Knee replacement and crappie fishing

I'm going to bite the bullet and have one of my knees replaced soon. I'm looking for guidance as to rehab, time of inactivity, what to expect. I hope to be back to work in a couple of weeks and back on the lake in a couple of months. I only have to navigate a couple of steps in and out of my house and my studio has no steps. I have lots of fish, waterfowl and small mammals to mount that I can work on while seated. When I'm able to get back in the boat I'll be spider rigging or longlining while seated. I have 4 steps from ground level to the bow deck on my boat trailer.

Anybody who has had the surgery please weigh in. Thanks.

slabby joe had a double knee replacement in Sept as I recall. Check this post out. http://www.crappie.com/crappie/kansa...ml#post3308567 maybe he will chime in here.

my wife had it done 3 yrs ago. activity will start way before you are ready for it. she went to rehab for 3 months and kept doing the rehab on her own for over a year, you will know when to stop doing the exersizes, friend of mine had both done and was back to bass fishing in less than a month, everyone is a little different but all have to do the exersizes and acording to my wifes Dr. you can not over-do rehab.
good luckand I hope you are one of the fast healers

Talk to Randy Kuens

if you hope it gets better without working at it, i promise you it won't. if you are diligent and strenuously work with your rehab trainer, you can expect a decent recovery in 3-4 months. if you are overweight, plan on 5/6. you might or might not do better tha these times, but to expect to do so is very unrealistic!

good luck and work hard!!!

I had a knee replacement last year in May. I kept putting it off, but I was at the point that I couldn't sleep or enjoy any of the activities that I like because of horrible arthritic knee pain.

First...The replacement I had was called a "Conformis" knee, which is where they take CT scans of your knee and then the company that makes Conformis knee joints uses the CT scans to make a 3-D printed copy of your knee joint, which is then made into an exact replica of the knee they are replacing. This means the surgeon doesn't have to remove as much bone, since it fits so well, and there is much less surgical trauma. This means shorter healing time and shorter rehab. If you can find a surgeon in your area who does the Conformis knees, I would recommend that (I don't own stock in the company).

That being said, your surgeon will give you exercises to do before the surgery. Do them and push yourself and do more if you can tolerate it. The "pre-hab" makes the rehab go better. Then after the surgery, you will have therapy. This will involve exercises to do at the therapists and at home. No matter how it hurts, do the exercises as best you can (take pain meds before therapy).

At first I was thinking "what did I get myself into?" because at first, it didn't seem like I was really making any progress in therapy. But then, all of a sudden, it all started to come together and I started to progress. The effort you put into rehab will really affect how well you recover. I really pushed myself at home, even when I didn't want to, and according to my therapist, that made all the difference. And DON"T GET DISCOURAGED! At first it will seem like things aren't going well. But if you work at it, you will get there!

Pain management is key. Use the pain medication before therapy and before doing the home exercises and afterwards if you hurt. It is easier to stay ahead of the pain. Also... ice, ice and more ice. Did I mention ice? Ice will be your best friend.

As far as work, I am on my feet all day long at work. I took 8 weeks off. I had to use a walker for the first couple of weeks after surgery and then used a cane for a couple of weeks. I couldn't go back until I didn't need a walker or a cane.

Steps are a challenge for a while. I was afraid of falling. The therapist will tell you how to navigate steps.

As far as fishing, I didn't feel comfortable in the boat for a while (3 months or so?). Stepping into the boat was an adventure at first and I didn't push it. And I was not comfortable moving around in a rocking boat for a while. You will know when you are ready for all of that.

All that being said, it's been over a year now and I am completely pain free in that knee. I have total range of motion, although I was up in the attic the other day and it was hard to crawl around the rafters. I have just learned to live with the limitations. But for the most part, I sometimes forget that I even had a knee replacement. I can do all of things that I couldn't do before because of arthritis pain.

So short story...do the pre-surgery exercises, do the rehab, use the pain meds and ice, and don't get discouraged. You will get better.

I now joke that the only part of me that doesn't hurt is the knee I had replaced.

Getting old isn't for sissies!

Good luck!

Drugs are your friend! PT is MUCH easier with them! If you are worried about getting in a boat, don't do it till you're OK with it! Lie has already been said DRUGS and do you exercises! I have two fake knees!

My bride had one two years ago (Dr Morgan - of course). I'll stop in the shop and fill you in.

I am over weight....a lot. I had mine done 4 years ago. I never really had any pain after surgery...I guess I was lucky. I went to a rehab place for 9 days...I lived alone at the time and that was my best option. At rehab I got therapy 3 times a day. When I left rehab and went home I drove myself to therapy for next 6 weeks. At 6 weeks the doctor released me to do whatever I felt like doing. I used a cane to walk the banks and fish. Had it done in January and was in my kayak in late March. Ice is your friend......I kept the ice machine on it all the time I possibly could. I still do the leg exercises to this day. It keeps you loose. There are no pins...screws....in my knee. Mine is all glued in. There were no stitches or staples in my incision.....it was glued shut. I was able to shower immediately. All knee replacements are different. Most of them come out OK. I will have my other knee done soon. Best of luck.

