Knee replacement surgery is super common in the U.S., with about 800,000 surgeries happening every year. Most patients hope it’ll ease their pain and let them be more active.
But sometimes, things don’t go as planned. after surgery, some people face unexpected challenges. In this article, we’ll talk about the five common mistakes patients make after knee replacement surgery. So, if you’ve had the surgery or are thinking about it, let’s chat about how to avoid these mistakes!”
Now, we will discuss the “Top 5 Mistakes After Knee Replacement” that patients can make following knee replacement surgery.
What is knee replacement surgery?
Knee replacement surgery is a medical procedure performed to alleviate pain and improve mobility in individuals with severe knee joint damage.
By this procedure orthopedic surgeon remove the damaged cartilage and bone and replace them with artificial joint components. That component can be made of plastic, mental or ceramic materials.
When is knee replacement surgery indicated?
Knee replacement surgery is often suggested for people dealing with problems like osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, or knee injuries that affect their daily life.
You might consider knee replacement surgery if –
• Your knee hurts a lot, swells, and feels stiff, making it hard to move around.
• The pain is so bad that it affects your life and sleep.
• Simple things like shopping or getting out of the bath are really hard or even impossible to do.
Top 5 most common mistakes after knee replacement surgery
1. Not Ready for After-Surgery Limits
Having knee replacement surgery is a significant step towards improving your quality of life, but it’s crucial to be ready for the challenges that come afterward. One common mistake people make is not being adequately prepared for the limitations they might face after the surgery.
After having knee replacement surgery,
• It’s very common to feel a pain and find it hard to move around normally for about 3 to 6 months.
• Driving won’t be possible for at least 6 weeks following the surgery, and you might face challenges with stair climbing initially.
• Climbing stairs could be a challenge at first
• Swelling and bruises are common
• Your leg muscles may feel weaker
• Stiffness in the knee is expected
• Sleep disturbances can occur due to discomfort
• You may feel worried or frustrated
It’s important to have a plan for how you’ll handle this time and you will deal with challenges you face after knee replacement surgery. This involves simple things like.
How can you effectively prepare for, and manage limitations after knee replacement surgery
Chart a Plan
Figure out the daily stuff you might need help with.
Start by listing the tasks you think you’ll need a hand with during your recovery.
Create a Helpful Space
Check out your home and make it easy to get around. Put important things where you can reach them easily so you don’t have to move too much.
Follow Rehabilitation steps and Guidelines
Follow the exercises your doctor gives you. Each one helps you get better, so make sure you do them all.
Expect Limited Mobility
Be ready for possible difficulties moving around, especially in the first few weeks after surgery. If your healthcare provider suggests it, consider using tools like crutches or a walker to help you get around.
Stay Connected with Your Healthcare Team
Keep talking to your healthcare provider. Share any worries or difficulties you encounter as you recover. And take a consultation if needed.
Prioritize Rest and Recovery
Give your body enough rest for effective healing. Don’t push too hard, and pay attention to what your body is telling you to avoid overdoing it.
2. Forgetting Pain Meds and not using available pain management techniques
After knee replacement surgery, it’s important to take your medication as prescribed by Doctor. This helps manage inflammation and keeps pain under control, and also prevents secondary infection, which is key for your recovery.
After knee replacement surgery, your doctor prescribe medications such as:
Medicinal Management
Antibiotics
To avoid infection, particularly in the early days following surgery, it’s essential. Follow your doctor’s guidance attentively to prevent infection and promote a smooth recovery.
Pain relievers (analgesics)
To decrease pain and discomfort after surgery, simply follow your doctor’s advice. Take the prescribed medications as directed, find comfortable resting positions, and engage in activities that support your overall well-being (i.e. physiotherapy), during recovery.
Always ensure you communicate openly with your healthcare team about any pain you may experience so they can tailor their recommendations to your needs and ensure a more comfortable healing process.
