​What to Expect with Surgery

You may be asked to arrive at the hospital about two hours before your scheduled surgery. During this time, you will review and sign required paperwork. The nurses will take you to your room and get you prepared.¹

Preparing for Surgery

On the day of your surgery, you will see your surgeon prior to the procedure to discuss any additional questions you have and to ensure the surgical consent forms are completed. At this time, the surgeon will mark the operative leg. Learn more about how our PERSONALIZED KNEE can be an optimal option for you.² ​Be sure to talk to your doctor about the risks of knee replacement including, but not limited to, the possibility of infection, loosening, breakage or failure, any of which could require additional surgery.

​

Getting Help with Recovery


Having someone to count on during the initial days after surgery is important. At the very least, you’ll need help with meals, going places, and perhaps even with tasks like grooming and dressing.³

Anesthesia Options​


You’ll discuss the options of a spinal or general anesthesia with the anesthesiologist prior to surgery. The option that’s best for you may be dependent on your medical history and your surgeon’s preference. It is typical to be given sedative medication prior to entering the operating room; this often makes it difficult to remember details on the day of surgery.¹

Surgery Time​


Depending on the complexity of the procedure, the operative time may vary, but on average takes one to two hours to complete. Most patients spend one to two hours in the recovery room depending on how quickly you awaken from anesthesia.¹

Pain Management ​

Some pain is to be expected after knee replacement surgery. This will be managed with pain medication.¹ More and more physicians are using non-opioid medications either in addition to or to replace opioids after surgery. These medications might include pain relievers such as acetaminophen, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs), or even medications that treat neuropathic (nerve) pain. Pain is real.⁴ Talk to your surgeon about ways to manage pain after surgery. Always contact your surgeon if your pain is not manageable.

Time in Hospital​


Following surgery, you may return home the same day or remain in the hospital for one to three days, depending on the recovery plan your surgeon decides is best for you. Recovery time varies, but many patients can drive after two weeks and return to moderate activity after three to four weeks. Your surgeon will guide you on when and what activities you can return to and what activities to avoid.⁵

Rehab after Surgery​


Expect a physical therapist (PT) to visit you once or twice on the day of surgery. He or she will help you go for a walk and go up and down stairs, if appropriate. If you need an assistive device like a cane, crutches, or a walker, your PT will teach you how to use it.⁶ If your doctor prescribes the mymobility® app for you, you can also expect personalized messaging, educational content, and support throughout your rehabilitation process.⁷

Early Walking​

As early as the day of surgery, many patients will begin putting full weight on their knee. It will be uncomfortable at first and should gradually improve as the muscles and tissues around the knee heal and get stronger.³

Physical Therapy


In addition to walking as soon as possible after surgery, your surgeon and/or PT will give you specific exercises as part of a rehabilitation exercise program. These exercises will change over time. For instance, within the first several days post-surgery, exercises will focus on reducing swelling, controlling pain, healing tissues, and improving range of motion.⁶ If your doctor prescribes the mymobility® app for you, you might receive video-guided exercise tutorials that you can perform in the comfort of your own home while your surgeon and care team track your progress remotely.⁷

Showering​


You should be able to shower within a few days of surgery. Your surgeon will notify you when it’s safe to remove your bandage. You’ll likely be advised to steer clear of hot tubs and pools until your incision is nicely healed in about three to six weeks.⁸

Pain Relief​

To stay on top of your pain, be sure to take all your medications as prescribed, take pain medication before you do your exercises or go to your physical therapy appointments, and stay active. You can also apply ice (not directly on your skin) to the healing joint for up to 20 minutes at a time or as recommended by your surgeon.⁶ If your doctor has prescribed you the mymobility® app, you can communicate directly with your surgeon and care team through the mymobility® application with any immediate concerns before your next appointment.⁷ It's also important that you speak with your surgeon right away if you notice any signs or symptoms of complications.⁶

Walking Assistance​


Most patients use a walker for two weeks and then a cane for two weeks. On average, patients have stopped using their cane by 4 weeks and are able to walk around their house, a grocery store, or neighborhood by themselves with minimal to no limp.⁸ If your doctor prescribes the mymobility® app for you, our proprietary WalkAI™ Patient Progress feature (available on most smart phones) tracks your walking speed, provides you with a predicted 90-day post-op walking speed, and sends you encouraging status updates to help you know if you are on track with your recovery compared to patients like you.⁷

​

Incision Care​


Once any sutures or staples have been removed, a gentle massage with one to two fingers on the tissues near the incision can help reduce scar tissue formation and can also relieve mild soreness around the incision. Wear a bandage over the incision when you are wearing tight or irritating garments to help prevent uncomfortable friction.⁹​

Healthy Diet​

Additionally, adopting a healthy diet that promotes anti-inflammation can help manage healing and pain. Your surgeon may suggest that you avoid sugar and heavily refined foods, and eat plenty of healthy fats, veggies and fruits, and quality protein.⁶ Talk to your doctor about which foods are right for you.

Range of Motion

The primary goal after surgery is to regain your knee range of motion (ROM). Most patients find this to be the most challenging aspect of knee replacement surgery. This generally requires six to eight weeks of physical therapy and aims to improve your strength, balance, and joint mobility.¹⁰ If your doctor prescribes the mymobility® app for you, you will receive personalized exercises aimed at strengthening or improving the movement of your affected joint, to help optimize your recovery.⁷

Back to Work​


Patients with sedentary or office jobs may be able to return to work fairly quickly - sometimes in a matter of weeks.  Others with more physically demanding jobs will take longer.⁸

Driving​


If you’re wondering when you can drive again, it really depends on your specific surgery. The most important thing about driving is that you feel comfortable behind the wheel and operating the pedals. This typically means you’ll need to be off any narcotics. It also depends on which knee was replaced and whether your vehicle is an automatic or manual transmission. As a general rule, it could be anywhere from two to six weeks before your doctor clears you to drive again.⁸

Gentle Activity​


After about 3 months (depending on your personal health and situation), many patients are able to tolerate most low-impact activities.⁶ Many surgeons allow lower impact activities such as walking, golf, swimming, and bicycling. Before attempting any new activities, talk to your surgeon to see if they feel you are ready​.⁸

Sports​


In many cases, successful knee replacement surgery will relieve your pain and stiffness, and allow you to resume many of your normal daily activities. But even after you have fully recovered from surgery, you may have some restrictions. Normal daily activities do not typically include high-impact sports such as jogging, basketball, racquetball, gymnastics, or activities that put excessive strain on your knee joints.³

Recovery Pace​


Every patient recovers at a different rate and responds to surgery and pain differently. The key to recovery is to focus on the daily and weekly improvements during the first two to three months after surgery.¹⁰ If your doctor prescribes the mymobility® app for you, you will receive personalized progress reports & notifications to help keep you on track during your recovery.⁷ Additionally, the proprietary WalkAI™ Patient Progress feature (available on most smart phones) tracks your walking speed & allows your surgeon to benchmark your progress against others with similar characteristics (e.g., age, height, weight, etc.) so you know how you are recovering to patients like you.¹¹