Six months after your knee replacement Usually by the 6 month mark, you're about 90% recovered. 30 out of 100 patients at 6 months will say “My knee feels pretty normal like the other side,” while the other 70 will say, “It's still not quite a normal knee but it's substantially better than what I had before.”
If you have had a knee replacement and your knee still feels unnatural, this is perfectly normal. It's normal for you to feel this way as recovery from a total knee replacement takes time.
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.
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.
Overall, patient satisfaction after primary total knee arthroplasty was 81% in our study.
The 0.3% regret rate of our newest study is much smaller compared to other, common yet serious surgeries. Interestingly, knee replacement surgery has a dissatisfactory rate of 6-30%.
Dissatisfaction following TKA has often been reported as 20% or more, with a multitude of causes including sociodemographic, preoperative, and postoperative factors.
After knee replacement surgery, you can gradually resume normal activities and there are no permanent restrictions, as long as you stay within your comfort level and follow the guidance of your healthcare team.
Patients are usually able to walk without assistance within two weeks, and most patients can walk without a limp (or minimal limp) within two months. Most patients feel better than before surgery by 3 months, with some improvement out to 6 months.
Arthrofibrosis is another factor that can cause knee stiffness after knee replacement surgery. Mild arthrofibrosis can be corrected with intensive physical therapy, while more severe cases may require revision surgery.
Don't Overdo It
Signs of over-exercising include swelling of the entire leg and lingering pain that stretches into the evening or into the next day.
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.
Your knee replacement surgeon will select the implant that best fits your needs. The weight of the prosthesis will be more than the weight of the bone that is removed. The weight will vary according to your size, but in general may weigh one to two pounds. You will not notice the weight in your knee.
In traditional knee replacement surgery, the surgeon makes a long incision over the middle of the knee and cuts muscles, tendons and ligaments to get to the knee joint. When more tissues, muscles and tendons are cut during surgery, the recovery is more painful and the healing process takes longer.
Even though you will be able to resume most activities, you may want to avoid doing things that place excessive stress on your "new" knee, such as participating in high-impact activities like jumping, jogging, or skiing.
Knee Replacement Surgery
If the painful osteoarthritic knee has reasonable degree of knee bending prior to surgery (say up to 130 degrees of bending), than it may be possible for the patient to squat after surgery.
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.
The biggest challenge in the early recovery of a TKR (up to 3 months postoperative) is the regaining of knee motion.
Disadvantages. Possible disadvantages of knee replacement surgery can include replacement joints wearing out over time, difficulties with some movements and numbness. We now know that knee replacements aren't so likely to be effective in the early stages of arthritis.
It is important to work on your knee motion (bending and straightening) after knee replacement surgery. This will help you walk without a limp and get up and down easier from a chair, toilet or bed. You will be able to do this by: doing knee bending and straightening stretches as directed by your therapist.
Knee joint arthritis causes pain, decreased range of motion, and mobility limitation. Knee replacement reduces pain effectively. However, people with knee replacement have decreases in muscle strength (“force-generating capacity”) of the involved leg and difficulties with walking and other physical activities.
Most people have much less pain after knee replacement surgery and are able to return to many of their activities. But as with any surgery, there are some risks, including: Lack of good range of motion. After surgery, some people can't bend their knee far enough to do their daily activities, even after several weeks.
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.