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.
Initial pain after a total knee replacement typically lasts 2 to 4 weeks. You'll continue to have milder pain in the soft tissues around your knees as you heal. You may experience inflammation for 2 to 3 months and stiffness and soreness for up to 6 months. Expect to be fully recovered in 12 to18 months.
How Long Does It Take to Walk After a Full Knee Replacement? In most cases, patients can walk without help from assistive devices like crutches or a walker within six weeks after knee replacement surgery.
After surgery, some pain is normal. About 30 percent of patients experience moderate pain after a total knee replacement. However, if the pain lasts for several weeks following surgery, it may be a cause for concern.
Typically, knee replacement surgery hurts more than hip replacement surgery (sorry, knee people). After surgery, pain is no longer achy and arthritic but stems from wound healing, swelling and inflammation. Hip replacement patients often report little to no pain around the 2-6 week mark.
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. Most people fully recover from knee replacement surgery in about six months.
The first week after a total knee replacement can be the toughest time period of the entire recovery process.
Recovery is slow
While it's different for everyone and depends on the type of knee surgery you've had, many people are surprised by how long it takes to recover. The time it takes to start doing simple tasks around the home, get back to work and importantly bending your new and improved knee may catch you by surprise.
Loosening of the implant from the underlying bone can cause significant pain. Factors such as high-impact activities, excessive body weight, and general wear-and-tear of the plastic spacer between the two metal components of the implant can cause the implant to become loose.
Knee Stiffness
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.
TKA patients begin rehabilitation during the seven-day bedrest period, with the goals of decreasing swelling, increasing ROM, promoting normal leg control and promoting normal gait with an assistive device.
You shouldn't downhill ski or play contact sports such as football and soccer. 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.
Usually, about three weeks after the surgery, you'll be able to walk without crutches for about 10 minutes. Your physical therapist will push you to add more to your regimen. Generally, it takes about a year for everything to settle, the knee to regain its strength, and all normal activities to become possible again.
BRUISING and SWELLING are typical in the knee and whole leg region at this point after surgery. The bruising you notice in your knee area will resolve over the next weeks, but the leg swelling can persist in the next months and increase with activity. LOW GRADE FEVERS can be common at this point in your recovery.
The best way to sleep after knee surgery is on your back. This position makes it easy to keep your leg straight while sleeping, allowing proper blood flow to the surgery site. You can also prop your leg up using pillows while sleeping on your back.
A hip replacement is a much less painful operation. People are on crutches for a while, and then their hips feel normal. But it takes six months to a year to recover from total knee surgery, and even then, the knee just doesn't feel normal. Why the difference?
Acetaminophen: Normal Tylenol taken at doses recommended by your doctor can help with pain relief and have a much lower risk of future addiction. Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs): NSAIDs are a great option for non-narcotic pain medications, such as ibuprofen (Motrin) and naproxen (Aleve).
You may still be experiencing some minor stiffness in your knee. You may have some aching or swelling in your knee, especially after sitting for long periods or upon waking. You should be able to walk without a cane or walker. Your sleeping pattern should be back to normal.
Many patients ask this question when considering TKR and the consensus is that the spring and early fall are the best seasons. You'll want to wear as little clothing as possible during your recovery because it makes cleaning the wound and moving around easier.
A 2014 study enlisted an independent survey center to interview individuals after knee replacement surgery. While 90% were satisfied with the function of their new knee, about one-third reported that their knee did not feel “normal.” Up to one half reported at least some continued symptoms or trouble with function.
Guidelines after Total Knee Replacement surgery
By the time you have left the hospital/rehab facility, you should be able to get in-out of bed by yourself, walk with the cane, and go up and down stairs. The biggest challenge in the early recovery of a TKR (up to 3 months postoperative) is the regaining of knee motion.
It would be most helpful to have someone living with or near you for the first 3-5 days. This is very important for your safety and health that you have around-the-clock care. If you have pets, especially dogs, consider boarding them for a few days.
It is still possible to have arthritis after knee replacement surgery. However, people who need the surgery are less likely to experience pain from arthritis after they recover from the procedure.