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How to Recover From Knee Replacement Surgery

There are many medical conditions that could lead to a damaged knee, such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, a knee deformity and avascular necrosis. If your damaged knee limits your mobility and you have severe pain, you may need to consider a total knee replacement. This procedure is also called a total knee arthroplasty. This surgery, in which your natural knee joint is replaced by an artificial one, can help relieve your pain. Talk to your surgeon about what to expect during and after the procedure.

Things You'll Need

  • Medication
  • Compression boots
  • Support hose
  • CPM
  • Crutches or walker
  • Ice
  • Antibiotics
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Instructions

  1. Hospital Recovery

    • 1

      Rest in your hospital room immediately following the surgery. The UCSF Medical Center suggests that you may need to stay in the hospital for three to four days before you are well enough to go home. In the hospital, your doctor will help you control your pain by administering medications.

    • 2

      Reduce the possibility of swelling and blood clots by moving and rotating your ankle and foot. This will increase your circulation. You may need to elevate your affected leg. Your doctor may also prescribe blood thinners if blood clots may be a problem for you. You may also need to wear compression boots or support hose for your circulation. If you do experience symptoms of a blood clot (such as warmth, redness or pain in your leg), call your doctor immediately.

    • 3

      Exercise your new knee in the hospital under the guidance of your physical therapist. She will show you specific exercises to help you regain control of your leg movement. You may work with her two times per day during your hospital stay. Your therapist may also have you use a continuous passive motion (CPM) machine. This machine moves your leg for you to aid in recovery.

    Recovery at Home

    • 4

      Arrange to have someone at home help you while you recover. While you are encouraged to mildly exercise to help your recovery, you may have problems doing everyday activities, such as cooking, cleaning and climbing the stairs. You may need assistance moving around your home with crutches or a walker. If you do not have someone at home to help care for you, your doctor will recommend staying at a rehabilitation center.

    • 5

      Follow your post-operation care instructions carefully when you return home. Your incision area needs to be clean and dry. Your doctor will give you specific instructions on how often to change the wound dressing. If the incision area turns red or has any fluid discharge, call your doctor immediately. You will be unable to bathe until your sutures are removed (about a week).

    • 6

      Increase your physical activity gradually. Staying active is key to a successful recovery, however don't push yourself too hard. Your physical therapist will continue to help you increase your range of movement. He'll prescribe exercises for you to do at home. You'll need to avoid high-impact activities (such as jogging or jumping rope).

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