Regards

I had both replaced within the past year. One last Thanksgiving 2015 and the other July 4week this year.
My doctor and therapists told me I am abnormal and not to talk to other patients. My recovery was exceptional and by no means the norm.
Doc did the surgery on Tuesday morning, outpatient surgery. I had to walk up and down 3 steps prior to leaving the orthopedics office at noon the morning of surgery. Standard practice.
I have two steps into the house.
Recliner, take the drugs and stay ahead of the pain. This is the most painful surgery anyone can ever have. TAKE THE DRUGS!!! Buy something to soften your stools. The drugs make it hard as a rock and the first one will feel like passing a softball. Even if its the sizes of 1/10 carrot diamond.
Do the exercises, the best thing to de is use the knee a little at a time.
Surgery on Tuesday, first therapy session on Monday and I carried my walker into the session. Therapists told me to at least use a cane, carried that in on Wednesday. Two week Doctor appointment doc points to me and tells a new doc to watch me walk, two weeks out of surgery and you couldn't tell.
I was back to work after three weeks. I sit most of the time, however I have meetings in various building around the campus. It's a mile loop around the inside of the campus. Heck the walk into work was 1/10 mile, in January sub-freezing temps.

Remember I said I was abnormal. Normal is about three months to reach where I was at in three weeks. I contribute my speedy recovery to the Marine Corp Infantry. I traded bone on bone pain for muscle pain and the Marine Corp taught me to ignore muscle pain. Pain is weakness leaving the body.

As for fishing, go when the doc. says its okay. Sitting for long periods of time isn't good for recovery. You must get up and move every hour or so.
I lived in the recliner for two weeks. Do the exercises all the time. Mostly heal pumps.
Get the ice pump and keep your knee on ice... Machine is a bit pricey but worth every penny.

Hey "mrdux", I believe that "crappiewisdom" said it best, "The effort you put into rehab will
really affect how well you recover". Had both of my knees done a few years back and have
never regretted it. Before I retired, I made my living standing on my feet most of the day, on
hard concrete floors, so that hastened my decision to get 'em done! Follow your surgeons
recommendation of medication and therapy and I'm sure you won't regret getting it done as well!
Best of luck for a successful surgery and a complete recovery.

I had both of mine done July 7, 2013. I was back to work in 6 weeks. As soon as I could move I started walking in 3 weeks I was in an elliptical going slow with my cane by my side. The only drawback I had and still do is on knee will try to go out (like some hit you behind the knee). It is not a problem just a glitch have never fallen down because of it. One other thing you will not be able to put that knee on the ground with out a lot of padding and it will still hurt.

Don

I had double knee replacement on Sept. 29th. My surgeon specializes in "minimumally invasive" surgery which means they don't cut through the quad muscle and that helps in faster healing and less pain. They use special equipment to get the new knee into place and around the quad muscle. I've had great results: used a walker for one week, a cane for two weeks, went dock fishing at three weeks and walked 2.7 miles. Like everyone has already said do your exercises faithfully before and after surgery.....stay ahead of the pain (perkocet was my choice after having nausea and hallucinations using hydracodone) and use ice alot. I was released by my surgeon at 7 weeks to do whatever I felt comfortable doing and I've been fishing with my friend Lee for the last 6 weeks in his boat. It'll take 6 months to a year for full recovery they say but I think it'll be quicker. I couldn't be happier with my results and would highly recommend the minimumly invasive surgery if you can find a surgeon that does it in your area. Good luck and you won't be sorry after doing this and knowing that nagging pain is gone!

Agree heartily with working hard in rehab and continuing the exercises at home. My wife had her right knee down this past June and her left knee done in September. She is recovering very well as she worked hard during rehab. She still has a little trouble getting up from a low couch or chair but other than that, she is getting around very well. Keeps her cane handy but usually never needs it. It definitely does limit your mobility for awhile. I didn't get to do as much fishing as I would have liked to while I assisted her in her recovery:biggrin.

So MRDUX...did you get it done???? If so...how are you doing? Hope it went well for you!

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Originally Posted by crappiewisdom

So MRDUX...did you get it done???? If so...how are you doing? Hope it went well for you!

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Jan 23rd is when it's scheduled if I get all the preliminary tests done.I'll keep you posted.

mrdux, for proper and successful re-hab keep a positive attitude and DO WHAT THE THERAPISTS TELL YOU TO DO, as for the pain you'll have at first, fight thru it and you'll do fine and you know I speak from experience.
Good luck and I'll be praying for you!