct 12, 2024 8:11:14 GMT -5 orangello said:

Oct 11, 2024 17:58:19 GMT -5 @villainv said:

Oooh, the countertop ice maker is a great idea! Do you have any recommendations?

I used frozen plastic water bottles in my cryo cuff- they last much longer than regular ice. I got several, and would use half until they started to melt, then toss back in the freezer and replace with the rest of the frozen ones. Much easier to deal with than ice cubes!

Ooo, this is a great idea.

[Deleted]

One more question — thoughts on forearm crutches instead of underarm crutches? I have narrow shoulders and wide hips, which makes underarm crutches challenging because I have to reach out to the side. Would forearm crutches be easier?

[mich1]

Oct 12, 2024 12:43:20 GMT -5 @villainv said:

One more question — thoughts on forearm crutches instead of underarm crutches? I have narrow shoulders and wide hips, which makes underarm crutches challenging because I have to reach out to the side. Would forearm crutches be easier?

My suggestion is to request a consult with PT before your surgery and see if they can’t let you work with them to see if they’ll work better for you.  

I know that standard, underarm crutches or walkers are normally provided in hospitals in the US (and usually covered by insurance).  After every surgery I’ve had, PT has brought crutches and come by my room to fit them correctly and teach me to use them.  You might have to order your own forearm crutches from a medical supply company yourself.  I don’t know if they are regularly stocked as an option.

[Deleted]

Oct 12, 2024 13:03:19 GMT -5 mich1 said:

Oct 12, 2024 12:43:20 GMT -5 @villainv said:

One more question — thoughts on forearm crutches instead of underarm crutches? I have narrow shoulders and wide hips, which makes underarm crutches challenging because I have to reach out to the side. Would forearm crutches be easier?

My suggestion is to request a consult with PT before your surgery and see if they can’t let you work with them to see if they’ll work better for you.  

I know that standard, underarm crutches or walkers are normally provided in hospitals in the US (and usually covered by insurance).  After every surgery I’ve had, PT has brought crutches and come by my room to fit them correctly and teach me to use them.  You might have to order your own forearm crutches from a medical supply company yourself.  I don’t know if they are regularly stocked as an option.

I have underarm crutches from my last surgery. No help fitting or practicing, but I’ve used them tons before. It’s just much more challenging now that my body shape has changed. It looks like I can get forearm crutches from Amazon for $50-60. I’m trying to avoid buying too much that I don’t need though.

[childofhiphop]

I’m 4 weeks out from knee replacement. I don’t know if you’ll use the same equipment but here is what helped me.

at the hospital, I took my own surge protector with a long cord so I could reach my phone and IPad while they were charging. 
Ice circulating (mentioned above)
Walker (my husband put tennis balls to protect our floors)
Toilet seat thing.
Shower bench
Wedge pillow for swelling elevation (not the one with the bend - the triangle so my leg is flat and there is support behind my knee) Costco online has a really good one
An old maxi skirt (So I could throw it around my foot like a jump rope to take pressure off my knee getting into bed by myself - PT showed me how)
I also got a step stool for getting into bed easier.
My pinchers/grabbers

I’ve also worn comfy cotton skirts and old school house dresses. I tried sweats but the fabric really irritated the incision location.
Crocs - because swelling is no joke

I still have two more weeks until I can drive. I am back at work remotely and I get tired super easily. You can PM me if you have any questions.

I hope you have a good easy recovery!