Knee replacement surgery is usually needed when the knee joint is worn or damaged to the extent that your mobility is reduced and you experience pain even while resting. It is a highly successful operation that can bring relief from pain and improve your mobility.

It is important to have realistic expectations when it comes to your recovery. The new knee will not function to the same level or be as flexible as your original knee so some activities may be very difficult to return to. However, it is important to stay active in order to maintain strength, flexibility, and endurance in the long term.

The National Joint Registry in the UK has looked at patient feedback before and after this surgery. Feedback from patients like you showed that most patients were more than satisfied with their operation, and over 70% of patients reported they were much better

At this point in your recovery, you’ve likely been able to resume some of your day-to-day activities, and you’re finding things like moving around the house or even going for a stroll to be less painful than they were before surgery. That being said, you’re unlikely to be without any pain or stiffness at this point. You may have just started walking without your crutches. Even though the last 6 weeks have been hard, it is still early in your recovery, and you have a lot of progress yet to make!

Recovery from a knee replacement is a long process that should result in steady improvement in how you are feeling over many months, today you’re feeling much better than you were 6 weeks ago, just after surgery. You’re also not feeling as good as you will in 3 months’ time, once you’ve built up even more strength and flexibility in your new knee. We’re only human, and it is natural to feel impatient. We want to feel great now, thank you very much!

Most people who have knee replacement surgery notice less knee pain and a better ability to perform common daily activities. However, it is important to remember that knee replacement will not allow you to do more than you could before you developed arthritis. In the majority of patient the knee replacement lasts about 20 years for 80% of patients. Over time, the plastic implant may start to wear out and the implants may start to loosen. For this reason, your surgeon may recommend you avoid high impact sport such as running and jumping and continue doing exercises that keep your thigh muscles strengthened. Examples of such exercises include cycling and swimming and regular walking.

Below is a list of things you can do in the long-term to preserve your knee:

Full recovery can take up to two years as scar tissue heals and your muscles are restored by exercise.

“Knee Replacement – Recovery.” NHS Choices, National Health Service, 25 July 2016. Accessed 22 May 2020 - Click here

“Public and Patient Guide to the NJR’s Annual Report 2019. Accessed 22 May 2020 - Click here

Knee Replacement surgery: Versus Arthritis. Accessed 22 May 2020 - Click here