Answer: Immediately after surgery you will learn to climb stairs safely using crutches. As recovery continues and you work on flexion and extension of the new knee, you will be able to climb without crutches. With the help of physical therapy and building up the quadriceps muscles, stair climbing will be a breeze.
Guidelines after Total Knee Replacement surgery
By the time you have left the hospital/rehab facility, you should be able to get in-out of bed by yourself, walk with the cane, and go up and down stairs. The biggest challenge in the early recovery of a TKR (up to 3 months postoperative) is the regaining of knee motion.
After the operation and throughout the early stages of recovery, you will need some form of support when ascending or descending stairs, such as using the handrails and a cane. At home, your stairs should have some handrails or banisters already installed.
High-impact activities or contact sports such as football, skiing or lifting heavy weights are best avoided throughout your recovery period. They carry a high risk of falling which can damage your new joint. Any activity that requires twisting, jumping or running could place too much strain on your new knee.
Burn more calories
First, walking up and down stairs burns more calories than walking on a flat surface at a moderate pace. How many calories you burn depends on your weight, but going down stairs burns between 175 and 275 calories per hour and going up stairs burns 530 to 835 calories per hour.
Always use the handrail
If your staircase has a handrail, be sure to use it. By allocating some of the weight from your legs to the handrail, you take a little bit of pressure off your knees.
Don't Overdo It
Signs of over-exercising include swelling of the entire leg and lingering pain that stretches into the evening or into the next day.
After knee replacement surgery, you can gradually resume normal activities and there are no permanent restrictions, as long as you stay within your comfort level and follow the guidance of your healthcare team.
Balancing movement with getting enough rest is necessary to heal from knee replacement surgery. For the first few months, you may have some mild-to-moderate swelling of the affected knee. Getting the appropriate rest and keeping your leg elevated, as well as applying ice, can help boost healing time.
Use a handrail and crutch/cane. Place your crutch/cane on the step below. Step down with your surgical leg first. Follow with your non-surgical leg, one stair at a time.
Keep your feet and knees pointed straight ahead, not turned in or out. Your knees should be either stretched out or bent in the way your therapist instructed. Sit in a firm chair with a straight back and armrests. After your surgery, avoid stools, sofas, soft chairs, rocking chairs, and chairs that are too low.
Many health conditions can make climbing the stairs difficult. These can be conditions such as arthritic knees and hips that can be painful when walking up and downstairs. You may have osteoarthritis or osteoporosis that affects your gait and balance making you unsteady and bent over.
Can you sleep on your side after knee replacement surgery? You can, but it's wise not to do so until at least a few weeks after surgery, when you can start bending your knee. Make sure you lay on your non-operative side. Sleeping this way makes sure no pressure falls on the knee you had surgery on.
TKA patients begin rehabilitation during the seven-day bedrest period, with the goals of decreasing swelling, increasing ROM, promoting normal leg control and promoting normal gait with an assistive device.
Risks specific to knee replacement include infection (which may result in the need for more surgery), nerve injury, the possibility that the knee may become either too stiff or too unstable to enjoy it, a chance that pain might persist (or new pains might arise), and the chance that the joint replacement might not last ...
Most patients, even if they live alone, can safely go directly home from the hospital after hip or knee replacement surgery, according to a recent study.
Kneeling is one of the movements that knee osteoarthritis can increase the difficulty of. So, many people want to know if they'll be able to kneel after their knee replacement surgery. For most patients, the answer is yes.
Walking. Proper walking is the best way to help your knee recover. At first, you will walk with a walker or crutches. Your surgeon or therapist will tell you how much weight to put on your leg.
Within 2-3 weeks post surgery, you should be able to walk a short distance – or for around 10 minutes – without depending on a mobility aid.
Exercise Limitations After a Knee Replacement
Like any activity, moderation is key. While walking is generally a highly recommended post-surgery activity, your excitement to get moving should be balanced with a respect for your healing body.
Recovery is slow
While it's different for everyone and depends on the type of knee surgery you've had, many people are surprised by how long it takes to recover. The time it takes to start doing simple tasks around the home, get back to work and importantly bending your new and improved knee may catch you by surprise.
In addition to runner's knee and osteoarthritis, another common reason your knee may hurt when going upstairs is a ligament injury. The knee joint is held together by strong bands of tissue called ligaments. There are four main ligaments in the knee joint, which include: The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL)
Summary. Arthritis and chondromalacia patella commonly cause knee pain that strikes when you walk up stairs. Knee pain can also be caused by a ligament injury or a condition called patellofemoral pain syndrome. A healthcare provider diagnoses these conditions through imaging techniques, like X-rays and MRIs.