If considering knee replacement.
I just wound up my 6 weeks of rehab after total knee replacement. Just want to share the differences in my first knee replacement in 2013 and now. My fist knee was done as I call it "Free Hand". This one 6 weeks ago was a robotic assisted replacement. The difference has been night and day. Let me say the knee replacement back in 2013 went as planned and I was fishing off the bank about 9 weeks after replacement. Here are the differences I experienced between the robotic and free hand. Painkillers.....which I hate by the way. I was on them for 2.5 weeks in 2013....the robot replacement.....1.5 days and I was off pain killers. Range of motion came much quicker with the robot. I was at zero degrees straight leg on first day of PT with the robot....took about 2 weeks to get to zero back in 2013. I achieved 120 degrees of bend 2 weeks after the robotic surgery...took 6 weeks to get to 120 back in 2013. I was walking with a cane 1.5 weeks after surgery......took me 3 weeks to get to cane back in 2013. I iced religiously after both surgeries. But this time I chose to rent a Game Ready ice machine....difference is night and day from using ice packs or the machine the hospital sends you home with. With the Game Ready the whole leg fits into a sleeve and if you want you can have just ice....or ice with compression. Swelling with this knee replacement has been almost nonexistent. While doing my PT there were a few of us who had the robotic procedure. All of us to a person did far better than the others in PT who did not have robotic surgery. Of course as in all these replacements...I have had 3...2 knees and a hip....things can change...especially if you push too hard. But I am truly ecstatic with the results so far. There is one issue I could not control....my age....LOL. First knee replacement I was 62...now I am 70. I am walking fine just can't walk as far as I would like.....not a knee issue at all.....both leg muscles are weaker than they were 8 years back. I am walking a 1/2 mile 4 times day. Now I am no doctor but for those needing a knee replacement in my opinion robotic is the only way to go.
Regards
