Adam C. Young, MD
Alan C. League, MD
Albert Knuth, MD
Alejandra Rodriguez-Paez, MD
Alexander E. Michalow, MD
Alexander Gordon, MD
Alexander J. Tauchen, MD
Alexander M. Crespo, MD
Alfonso Bello, MD
Ami Kothari, MD
Amy Jo Ptaszek, MD
Anand Vora, MD
Andrea S. Kramer, MD
Andrew J. Riff, MD
Angela R. Crowley, MD
Angelo Savino, MD
Anthony Savino, MD
Anuj S. Puppala, MD
Ari Kaz, MD
Ashraf H. Darwish, MD
Ashraf Hasan, MD
Bradley Dworsky, MD
Brian Clay, MD
Brian J. Burgess, DPM
Brian R. McCall, MD
Brian Schwartz, MD
Brian Weatherford, MD
Brooke Vanderby, MD
Bruce E. Noxon, DPM, FACFAS, FAPWCA
Bruce Summerville, MD
Bryan Waxman, MD
Bryant S. Ho, MD
Carey E. Ellis, MD
Carla Gamez, DPM
Cary R. Templin, MD
Charles L. Lettvin, MD
Charles M. Lieder, DO
Chinyoung Park, MD
Christ Pavlatos, MD
Christian Skjong, MD
Christopher C. Mahr, MD
Christopher J. Bergin, MD
Craig Cummins, MD
Craig Phillips, MD
Craig S. Williams, MD
Craig Westin, MD
Daniel M. Dean, MD
David Beigler, MD
David Guelich, MD
David H. Garelick, MD
David Hamming, MD
David Hoffman, MD
David M. Anderson, MD
David Raab, MD
David Schneider, DO
Djuro Petkovic, MD
Douglas Diekevers, DPM
Douglas Solway, DPM
E. Quinn Regan, MD
Eddie Jones Jr., MD
Edward J. Logue, MD
Ellis K. Nam, MD
Eric Chehab, MD
Eric L. Lee, MD
Evan A. Dougherty, MD
Garo Emerzian, DPM
Gary Shapiro, MD
Giridhar Burra, MD
Gregory Brebach, MD
Gregory J. Fahrenbach, MD
Gregory Portland, MD
Harpreet S. Basran, MD
Holly L. Brockman, MD
Inbar Kirson, MD, FACOG, Diplomate ABOM
Jacob M. Babu, MD, MHA
Jalaal Shah, DO
James M. Hill, MD
James R. Bresch, MD
Jason G. Hurbanek, MD
Jason Ghodasra, MD
Jason J. Shrouder-Henry, MD
Jeffrey Ackerman, MD
Jeffrey Goldstein, MD
Jeffrey Staron, MD
Jeffrey Visotsky, MD
Jeremy Oryhon, MD
Jing Liang, MD
John H. Lyon, MD
Jonathan Erulkar, MD
Jordan L. Goldstein, MD
Josephine H. Mo, MD
Juan Santiago-Palma, MD
Justin Gent, MD
Justin M. LaReau, MD
Kellie Gates, MD
Kermit Muhammad, MD
Kevin Chen, MD
Kris Alden MD, PhD
Leah R. Urbanosky, MD
Leigh-Anne Tu, MD
Leon Benson, MD
Lori Siegel, MD
Lynn Gettleman Chehab, MD, MPH, Diplomate ABOM
Marc Angerame, MD
Marc Breslow, MD
Marc R. Fajardo, MD
Marie Kirincic, MD
Mark Gonzalez, MD
Mark Gross, MD
Mark Hamming, MD
Mark Mikhael, MD
Matthew L. Jimenez, MD
Mehul H. Garala, MD
Michael C. Durkin, MD
Michael Chiu, MD
Michael J. Corcoran, MD
Michael O'Rourke, MD
Nathan G. Wetters, MD
Nikhil K. Chokshi, MD
Paul L. Goodman, DPM, FACFAS, FAPWCA
Peter Hoepfner, MD
Peter Thadani, MD
Phillip Ludkowski, MD
Priyesh Patel, MD
Rajeev D. Puri, MD
Rhutav Parikh, MD
Richard J. Hayek, MD
Richard Noren, MD
Richard Sherman, MD
Ritesh Shah, MD
Robert J. Thorsness, MD
Roger Chams, MD
Ronak M. Patel, MD
Scott Jacobsen, DPM
Sean A. Sutphen, DO
Serafin DeLeon, MD
Shivani Batra, DO
Stanford Tack, MD
Steven C. Chudik, MD
Steven J. Fineberg, MD
Steven Jasonowicz, DPM
Steven M. Mardjetko, MD
Steven S. Louis, MD
Steven W. Miller, DPM
Surbhi Panchal, MD
T. Andrew Ehmke, DO
Taizoon Baxamusa, MD
Teresa Sosenko, MD
Theodore Fisher, MD
Thomas Gleason, MD
Timothy J. Friedrich, DPM
Todd R. Rimington, MD
Todd Simmons, MD
Tom Antkowiak, MD, MS
Tomas Nemickas, MD
Van Stamos, MD
Vidya Ramanavarapu, MD
Wayne M. Goldstein, MD
Wesley E. Choy, MD
William P. Mosenthal, MD
William Vitello, MD

