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Recovery Time for Double Knee Replacement

With today's technology and advanced medicine, knee replacement is one of the most successful surgeries. More than 400,000 people yearly receive prosthetics in order to restore their quality of life and relieve pain. Knee replacement candidates are generally between the ages of 60 and 75, which makes double knee replacements more appealing than single knee replacements because there will be only one recovery period.

  1. The Surgery

    • Double knee replacement surgery is estimated to have an overall recovery time of two to three months, although preexisting health conditions and complications that may arise during surgery can increase the overall recovery period. This surgery consists of replacing the surfaces of each kneecap, both lower leg bones and the damaged portions of the thigh bones with plastic or metal, and then bonding the prosthetic material with medical grade cement to those bones.

    Hospital Recovery

    • While every person's recovery period will vary slightly, most patients who undergo double knee replacements are hospitalized for three to five days following the surgery for monitoring and physical therapy. Patients often bear weight on their new knee joints within 24 hours of the surgery. Once weight and pressure can be applied, the patient can begin light strengthening exercises to begin the physical therapy process.

    Physical Therapy

    • The patient must complete physical therapy classes before being discharged from the hospital. Exercises include climbing stairs, bending the knee joints to a 90-degree angle, sitting and standing from a chair and getting in and out of a car. Many patients will require crutches or walkers during the recovery period, and exercises vary depending on the patient, with consideration always given to overall health. Therapy sessions will continue until range of motion and strength in both knees are regained as much as possible.

    Home Recovery

    • Upon discharge from the hospital, the doctor or physical therapist will prescribe specific strengthening exercises that must be continued at home daily in order to return to performing daily activities and regain function of each knee. Physical fitness, existing health conditions and sore muscles may slow the strengthening and recovery process, but exercises should never be completely discontinued, as injury may occur and all strengthening progress may be lost---resulting in a longer, more painful recovery period.

    Post-Surgery Appointments

    • In addition to daily physical therapy exercises, you should visit your doctor periodically for several months after your surgery so he can monitor your overall recovery and progress. During these visits, your doctor can address your concerns or questions, or change your at-home strengthening exercises. After the two- to three-month period, more than 90 percent of patients regain significant strength, range of motion and overall functionality of each knee.

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