Soon after your surgery, you will begin to walk short distances in your hospital room and perform everyday activities. This early activity aids your recovery and helps your knee regain its strength and movement.
4 – 6 weeks after surgery
You would be able to walk for 10 minutes without any assisted devices within 4 – 6 weeks of the procedure.
Patients will develop swelling in the leg, and there may be some bruising or redness around the incision area one week after surgery. “These are normal findings,” Dr. Lyon assures. “There might be slight drainage from the incision, but resolving.”
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.
This is an example of bending and straightening the knee after surgery. Lifting of the leg usually takes 2-3 weeks to recover.
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.
Arrange for help
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.
You can expect some pain and swell for a few months after surgery. Improved surgical techniques and new technology, such as robotic arm-assisted technology, makes the knee replacement recovery process quicker and less painful.
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.
Week 1 Post-Op
Day 2: On the second day, after your surgery, you can expect to be able to walk better. Day 3: On the third you will be able to shower.
Supporting muscles and soft tissue can begin to atrophy due to nonuse and swelling. Increased strain can be put on the knee from improper movement. Range of motion can be diminished. The healing process can be slowed down due to lack of blood flow to the area.
The best sleeping position just after your surgery is sleeping on your back. You should make sure that your operative leg stays as straight as possible to avoid hypertension of the knee and keep proper blood flow to the surgery site. If you are sleeping on your back, put the pillow under your calf and knee.
The surgery itself depends on the type of knee operation. A total knee replacement, for example, will likely take between 2-3 hours. Whereas a partial knee replacement normally takes around an hour. Most knee surgeries take between 1-3 hours.
Spring and fall offer lots of daylight and fresh air. Your physical therapy is another reason to choose spring and fall for your knee surgery. Part of your therapy will be performing exercises indoors and outside, which will be more appealing when the temperature isn't too hot or cold.
Doctors do sometimes recommend that people under age 60 wait to undergo a knee replacement procedure, because these artificial joints typically last only about 15 to 20 years. If someone younger gets the procedure, it's likely that the joint will need to be replaced again down the line.
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.
It's understandable to be nervous about any surgery, but there is no need to fear a knee replacement. This common surgery can greatly improve your quality of life and is worth your time.
Kneeling is one of the movements that knee osteoarthritis can increase the difficulty of. So, many people want to know if they'll be able to kneel after their knee replacement surgery. For most patients, the answer is yes.
Tub/Shower
To make sure the surgical sites stay dry, cover the dressing with "Glad Press and Seal." Note: Your post-surgical dressing is water proof. Transfer into the tub from a seated position if possible, sitting on a shower chair or tub-transfer bench and then swinging your legs into the tub from a seated position.
Postoperative constipation, defined as no fully satisfying bowel movement within the first three postoperative days, is a common occurrence with some researchers estimating that between 41 and 85% of postoperative patients experience symptoms.
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.