Anti-inflammatory drugs
To minimize swelling and inflammation near the surgical area, it’s important as swelling may increase pain and discomfort. Follow your doctor’s guidance to effectively manage and reduce swelling around the surgical site for a smoother recovery.
Blood thinners
To prevent blood clots(thrombosis), a common concern after joint surgeries. Clots can travel to other parts of your body, leading to serious issues like lung problems(pulmonary embolism), stroke, or even heart attack. It’s essential to follow your doctor’s advice on preventing and managing blood clots to ensure a safe recovery.
Stool softeners or laxatives
To prevent constipation caused by pain medications and possibly due to bed rest, make sure to support regular bowel movements. Drink more water, include fiber-rich foods in your diet, and stay physically active as your doctor adviced. If you face ongoing or severe constipation, talk to your healthcare provider for advice on effective remedies or adjustments to your medication.
Doctors use various pain management techniques to help you deal with your pain, including
• Applying ice on surgical site
• Adjusting your position
• Elevating the affected area
• Integrative/alternative therapies
• Pain medications
Non Medicinal Pain Management techniques
Make sure to follow their advice and communicate any pain concerns for personalized care and a smoother recovery experience.
Ice Therapy
Put ice packs in a towel and place them on your knee for 15-20 minutes, 3-4 times a day or whenever you feel like you need it.
Elevation
Raise your knee above your heart to reduce swelling.
Compression Socks
Wear compression socks on your treated knee for gentle pressure. It helps with circulation and reduces swelling.
Physical Therapy
Do the exercises your doctor suggested. They’re like a workout for your muscles, making them stronger and helping you move better during your recovery.
Massage Therapy
Give a gentle massage to your knee to feel more relaxed, that makes you feel more at ease and improve blood flow.
Acupuncture
Discuss with your doctor if you want to do acupuncture. If they say it’s okay, it could be a helpful alternative therapy
Relaxation Techniques
Try doing things like taking slow, deep breaths, meditating, and being mindful. It can help you relax and feel better, especially after knee replacement surgery.
3. Skipping Movement and Rehab
(Being inactive and failing to adhere to the exercise plan prescribed by the physical therapist.)
Doing physical therapy and exercises is really important for making your knee strong, flexible, and working well again. If you skip these sessions or don’t do the exercises your doctor gave you, your muscles can get weak, your knee might not move as well, and it could be harder to do things. So, it’s crucial to be a part of your rehab plan and do your exercises to get the best results.
Skipping the exercises your physical therapist suggests can slow down your recovery and make things harder. Your physical therapist creates a plan with specific exercises to help your knee get stronger and move better. If you don’t do these exercises, your muscles can get weak, your knee might not move as well, and it could be uncomfortable. So, it’s really important to stick to your rehab plan and do the exercises your therapist recommends to make sure you get the best results and feel better.
4. Doing Too Much, Too Early
Trying to do a lot too quickly can be a problem, especially for younger, more active people who really want to get back to all their usual activities.
If you push yourself too hard, your knee might hurt a lot, and you won’t be able to do your exercises for a day or even a few days. We call this the boom-bust cycle. If you do too much when you’re feeling good, you end up having to rest because you’ve overworked your knee. A good guideline is that any pain and swelling after exercising should go away quickly, within an hour or two, so you can do your exercises multiple times a day.
5. Not having a plan for what to do after knee surgery
A successful recovery needs careful planning. Make sure you have people to support you, arrange transportation for your follow-up appointments, and make changes at home to help you heal better. If you don’t, it could slow down your progress.
• The reality of knee replacement surgery
Knee replacement surgery can bring great relief from persistent knee pain and improve your life, letting you feel much better than before.. It will give you a significant releif from pain and discomfort and inflammation. However, it’s important to keep in mind that full recovery isn’t a quick process, It won’t happen overnight or in 1-2 days, Be patient, as it takes time to gain the full benefits of knee replacement surgery. You’ll likely feel better within a few weeks to a few months, but it could take up to a year to feel your absolute best.
