Your Journey
What to expect during the admission to hospital for your knee replacement:
Day of surgery and recovery.
Usually arrive at the hospital at 0730 having not had anything to eat from midnight the night before. You cannot have an anaesthetic if you have eaten anything up to 6 hours before the procedure. You are allowed to drink clear fluids up to 2 hours before the anaesthetic.
You will be seen by myself and the anaesthetist at around 0800. We will let you know at this stage exactly when you are likely to go to theatre.
The operation usually takes about 1-2hrs. You will go to the recovery room immediately after the operation before returning to your room. We then aim to keep you as comfortable as possible for the rest of the day. If your procedure was performed in the morning, then it is likely that you may be reviewed by a physiotherapist that afternoon with a view to getting you walking on the day of surgery.
Day 1 post knee replacement.
A physiotherapist will see you and start your exercise regime. You will be helped out of bed and encouraged to sit in a chair and take all the weight through the new knee. The physio will assess what walking aids are required at this point to help you mobilise safely.
In the early post-operative period it is important to keep various muscle groups working whilst in bed. You will be encouraged to perform deep breathing exercises. You will also be encouraged to keep paddling your feet to keep the blood flowing around the body.
You will require a blood test to check your haemoglobin levels and ensure your kidneys are functioning normally. You will also have a check X-ray of the new knee.
If you meet all your physiotherapy goals then you may be discharged on day 1.
Day 2 post knee replacement.
You will be seen by a physio again to continue your exercise regime and increase the distance you walk. By this time, we aim for you to be walking to the bathroom and back with the help of a walking aid and for you to be able to transfer yourself from a bed to chair.
Plans will be put in place to ensure a safe discharge. A district nurse at your GP surgery will be contacted to check on your wound and remove your stable 10-14 days after the operation.
Your GP will receive a letter from the surgeon detailing the operation that was performed and the treatment you received.
Post-operative physiotherapy classes will be arranged for you and these commence 4-6 weeks after the procedure. It is important to continue with exercises at home in the meantime though.
I would usually aim to see you in clinic at about 6 weeks after the operation to ensure satisfactory progress is being made.
Return to driving.
I usually say to my patients that they can return to driving at 6 weeks after the operation. The bottom line is that you’ve got to be safe to fully control the car, including emergency stops.
Return to exercise.
This will be guided by your physiotherapist in outpatients. Light cycling, ideally on a static bike, is a good form of exercise initially, helping both with strength and range of motion.
Do not go swimming until your wounds are fully healed and you are safe to walk to/ from the poolside and enter/exit the pool. If you choose to swim use a straight leg kick action to begin with, as breast stroke may aggravate your knee.
Discuss with your physio return to sport or use of weights.
Return to work.
This will be dependent on your type of employment. If you have a sedentary job, then 4-6 weeks would be reasonable. More demanding physical jobs may require 3 months of rehab before it’s safe to return.
Long term expectations.
A knee replacement is a big operation, and it does take some time to recover. The swelling around the knee can last for several months and patients feel improvements in their knee up to a year after the surgery.
