The recovery that ensues after a knee replacement operation will be measured in months, but your rehabilitation program will change drastically as you progress through different stages of recovery. In an effort to help you understand what you’re in for and prepare you for each stage, we want to provide a general outlook as to what you can expect during the months that follow your knee replacement operation. Let’s dive into what you can expect at each stage of recovery after knee replacement surgery.
The Stages Of Recovery After Knee Replacement
Your knee replacement surgeon will provide you with a more specific recovery protocol based on your individual characteristics and goals, but here’s a look at a general recovery protocol that you can use as a guide.
- The Immediate Recovery Period (0-4 Weeks) – Let’s take a look at what many classify as the most uncomfortable stage of recovery after knee replacement, and that’s the initial recovery stage. During the first four weeks of recovery, you will be dealing with the most discomfort from the operation itself, and your body will be at its weakest while working to help tissues heal. Movement isn’t going to be comfortable, but it is vital to establishing range of motion, strength and overall function. Ice, elevation and pain medications can help manage discomfort during this stage. Focus – Your focus will be on limiting swelling and inflammation, while also beginning to get comfortable with basic physical therapy exercises to promote function and healing.
- Early Rehabilitation (4-8 Weeks) – After a couple of weeks, you’ll progress to the early rehabilitation stage of your recovery program. You’ll feel much more comfortable on your new knee, and while it certainly will still have a ways to go, you may find that you’re paying less attention to your new knee throughout the day. Pain and discomfort are less of an issue, but you’ll still find that in-clinic and home-based PT exercises will push you out of your comfort zone. Focus – During this stage, your focus will be on taking on more challenging physical therapy exercises and striving to take on more physical tasks during your day-to-day activities. Motion and controlled stress on your new knee will help it continue to gain functionality.
- Advanced Rehabilitation (8-12 Weeks) – For many, the advanced stage of recovery proves the most challenging. By now, you will have made the majority of your recovery following your procedure. Your knee should be feeling “good,” but we don’t want you to settle for good when great is on the table. You need to continue pushing yourself with more advanced physical therapy exercises, and your surgeon and physical therapy team will be there to guide you every step of the way. Don’t let all your work fall by the wayside because you’re tired of continuing to rehab your knee. The end is in sight, don’t give up now. Focus – Continue going to all PT appointments and commit to your home-based exercises to help push your recovery from good to great.
- End-Stage Rehabilitation – The final stage of knee replacement recovery will focus on helping you get back to all normal daily and physical activities. Your PT may give you some therapy exercises to pursue if you want to make it easier to maintain knee strength and function, but you shouldn’t need to continue coming into the clinic as you progress through this stage. Focus – Your focus will be on gradually returning to more labor-intensive daily activities or athletics that proved too daunting on your old knee. You can talk with your physical therapist about your specific goals so that your end stage rehabilitation plan can help you reach these individual targets.
Let Dr. Botero and his team set you up with a new knee and ensure you progress through each one of these stages during your recovery from knee replacement surgery. For more information, or for answers to specific questions you have about knee or hip replacement, reach out to Dr. Botero and his team today at (865) 558-4444.
