7 Things to Know About Knee Replacement Rehab

7 Things to Know About Knee Replacement Rehab

I’ve probably treated close to a thousand post-op knee replacements.

Here are the hard truths that people don’t always talk about

1. It takes a year to fully recover to 100%.  But it will get better every week.  At 3 months post-op you should feel about 80% and be able to do most things around the house.  Returning to recreational sports occurs between 3 - 12 months.

2. The Range of Motion does not get better on it’s own.  Your knee won’t loosen up by itself.  To prevent a frozen knee or a surgical manipulation, you have to do your range of motion exercises several times a day.  And you have to push yourself.  It’s your responsibility to prevent a frozen knee

3. Two, 40 minute sessions of Physical Therapy  is only 8% of your time.  What you do at home determines how well you recover much more than anything you do in physical therapy.

4. Many people can overdo it in the early phases with daily tasks (house cleaning, grocery shopping, cooking, walks, etc.).  An activity diary or activity pacing can help to prevent flaring up your knee.

5. A lot of weird things are normal for the first 3 - 6 months after surgery (i.e. clicking, popping, low-level swelling).  Most of it goes away with time.

6. Everything you do affects your pain and knee function.  Diet, sleep, hydration, activity levels, stress, etc.  It all matters.

7. Can’t go wrong getting strong.  Just because you don’t have pain doesn’t mean you are fully recovered.  Once you get past the initial rehab, it’s important to fully rehab your knee and get your full strength back.  This will protect the knee, increase the lifespan of the replacement, improve quality of life and allow you to safely return to recreational activities.