While the surgery can make a tremendous difference in how well you move, your knee might not feel exactly like it did before arthritis, However, you will no longer experience stiffness, swelling and pain.
Causes of pain after knee replacement surgery
Early (First few weeks to months)
Pain and discomfort are expected following surgery due to tissue inflammation and wound healing, because surgeon make cuts the tissues and tendons for surgery and in first few days it will cause pain. Don’t worry It’s a normal healing process.
Infection
Although it’s uncommon, and doctor already give you antibiotics for infection prophylaxis, but it is a serious complication that can cause pain, redness, swelling, and fever, and this infection may cause problems to other parts of the body.i.e septicaemia.
Blood clots
Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) can occur in the legs, pulmonary embolism can occur in lung, that cause pain, swelling, and redness and breathlessness.
Stiffness
Scar tissue formation can lead to limited range of motion and pain, to reduce the stiffness you have to consult a physical therapist and do a physiotherapy.
Due to improper tracking or alignment, pain and Discomfort may feel around the kneecap.
Nerve injury
during surgery, if Damage occurs to nerves, that also can cause pain, numbness, or tingling.
Later (Months to years)
Over time, the implant (replacement part) may loosen from the bone, which can cause some discomfort and instability.
• Doing activities that put a lot of pressure on the replacement could lead to small cracks around it, especially if it’s a high-impact activity. That why doctor adviced you to Avoid high impact activities.
• As time goes on, the materials in the replacement might Wear and tear. That can lead to inflammation and pain.
• Rarely, some individuals might have an allergic reaction to the implant materials.
• Even though the new joint might feel good, the pain from arthritis in other joints can persist.
• Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS): A chronic pain condition that can develop after surgery, causing burning, swelling, and other symptoms.
home care after knee replacement surgery
• When you’re dressing up after knee surgery, Take a comfortable seat for stability. Use handy tools like a reacher, a long shoehorn, and stretchy shoe laces. Start by putting on pants, socks, or pantyhose on the leg that had the surgery. And when it’s time to undress, take off clothes from the surgery side last.
• Sitting down properly is significant for your healing process. Don’t sit for too long, and keep those feet and knees straight. Pick a sturdy chair with a straight back and armrests. When getting up, slide to the chair’s edge and use the arms, your walker, or crutches for support.
• For bath time, think about using a special tub seat or a sturdy plastic chair. Toss a rubber mat in the tub, be careful not to bend or reach too much, and grab a reacher if you need something. And if the shower controls are a stretch, get someone to help you out.
• Stairs need some attention too. Lead with the leg that didn’t have surgery when going up and with the surgical leg when going down. Grab onto the banister for a bit of extra support, and for now, keep it to shorter flights of stairs, paraphrase this in simple language like giving advice to someone
• When it’s time to lie down, it’s exercise time for your knee. Skip the pillow behind your knee and keep it straight when you rest or elevate your leg.
• Getting in and out of a car needs a little extra care. Get in from street level, turn around, and let the back of your knee touch the seat. Break up long car rides, do some ankle pumps, and take pain medicine before the ride home. And when it’s time to get out, turn your body, lean forward, and let your crutches or walker help you stand up.
• When you’re out for a stroll, stick with crutches or a walker until your provider gives the green light, usually around 4 to 6 weeks after surgery. Only put the weight on your knee that they recommend. Take it easy on turns, wear shoes with good grip, and save the flip-flops for later to keep things safe.
best sitting position after knee replacement
After knee replacement surgery(when you get a new knees), you need to sit in a way that supports your recovery and avoids complications.
In the first few days, you should focus on comfort and pain management. Recline and elevate your leg to ease pain and swelling. Don’t sit in same position for too long and get up frequently to move and stretch. Your therapist will guide you on the appropriate knee bend depending upon your progress.
