By Dr. Aashish Chaudhry, Sr. Consultant & Head, Orthopaedics & Joint Replacement, Aakash Healthcare Super Specialty Hospital, New Delhi
Knee replacement surgery has provided remarkable results as a highly effective solution for repairing the knee and restoring its function for people of all ages. Older adults suffering from pain, swelling and stiffness that impacts their quality of life and stops them from doing their routine tasks are candidates for knee replacement. The good news is, older adults are relatively at a lower risk from the surgery.
Knowing what to expect after surgery and understanding post-op home care is vital to a speedy and full recovery. The first few weeks will take planning recovery at home and you’ll probably feel fully recovered after a period of 4 to 6 months. Read on to understand better what to expect during the knee replacement recovery time.
Recovering from knee replacement starts as soon as you wake up from surgery. You are assisted to stand up the same day and after spending couple of days in the hospital, you are likely to be discharged with a physical therapy plan – either at home or to a rehab center. Total knee replacement recovery time for older adults is around ten to twelve weeks.
What to expect between week 1 to 3
In this first stage after knee replacement, you may experience some degree of pain and may have difficulty to stand or move while showering, dressing, or during physical therapy exercises.
During this period, you may need some help with your daily activities. Also, you are likely to need a walker or crutches to walk around. You may need to take help of a friend or a family member to run errands or drive you to appointments. In addition, try to take a small walk every few hours during the day. Proper care and help from near and dear ones will help you sail through this time.
Recovery between weeks 4 to 6
Within four to six weeks of knee replacement, you are likely to notice considerable decrease in swelling along with a significant increase in movement ability. Plus, you need to continue working with a physical therapist during 4 to 6 weeks following surgery to increase your range of motion and build muscles around the knee. Furthermore, your stitches and staples should be out by now and you can immerse your leg fully in a pool or a tub of water giving you a sense of feeling more like yourself again. You can also ask your doctor the possibility of switching to over-the-counter painkillers.
This period would involve significant improvement in your knee allowing you to bear more weight and bend your knee more easily than before. With the healing progressing well, your physical therapist will introduce more challenging exercises and you may begin practicing walking without support though you may still need support for driving or grocery shopping. However, it is advisable to consult with your healthcare provider or therapist before resuming activities like cycling, gardening or swimming. High-impact activities like jogging or tennis are still out of question during this period.
Weeks 7 to 12
By the time you enter this stage, things begin to look more normal. By now, you should be almost free from pain and should have achieved almost 100 percent range of motion in your knee. You should not only be able to walk on your own but should also be able to perform more challenging tasks like housekeeping, driving among others. However, as you begin to feel better, it may be tempting to let go off your physical therapy exercises, but remember that rehabilitation and exercises are crucial to regaining complete strength in your new knee. There’s always a risk of reinjury to your new knee if you do not allow it enough time and effort to heal fully.
So, continue with your physical therapy exercises alongside your routine activities to help your knee become stronger and regain full motion.
Follow-Up Care
Proper follow-up is important during the first 12 months after your surgery. Your doctor will schedule regular follow-ups to check how you are doing. At the end of 12 months, if all is well, you will probably won’t see your doctor again till next year.
During your entire recovery period, it is important to follow your doctor’s and physical therapist’s directions to help you sail smoothly without going too fast or too slowly. It’s good to know that over 90% of knee replacements are still working 15 years after surgery.
