Recovery of Knee replacement

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The day after surgery is usually spent in bed recovering. Pain will be controlled by local anaesthetic nerve blocks and pain killers.

A physiotherapist will oversee and monitor all progress and explain knee exercises that will aid recovery.

The physiotherapist may also use a CPM (continuous passive motion) machine to assist in recovering the range of movement in the knee. After a day or two, walking with a frame or crutches is encouraged. Gradually these are often replaced with sticks. Most people will be walking independently with sticks after approximately a week.

The wound is left covered, and needs to be regularly dressed with bandages until it heals over.

Depending on progress most people will leave hospital after a week to ten days. Walking with sticks until at least the hospital follow-up appointment is advised. The physiotherapist will recommend how to exercise the knees frequently and advise that frequent short walks are taken to help the circulation.

Normal leisure activities are possible, depending on progress, between one and three months after the operation.

A new techinique is now available in a few hospitals which reduces the incision needed to only 10-12cm long, rather than the usual 20-30cm. This involves less damage to thigh muscles, enabling people to recover faster and leave hospital sooner. This should be available nationwide by the end of 2004.