5 Tips to Optimize Knee Replacement Recovery Time

What to know about recovering from total knee replacement surgery.

Total knee replacement is a common surgery, with more than 790,000 performed every year in the United States. Also common is the fear that patients have about the recovery time for total knee replacement surgery. Many worry about the pain they will experience; others are concerned they won’t return to regular activities.

Fear is common and understandable because all surgery can be daunting, says Nathanael Heckmann, MD, an orthopedic surgeon with USC Orthopaedic Surgery, part of Keck Medicine of USC. But if you are considering total knee replacement, there are some things patients can do to make their recovery as smooth as possible.

1. Stay active

One way to ensure a smooth recovery from total knee replacement surgery is to be in good shape before the procedure. Dr. Heckmann recommends to patients that they remain as active as possible and, if they are able, to maintain mobility in the joint by stretching.

“We don’t want people to be sedentary before surgery and encourage them to stay active if it is possible,” says Dr. Heckmann, noting that this can accelerate recovery by making it easier to mobilize after surgery.

2. Optimize your health

People considering total knee replacement should work with their primary care doctor to optimize their health prior to surgery. For example, people with poorly controlled diabetes are at increased risk of developing an infection after surgery.

“Getting an infection in the knee after knee replacement surgery is a challenging problem,” says Dr. Heckmann. “Preoperative optimization of a patient’s health is an important component of minimizing postoperative risk.”

3. Keep moving

Patients are able to walk immediately after knee replacement surgery. And while the initial phase of recovery generally involves resting, icing and elevating the knee, it is important to keep moving. The team at Keck Medicine recommends patients gradually increase walking as surgical pain and swelling diminish in the first two to three weeks.

“It can be counterproductive to be completely sedentary,” notes Dr. Heckmann, “because that can lead to complications such as bed sores and blood clots.”

4. Don’t skip physical therapy

Physical therapy is a critical component to having a successful outcome, says Dr. Heckmann. While the amount of time people need in physical therapy varies, patients need to adhere to the physical therapy regimen. However, it is essential that patients do exercises on their own.

5. Eat healthy foods and avoid restrictive diets

People who have had recent surgery need to take in more calories to promote healing and prevent complications such as infection. But many people do just the opposite, says Dr. Heckmann. “Pain medications can make patients constipated, leading to loss of appetite and causing people to eat less at a critical time when the body requires more calories to heal from the surgery.” Eating more, rather than less, and focusing on a healthy diet is a key component to having a successful recovery.

In the end, Dr. Heckmann says many patients have one common complaint after recovery from total knee replacement surgery — that they wish they had done it sooner. “Knee replacement surgery really does change people’s lives for the better,” he says.

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