The majority of patients expect to be able to kneel after TKR,2,4,5 however, these expectations are frequently not met,1,6 with between 50% and 80% of patients reporting that they have difficulty kneeling or do not kneel in the months and years after TKR.
Patients who have had a total knee replacement are allowed to do kneeling only after six months if they are comfortable. Kneeling may never be completely comfortable but should become easier as the knee regains maximum potential.
There is no evidence that kneeling is harmful to your knee replacement. Some people are afraid of damaging the implant, but kneeling actually puts no more stress on your implants than the activities listed above.
In general, avoid sports that require jerking, twisting, pulling, or running. You should be able to do lower-impact activities, such as hiking, gardening, swimming, playing tennis, and golfing.
That said, knee replacement surgery involves very few long-term limitations for patients. Besides high-impact sports, long-distance running and some work-specific activities, you should be able to resume your life with the freedom to participate in a broad range of activities after knee replacement surgery.
After your knee replacement surgery, it is important to remember that you should not cross your legs at any time.
Studies that have asked patients why they have difficulty kneeling have found that the reasons are multifactorial, including knee pain/discomfort, numbness, fear of harming the prosthesis, co-morbidities and recommendations from health professionals.
The biggest challenge in the early recovery of a TKR (up to 3 months postoperative) is the regaining of knee motion. We will send a physical therapist to your house to help you with the walking, knee exercises, and gentle manipulation of the knee.
Sleeping on the side can be painful because the leg is not straight enough. However, gradually, you can start sleeping on your side as the knee heals. But avoid sleeping on the operative side at all costs, as it puts a lot of pressure on the surgery site.
Within 7 to 10 days after your knee replacement, you should be able to get your knee entirely straight/full extension (Fig. 1) (no space between the back of your knee and the table) and you should be able to bend/flex your knee to at least 90 degrees (Fig. 2). 90 degrees is the same thing as a right angle.
A total knee replacement patient is typically looking at a one year recovery period for things to fully settle down. I should stress that doesn't mean you'll be living with constant pain for a year. But the occasional twinge or moment of discomfort could well last 12 months. Occasionally it could be two years.
In this cohort, 68% of knees could kneel after TKA without any specific training. Of those who had at least some difficulty kneeling, pain in the knee was the most common reason. Of these patients, 81% could kneel with a simple home program.
Walking. Proper walking is the best way to help your knee recover. At first, you will walk with a walker or crutches. Your surgeon or therapist will tell you how much weight to put on your leg.
Researchers recorded the stress placed on knees during downhill walking, they found it to be quite high. For downhill hikes after total knee replacement surgery, they suggest walking slowly to reduce the burden on the knee joint.
Pain is to be expected after the initial knee replacement, but it should not be severe. The first few days after surgery should include the highest level of pain, but your doctor will send you home with pain medication adequate for your pain level.
You're not alone. Having an orthopedic surgery can leave you feeling tired for weeks or months after the procedure. Here's a list of 7 main causes of fatigue after surgery: surgical stress, blood loss, medications, pain after surgery, energy of healing, dietary changes, and sleep disturbance.
One of the most common problems people experience after knee replacement is a stiff knee joint. 1 This can cause difficulty with activities that require a lot of bending, including going down stairs, sitting in a chair, or getting out of a car.
Any discomfort or difficulty on kneeling is quite likely to be the result of not having enough flexibility at the knee or enough lower body strength to move down in a controlled manner.
Urinary tract infection: Infection to your urinary tract can occur after having surgery. Symptoms include burning and frequent urination, as well as blood in your urine. Fever and weakness may also occur. Report any of these signs to your doctor.
Can I squat or kneel? Half squats for exercise are acceptable. Deep squatting is neither usually possible nor desirable after a knee replacement. Kneeling is not harmful but may not be comfortable.
Answer: Immediately after surgery you will learn to climb stairs safely using crutches. As recovery continues and you work on flexion and extension of the new knee, you will be able to climb without crutches. With the help of physical therapy and building up the quadriceps muscles, stair climbing will be a breeze.