Knee Replacement Recovery: What to Expect After Knee Surgery

IBJI

August 10, 2021  |  Blog

If you’re considering knee replacement, you may be wondering what happens after surgery, during your knee replacement recovery period. Following your recovery plan and your doctor’s orders will make a big impact on the outcome of your surgery.

Keep reading to learn more about what to expect during the surgery recovery process and what you can do to help your body heal.

How Will I Feel During Knee Replacement Recovery?

For the human knee to function normally, three conditions need to be fulfilled: it should be pain-free, stable, and have a full range of motion. Certain diseases, like osteoarthritis, can lead to functional disorders in the knee, manifested by pain and instability.

Knee replacement surgery, also known as knee arthroplasty, can help relieve the common causes of knee pain, increase stability, and improve mobility.

In the last decade, there has been a lot of progress in this kind of surgery, and knee replacement recovery times are faster than ever.

Most people who have total knee replacement surgery will experience reduced pain, increased range of motion, and greater stability. Overall, the improvements after surgery increase the quality of life as many patients can walk without crutches or walkers.

How Long Does the Healing Process Take?

Immediately after surgery, there will be some general swelling from the surgery and some pain from the actual procedure. It is essential to use your walker or crutches until your physician says you no longer need them.

After four to six weeks, most people can resume normal day-to-day activities, including walking, driving, and doing light chores around the house. Your knee replacement recovery time will be dependent on your situation and if you consistently follow your physical therapy plan.

Will I Need Physical Therapy After Surgery?

Physical therapy is almost always recommended for knee replacement surgery patients to help them have a fuller and faster recovery. The exercises will help strengthen your knee and other muscles in your leg required to gain a full range of motion and maintain stability.

Some patients stop physical therapy once they feel ready to do regular day-to-day activities, but it’s essential to see your knee replacement recovery plan all the way through for the best results.

As soon as you start feeling pain, it is necessary to begin with analgesia. The same goes for the application of pain medication that you usually use.

The risks of arthroscopic knee surgery today are minimal. Most patients enjoy an increased quality of life due to decreased pain and increased mobility. After four to six weeks, most people can walk with assistance from crutches or a walker, but must continue physical therapy until recovery is complete.

Trust IBJI When You Need Knee Replacement Surgery

Move better and live better during knee replacement recovery with help from IBJI’s highly-trained knee surgeons, physical therapists, and orthopedic specialists.

We are experts in knee replacement surgery. Our practice has 150 physicians at 100 locations in the Chicagoland area, with expertise in surgical and non-surgical treatments for chronic knee pain and other orthopedic specialties.

Request an Appointment

Last updated in May 2022.

*This blog post is for general information and educational purposes only regarding musculoskeletal conditions. The information provided doesn’t constitute the practice of medicine or other healthcare professional services, including giving medical advice, and no doctor-patient relationship is formed. Readers with musculoskeletal conditions should seek the advice of their healthcare professionals without delay for any condition they have. The use of the information is at the reader’s own risk. The content isn’t intended to replace your treating healthcare professional’s diagnosis, treatment, or medical advice.

Get the Ultimate Guide to Finding Knee Pain Relief

IBJI

Illinois Bone & Joint Institute (IBJI) is the largest independent physician-owned orthopedic practice in Illinois. IBJI is dedicated to providing accessible, compassionate, and comprehensive care to your family for every orthopedic specialty with leading-edge technology and innovative treatment options.

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