Submitted By John Hur M.D.
04.06.2009

One of the most important orthopedic surgical advances of the twentieth century is knee replacement. Since its creation, many improvements in surgical materials and techniques have significantly improved the procedure’s effectiveness.  As a result, approximately 300,000 knee replacements are performed each year in the United States.

Unfortunately, there are several common misconceptions associated with knee replacement surgery.  The most common is the belief that the procedure will allow you to become a super athlete or do more than you could before you developed a knee injury or arthritis. I can tell you that this won’t occur. However, for those individuals that choose to undergo knee replacement surgery, 90 percent will experience a dramatic reduction of knee pain and a significant improvement in their ability to perform common everyday physical activities.

To improve upon your recovery results, your orthopedic surgeon will advise you to avoid certain activities such as lifting heavy objects, jogging or participating in high-impact sports – for the rest of your life.  He may also ask you to adhere to following guidelines:

• Follow your surgeon’s and physical therapist’s instructions carefully.  Doing so will improve your long term recovery.

• Keep up with your exercises. By closely following the directions of your physical therapist, the better your chances are for a successful recovery.

• Engage in lower stress activities. Try activities such as golfing, hiking, walking or swimming. These activities place less stress on your knees.

• Manage your pain as directed.  Be sure to take pain medications as prescribed by your doctor.  If the medication is not relieving your pain, speak with your doctor about other pain management options.

• Control swelling. Place ice cubes in a sealable plastic bag, wrap it in a towel and place it on your knee.  By reducing the swelling, you will help to reduce pain and improve circulation and range of motion.

• Rest.  It’s important to get plenty of sleep to help your knee heal.  You will want to minimize keeping the leg down (standing or sitting) too long during the first few weeks as it will cause increased swelling in the knee during this healing process.  When sitting try to keep the leg propped up.   

Following your surgery, you should conduct a yearly check up with your orthopedic surgeon.  Your surgeon will monitor for wear and tear, and other potential future complications. Remember, excessive activity or weight may accelerate the normal wear of your knee replacement, and cause it to loosen and become painful. With appropriate activity modification, a patient’s knee replacement could last for many years and hopefully for life!