Some readers have asked me about how long it takes to sleep in various positions after a total knee replacement. Well, for myself, it took a good two months before I could turn over onto my side. I still place a pillow between my legs and it eases any discomfort. Others might be different.
It’s still painful on my surgery leg, since I have nerve damage caused from the bone spurs I had prior to my surgery. That will always happen.
Filed under: recuperation | Tagged: knee surgery, recuperation, sleep positions, tkr, total knee replacement
There’s some intereting videos on modern knee replacement surgeries you can watch
knee replacement videos
Very enlightening. Especially the one by the doctor who demonstrates how the surgeries are done.
Warning – DO NOT PUT A PILLOW ANYWHERE NEAR YOUR KNEE FOR COMFORT AFTER A KNEE REPLACEMENT. I did this and it was one of the contributing factors to me having to get my knee manipulated under anaesthetic after 6 weeks (The doctor actually asked me if I was sleeping with a pillow around my knee for comfort and he said this should not be done!)
Hi Katy,
Sorry to hear about your knee manipulation. That has to be tough.
I agree with not using a pillow for the first three months after a tkr. It’s far too painful and ineffective. After that…
This just proves everyone is different. I have had no problem with using a pillow in various ways for my tkr recuperation (after the first three months) and it has been 19 months since my tkr.
Good luck!