The most important aspect of having a total knee replacement is the recovery. In most cases, it will take up to 12 weeks for recovery and rehab. But you don’t need to worry about the three months of rehab. You only need to take it one day at a time to ensure you get the best results possible.
The most important part of your recovery process is knowing what to do and when to do it. This will help you set goals for your healing. Here’s an easy chat that you can follow from right after the surgery.
Day 1
You will still be at the hospital. On this day, a physical therapist will help you stand up and walk. You will use a walker, crutch, or canes. You will need assistance changing the bandage, bathing, using the toilet, and even dressing. A nurse will help you with this.
You will use a Continuous Passive Motion (CPM) machine that will slowly and gently move the joint to prevent stiffness and build-up of scar tissue.
Discharge Day
You will probably be at the hospital for about three days, depending on the complexity of the surgery. Sometimes it can be longer. Each day, you will have to complete some physical exercise, which will determine how fast you can leave the hospital.
On discharge day, you should note improved knee strength. You can increase your exercise and other activities. Your doctor might prescribe lower pain medication as your knee improves.
Week 3
After discharge, you can head home, but we would recommend going to a nursing care facility, especially if you don’t have any qualified professional to take care of you at home. The pain and risk of complications might have significantly lowered. But it would be best if you still had professional care, including physical therapists and nurses, and we can offer you all of that.
To facilitate your healing process, you might still require a CPM machine. In case you need additional equipment to facilitate the healing process, they are readily available at our facilities.
With our professional help, you should walk for about 10 minutes, but it might still be difficult to bend the knee due to pain and swelling.
Week 4 – 6
Within the first month of your replacement surgery, you should notice a significant improvement if you keep up with the exercise and rehab schedule. Using physical therapy, the range of motion and strength in your knee should have improved significantly.
Week 7 – 11
By the 11th week, your mobility and range of motion will have improved significantly. The strength in your knee and the surrounding muscles will have gotten better. But you will still need to exercise. A physical therapist will help you modify the exercises to improve the strength in your knee.
Week 12
You will need to keep doing exercises. While you can stand up and walk with minimal assistance, you need to avoid high impact activities. These could damage the knee and the surrounding tissue. The pain will have subsided, and you can start taking up new activities like golf, cycling, and dancing.
At Midlands Care, we offer nursing care facilities to patients who are recovering from knee replacement. We have all the equipment you need to assist in your rehab and a team of professionals that will help you through every step of the way.
Our team of nurses will help you make the most of your stay with us. During your stay, you can catch up with your favourite sports, and we have other activities that you might learn. With our community as your support structure, your knee replacement recovery will be faster and smoother.