It is important to gradually increase your out-of-home activity during the first few weeks after surgery. If you do too much activity, your knee may become more swollen and painful.
Placing too much strain on the healing knee can create post-operative pain and swelling. Board certified orthopedic surgeons will explain everything about the procedure, including how far to walk following a knee replacement.
After surgery, it Is possible to do too much! You need to give your body time to heal. There is a delicate balance here because we do want you to move. Severe pain or swelling are signs that you are doing too much.
Your surgeon and physical therapist will help to set goals as you progress through rehabilitation. It is important to avoid overworking or straining the knee during the recovery period.
Your orthopaedic surgeon and physical therapist may recommend that you exercise for 20 to 30 minutes daily, or even 2 to 3 times daily; and walk for 30 minutes, 2 to 3 times daily during your early recovery.
Risks specific to knee replacement include infection (which may result in the need for more surgery), nerve injury, the possibility that the knee may become either too stiff or too unstable to enjoy it, a chance that pain might persist (or new pains might arise), and the chance that the joint replacement might not last ...
Balancing movement with getting enough rest is necessary to heal from knee replacement surgery. For the first few months, you may have some mild-to-moderate swelling of the affected knee. Getting the appropriate rest and keeping your leg elevated, as well as applying ice, can help boost healing time.
This is normal during the early stages of recovery, as the knee experiences swelling which causes temporary stiffness. This should begin to subside within the first month or so after the operation; if it continues to feel stiff or if the stiffness gets worse, contact your surgeon.
The biggest challenge in the early recovery of a TKR (up to 3 months postoperative) is the regaining of knee motion.
Can you sleep on your side after knee replacement surgery? You can, but it's wise not to do so until at least a few weeks after surgery, when you can start bending your knee. Make sure you lay on your non-operative side. Sleeping this way makes sure no pressure falls on the knee you had surgery on.
The first two to three weeks post-op is generally the time patients feel most discouraged due to the pain. It's hard to get up from a chair, it's difficult going up and down stairs, you're moving slowly and you have to use a walker because you have no strength or balance.
Timeline for Knee Replacement Surgery Recovery
Most patients are able to care for themselves and resume normal daily activities within 6 weeks and drive within 3 to 6 weeks. Knee Replacement. Mayo Clinic. http://www.mayoclinic.com.
Around the 6 week mark, once your physician gives you the greenlight, you may be able to return to sleeping in your preferred position (such as on your stomach or surgical side). Until then, stick to these positions.
Many patients with a loose knee replacement complain of reduced range of motion. That means that they can not fully bend or flex the knee. This is typically due to excessive fluid and a malfunctioning knee joint.
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.
Recliners and sofas are not recommended after your knee or hip replacement because they are not supportive, difficult to get out of and can limit range of motion. Straight back chairs with arm rests are suggested for safety.
The most common type of artificial knee prosthesis is a cemented prosthesis. Uncemented prostheses are not commonly used anymore. A cemented prosthesis attaches to the bone with surgical cement. An uncemented prosthesis attaches to the bone with a porous surface onto which the bone grows to attach to the prosthesis.
While outpatient therapy may end after about four months post-surgery, Luppino tells his patients they should keep doing their prescribed exercise program two or three times a week until at least eight or 10 months post-op.
Nerve pain – The surgical incision that is made through the skin and underlying layers to get into the knee joint also cuts through small nerves that pass through these tissues. Commonly this leaves the outer aspect of the knee feeling a bit numb or tingly after surgery, or a feeling of a “tight band” around the knee.
Furthermore, with the advent of joint prostheses coated with hydroxyapatite, which work by promoting primary bone formation to fill the gap between the prosthesis and the host bone, the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs may be counterproductive.
Post-surgery, massage therapists should defer to guidance from the orthopedic or physical therapy teams regarding when to begin massage near the affected joint—often about six weeks after surgery. Until that time arrives, it's best to focus massage efforts away from the site.
Tip #1: Avoid Sitting With Your Knee Bent Or Cross-Legged
To give your knees relief, limit the amount of time you spend with your knees bent or crossed. Try to have them straight whenever possible. If you have to sit with your knees crossed or bent, limit it to 20 minutes at a time before getting up and moving around.
Here's why: Deep tissue massage when administered a few weeks post-surgery can help relieve the swelling and promote relaxation. Itcan help calm muscle spasm responses and can support the flow of blood supply to the area to promote healing, reduce swelling andturn the volume down on pain.
Over-the-counter medications — such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) and naproxen sodium (Aleve) — may help ease knee pain. Some people find relief by rubbing the affected knee with creams containing a numbing agent, such as lidocaine, or capsaicin, the substance that makes chili peppers hot.
Loosening or Instability
If your bone fails to grow onto the components or the cement loosens over time, your joint will feel painful, unstable, or loose.