TKR Total Knee Replacement recovery time?

I am scheduled for a total knee replacement at the end of June. Am I crazy to try and schedule a backpacking trip 7 weeks out? Every year I do a week long trip in August with my best freind and his brother and I am trying to schedule this years trip, usually we hike in somewhere in Colorado where I live and stay for the week flyfishing and hiking from lake to lake. We are working on a plan B where we camp out of a camp ground with the camp trailer and do day trips with the truck to lakes, creeks, or rivers that would be accessible via 4wd with minimal hiking. I really don’t want to give up though on working towards the normal trip of 10-20 miles and typical 2,500 feet in elevation each way.

Am I deluded in thinking I can recover in 7 weeks?

Am I deluded in thinking I can recover in 7 weeks?

Based on my experience: yes.

Sorry.

Hey, it’s different for different people. But I was part of a forum for people who were undergoing or had had TKR. No one there that I recall could have done a backpacking trip in anywhere near that time.

That said, I’m super happy I had the surgery. But the recovery was harder than I had imagined; and I’d done a lot of research. It’s painful for sure. I was still using an ice machine all night long and sometimes during the day at seven weeks.

others may have a different experience; I hope so!

Try not to rush recovery. I would not schedule anything or set any kind of timeline expectation. Listen to your body and go from there. I had a PAO surgery on both hips and learned that slow and steady wins the race.

Yes, and it’s true that knee replacements are far more difficult to recover from, and with a longer time line, than hip replacements. I definitely still needed pain meds at seven weeks, and I hate them.

But I really am hoping others will come along here and tell a different story!

and getting the knee replacement was a very good thing for me! I got my life back.

@Garrett I will not rush it, I had the same knee scoped 3ish years ago and was a good patient. Following all the doc orders even though inside I was chomping at the bit. That was done at the end of the season though so I think this time I will have to fight the urge harder then last time.

@jscott

Thank you for sharing your experience. Sounds like I need to do some more research on the timeline and ask my doc some more detailed questions at my next appointment. I too hate pain killers but realized last time that if you take them when you are supposed to and stay ahead of the pain curve I was able to take less of them since I was not playing catch up. I missed winter camping with the uncertainty of being out by myself and the failure of a gel shot to bring relief for any activity other then light duty living and then COVID hit. Maybe I am going a little stir crazy? Lol. Thank you for your point of veiw and I too hope someone comes along and tells a different story but the truth is powerful even though it may not be what I want to hear.

Mike

Mike, thanks for being brave enough to ask! I’m facing a similar issue, though further out than yours. I’m still trying to get into shape after emergency open heart surgery this time last year. My lungs filled with fluid and I had to rebuild my aerobic capacity. At 65 yrs old, it takes a while to get there. I know that knee replacement surgery will be no different (had both knees scoped). Good luck with the surgery and rehab! Let us know how you’re doing!

Cheers,

Bill in Roswell, GA

Knee replacements are simply a function of anatomy. The meniscus in my right knee wore through and the bones in my knee were rubbing against each other. This can happen to anyone, no matter how fit. Indeed, people who are athletic but with one slightly shorter leg, for example, are perhaps more susceptible to this–more miles on the knee.

I went through all sorts of therapy prior to my surgery but at the end of the day, no amount of muscle or steroid shots will keep knee bones from grinding on each other once the meniscus has deteriorated. You can’t muscle your way past bone on bone pain.

I have no personal experience

A friend of mine had both done, a year apart

He coached a nationally competitive travel softball program.

The first one….a breeze…he was on field coaching after 3 days

The second one….horrible. major pain still several weeks later.

All i can say is, from my perspective, theres no telling the difficulty of recovery of anyparticular  replacement.

But I personally, thinks you are nuts to consider it.  Good luck though.

No personal experience either but I do know at least two people who had TKR surgery.

From what I saw and you probably already know this: recovery is predicated upon being well prepared physically *before* surgery. Of course there are many other factors but from what I saw being in shape really helps with recovery. I know a 80+ year old neighbor who was walking her dog outside a week post surgery. Granted not same as backpacking, but at her age I was quite amazed how quickly she bounced back.

Bill good luck on your recovery and please stay safe and protect yourself from undue exposure to the outside world while we are still dealing with COVID. I will update as I can.

Anatomy, yup you have described where I am at at this point. No cartilage on either side of the joint, grade 4 arthritis, and bruising of the bones as they rub together.  Scoped for a torn miniscus 3ish tears ago that went out with 2,500 feet in elevation drop about 6 miles from the truck. Most of this was over use caused by roof top delivering of roofing products for many years in my 20’s and early 30’s. Bone on bone is no fun and there was no choice but to do the surgery. I travel for work and am currently grounded and working from home so no better time the the present.