Knee Replacement Recovery: Mike's Advance7 Story
Mike massages Advance7 into both knees, and does his quad work every week.
Sore knees for years, then a full knee replacement: how Mike from Norwich got back on his feet
Mike C · Norwich
Mike C from Norwich put up with sore knees for years before his left knee was replaced altogether. The first few weeks afterwards were hard going, and he had to leave the knee well alone until the wound had healed. He tells us what got him through it, and what he does now to look after the knee he has still got.
Mike, tell us a little about yourself.
I am a Norwich man, born and bred. I have had trouble with my knees for years, both of them, the sort of steady soreness that you stop noticing you are working around. Stairs, getting up out of a chair, kneeling down to do anything, it all became a negotiation. I got on with it for a long time, the way you do.
You were using Advance7 before the operation?
I was, and it brought me a lot of relief. I would massage it into both knees of an evening, and it took the edge off enough that I could keep going. I will not pretend it was ever going to save that left knee, because it was worn out and no cream on earth was going to change that, but for a good while it kept me comfortable and it kept me moving.
What happened with the left knee?
It got to the point where the surgeon said there was nothing left to work with, and I had a full knee replacement. Not a partial one, the whole thing. I had the throbbing knee pain at night before the operation and I had it a good deal worse afterwards, and I would be lying if I said the first few weeks were anything other than rough. It is a big operation. There is a lot of trauma in there, all the ligaments and the soft tissue around the joint, and your body knows about it.
How was the recovery?
Hard for about four weeks. That was the honest low point, the pain, the swelling, the exercises they give you that hurt more than the injury. Then somewhere around the four week mark it began to calm down, and by five weeks or so the wound had healed over properly, and I started to feel like myself again. Everybody told me it would turn a corner, and I did not believe a word of it until it did.
When could you start using Advance7 on it again?
Not until the wound had fully healed, and that is the important bit. You cannot put anything on a surgical wound, so I left it well alone for those five weeks, and I checked with the team looking after me before I started again. Once it had properly closed, I began working the gel in around the knee, gently at first and then properly.
And did it help?
I believe it did, and I will say that as my own opinion rather than anybody else's. I spent a lot of time massaging that knee, and between the massage and the gel it felt as though everything settled and knitted back together quicker than I had been led to expect. The soreness eased, the stiffness eased, and the throbbing at night, which was the thing that really wore me down, calmed right off. I genuinely think it was a key part of my recovery. My own view, but I am in no doubt about it.
How is the other knee?
The surgeon was straight with me. He said the right knee is not the best knee he has ever seen, but it will do me for a long while yet if I look after it. So that is exactly what I do. I strengthen my legs, particularly the quad muscles at the front of the thigh, because the stronger they are the more of the load they take off the knee itself. I do that work every week without fail, and I keep using the Advance7 on it. Between the two, the right knee has stayed steady.
What would you say to someone facing the same operation?
It is worth having but go in with your eyes open. The first month is hard and nobody enjoys it. Do the exercises even when you hate them. Leave the wound completely alone until it is healed and ask the people looking after you before you put anything on it. Then get on with looking after both legs, not just the one that was done. For me Advance7 has been part of that the whole way through, before and after, and I would not be without it.
Mike's experience and his views on his own recovery are his own, and results vary from person to person. Advance7 is a massage gel and not a medical treatment. Never apply it to broken skin or to a surgical wound. If you have had an operation, always follow the advice of your surgeon and physiotherapist about when and how to use anything on the area.
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The quad muscles above the knee take load off the joint itself.
Frequently asked questions about knee replacement recovery
These are the questions we are asked most often about the weeks after a knee replacement. They are for general information only and are not a substitute for the advice of your own surgeon or physiotherapist.
How long does the pain last after a knee replacement?
It varies a great deal from person to person. Many people find the worst of it is in the first few weeks and that it begins to settle after about a month, as Mike found, with the stiffness and swelling taking longer still to go. Your surgical team will tell you what to expect in your own case.
Why do I get throbbing knee pain at night?
Throbbing knee pain at night is very common both before and after knee surgery. Lying still lets the joint stiffen, and swelling that has built up during the day often makes itself felt once you are off your feet. Gentle movement during the day, keeping the leg supported at night and following the advice you have been given all help.
What causes pain behind the knee when walking?
Pain behind the knee when walking is usually muscular or comes from the soft tissue at the back of the joint, and it can also follow a period of favouring the other leg. Persistent pain behind the knee, particularly with swelling in the calf, should be checked promptly.
When can I put a cream or gel on my knee after surgery?
Not until the wound has completely healed, and only after asking the team looking after you. Mike waited about five weeks and checked before he started. Nothing should ever go on broken skin or on a surgical wound.
Why is strengthening the quad muscles important for knee pain?
The quad muscles at the front of the thigh help support and control the knee, so the stronger they are the less work the joint itself has to do. Strengthening work is a standard part of both preparing for and recovering from knee surgery, and it is what Mike credits with keeping his other knee steady. A physiotherapist can set the right exercises for you.
Can Advance7 be used on the knee?
Knees are one of the most common things people tell us they use Advance7 for. As Mike describes, many people massage the gel into the area around the joint and take the capsules alongside it. On healed, unbroken skin only, and alongside the advice of your own doctor and physiotherapist.