In the next few weeks, sit straight in a firm chair with good back support and armrests. Keep your knees bent at a right angle or 110 degree and your feet flat on the floor. Avoid full extension or full flexion. And elevate your leg while sitting to reduce swelling frequently or as needed.
After six months, you can sit in most positions, but still maintain good posture and avoid sitting for too long. Follow your therapist’s advice on the best knee bend for your progress. Choose a position that is comfortable for you and use pillows or cushions as needed. Choose a best position that significantly minimize your pain. You might need to experiment with different chairs types and different positions to find out what work best for you.
Dangers and risks of delaying knee replacement surgery
If you wait too long to get a new knee(knee replacement), you can face many problems and risks. Here are some of them:
– More pain and less movement
Your arthritis gets worse: The more you wait, the more your knee wears out, making you feel more pain, stiffness, and trouble doing everyday things.
Your knee can’t move well: Your knee gets swollen and scarred, that decreases range of motion, and making it harder to move and bend.
Your muscles get weak: If you don’t treat your pain, your legs get weaker and you have trouble walking.
– Other health issues
You can fall more easily: Your knee is not stable and strong as there is damage in tissue, tendon and bones, so you can fall and hurt yourself badly.
You can depend on pain medicine: damaged knee cause pain and you have to take pain killer Medicine for the same. Taking pain medicine for a long time can irritate your gut, damage kidney and can harm overall health.
You can worsen your other health problems: If you can’t move much, lack of movement can be harmful for your heart, blood sugar, and mood.
– Surgery and recovery problems
Your surgery can be harder: If your arthritis is very bad, your surgery can be more complicated, longer, and riskier, that’s why your doctor advice you to do ASAP whenever needed.
Your recovery can take longer: Your knee takes more time to heal if you delay your indicated surgery, so you have to wait longer to get back to normal.
Your surgery can be less successful: If you delay your surgery, you can lose some of the benefits and chances of a good outcome.
– Mental and social problems
Your life can be less enjoyable: If you have constant pain and can’t move well due to stiffness and deformity, you can’t do the things you like, and you can feel lonely and sad.
Your mental health can suffer: Pain and limitations can make you feel irritate, anxious and depressed.
Your independence can be affected: You can need help from others for daily things, and that can make you feel bad about yourself.
permanent restrictions after knee replacement
Some things you should avoid or be careful with after getting a new knee are
• Sports that make you run, jump, or hit hard: These can hurt your new knee and make it loose or broken. You should not do these, but you can do other things like walking, swimming, or easy exercises.
• Sitting or kneeling with your knee bent a lot: This might be hard or painful for you, depending on what kind of new knee you have and how well you are healing. Ask your doctor about this.
• Picking up heavy things: Too much weight can put pressure on your knee and new knee, so you might not be able to lift heavy things or you might need to change how you do it.
Frequently asked questions
after knee replacement can you run?
Running after knee replacement surgery is generally not recommended, especially if you run fast or hard. A new knee can make you move better and feel less pain, but it’s Essential to listen to your doctor and therapist about what you can do after the surgery.
running after a full knee replacement is possible, but not very common. Only about 1 out of 10 runners ran again after getting a new knee(knee replacement surgery). The normal advice is to wait at least 4-6 months after getting a new knee to try running. But there is a chance of hurting your new knee or yourself if you run too soon or too much. Hence always consult your doctor about guidance on post-surgery activities.
what to do if you fall after knee replacement surgery?
First of all Don’t panic, check carefully if you have pain, bleeding, swelling, or deformity in your surgical knee. If you have any of these problems, call your doctor or 911 immediately.
If you don’t have any serious problems, try to get up slowly. Use your hands and your other leg to help you to get up. Do not put any pressure on your surgical knee. Look for something close by for support like a chair, sofa, or railing to help you stand up.
