Knee Replacement - Balance issues

VashX80 · 03-25-2009, 04:52 PM

Hey! If I should place this in the misc let me know, I just figured i wouldn't get good responses there.

My mother had both of her knees replaced back at the very end of June (like the 28th or so) and so far is having a tough time recovering still. She can barely walk even after physical therapy and 90% of the time uses a walker, other times its a cane (today she surprisingly is using a cane). She says that to touch them, even grazing the skin, hurts her. Idk, bad recovery it seems like.

My question is, what are your experiences with knee replacement patients you've seen (family and such) and how was their recovery?

I thought to start the thread by having the question of why is it that she has such a hard time with balance still? She was reaching over the bathroom counter for toothpaste and almost fell (it was like a foot away from her).

I'm going to do some reading, even though my mother already does, I just thought I'd ask everyone what they thought.

Thank you so much!

astafjevs · 03-25-2009, 07:39 PM

Is she still undergoing physiotherapy?

There are a few exercises you can help her with, that will improve her balance. You can get her reaching for items (a bit like she did with her toothpaste) that are outside her base of support. What you need to do is stand close, and ensure you are ready to catch her if she stumbles. Also, put a chair behind her (or better still, do this in front of the sofa). This acts as an objective marker for an improvement in her confidence.

marblehead · 03-25-2009, 11:37 PM

Misc would not be kind to you

I have found that alot of patients think that life as they knew is over once they have what they think is major surgery.

I have dealt with alot of patients that if you don't kick them in the ass and put them into positions that they think they can't they won't

Literally you have to break their mental lockdown on their recovery.
9.9 out of 10 times the knee is fine but they can't get past their mental midgetness

astafjevs · 03-26-2009, 04:51 PM

Who or what is Misc?

marblehead · 03-26-2009, 07:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by astafjevs

Who or what is Misc?

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/forumdisplay.php?f=19

astafjevs · 04-03-2009, 01:52 PM

I must be missing something. Why would a section of the forums not be kind to me?

marblehead · 04-03-2009, 06:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by astafjevs

I must be missing something. Why would a section of the forums not be kind to me?

The posters there are pretty ruthless

Very small amount of threads have serious connotation to them

Team Punishment · 04-03-2009, 06:13 PM

how old is she? what was her physical activity like before the operation?

were these bilateral done at the same time? were they total knee replacements or unicompartmental?

paul0616 · 04-03-2009, 10:54 PM

>> I thought to start the thread by having the question of why is it that she has such a hard time with balance still? She was reaching over the bathroom counter for toothpaste and almost fell

I read somewhere that an artificial knee involves a loss of nerve tissue that provides balance feedback, so that may be part of it. Artificial knees also depend on a quality bond with the bone, and if there are issues, that could cause pain. And finally, there could be substantial loss of muscle mass / strength. Maybe a stationary bicycle/ treadmill would help, done several times per day.