Once you are up, examine your surgical knee again. If your knee seems fine, you can Back to your normal activities. But you should still be careful and not do anything that may make you fall again. You should also exercise as your doctor adviced for healing. They may tell you to use a cane, crutches, or walker to keep your balance, and to do some exercises to make your knee stronger and less stiff.
After examination if you notice any changes in the appearance or function of your knee, like pain, stiffness, or wobbliness, consult your doctor as you may need to get an X-ray or other tests to see if your new knee or bones are hurt.
worst day after knee replacement
Many people who has been go through this say the third day after getting a new knee is the hardest day of the healing process. As the anesthesia has completely worn off by this point, you become fully alert and conscious of the post-surgical pain and discomfort.y. You may also experience increased physical activity, sleep deprivation, and side effects of pain medication, which can worsen your pain, soreness, and fatigue.
after knee replacement when can i walk?
walking is crucial for getting better after knee replacement surgery.
Here are some simple guidelines about when you can walk after the surgery.
• Day 1: You can walk upto a few steps with an assistive device, such as a walker, crutches, or cane, with the help of a nurse or physical therapist.
•First 3 weeks: You can walk often with your assistive device. You can also do some exercises to improve your knee flexibility and strength.
• Weeks 4-6: You can be able to walk 10 minutes or more at a time without any assistive device or support. You can also continue to do your exercises as adviced by your Doctor.
• Weeks 7-12: You can be able to walk several blocks at a time and resume some of your hobbies, such as swimming and cycling. You can also keep doing your exercises and physical therapy to reach reach your goals.
• After 12 weeks: You can be able to walk normally and enjoy your daily activities. You can also maintain your knee health by staying active, physiotherapy and avoiding excessive stress on your joint.
• Walking after knee replacement can be safe and enjoyable, but it requires patience and caution. And it helps in healing process.
after knee replacement when can you drive?
• If you had surgery on your left knee, you may be able to drive after 2-3 weeks. This is because the left leg is used less while driving, and you may have less pain and stiffness in your knee.
• If you had surgery on your right knee, you may need to wait 6-8 weeks before driving. This is because the right leg is used more while driving, and you may have more difficulty with braking and accelerating.
• Before you start driving, you should make sure that you can sit comfortably in the driver’s seat, bend and straighten your knee without pain, and press the pedals with enough force and control.
• You should also check with your doctor and physical therapist to get their clearance and recommendations for driving. They may advise you to avoid driving long distances, driving in heavy traffic, or driving at night until you are fully recovered.
• You should also practice driving in a safe and familiar area before taking longer or more challenging trips. You should avoid driving if you are taking pain medication that may impair your judgment or reaction time.
after knee replacement can you kneel?
Yes, you can kneel after knee replacement surgery. it is possible and safe, but it might hurt or uncomfortable for some people. Kneeling will not damage or break your new knee(artificial joint), but it might make your knee sore or tight.
Kneeling after partial knee replacement may be easier and faster than after total knee replacement, as partial knee replacement is less invasive and preserves more of the natural knee structure. However, partial knee replacement is not suitable for everyone and may have a higher risk of revision surgery in the future.
Kneeling after knee replacement may require some practice and training, as it may feel different or awkward at first. It is advisable to start with a soft surface, such as a pillow or a cushion, and to use an assistive device, such as a chair or a railing, to help with balance and stability. It is also important to listen to one’s body and avoid pushing too hard or too soon.
why is there so much pain after knee replacement?
There are several possible causes of pain after knee replacement surgery, such as
• Infection
• loosening of the implant
• kneecap problems
• alignment problems
• nerve damage
• metal allergies
• Pain after knee replacement surgery is not normal and should not be ignored. Consult your doctor if feel pain , as you deserve to have a pain-free and functional knee.
what helps nerve pain after knee replacement?
Here are some ways to make your nerve pain better after knee replacement surgery:
Take pain medicine that you can buy without a prescription, like ibuprofen or acetaminophen, to make the pain and swelling go down.
Put ice on the sore area for 15 to 20 minutes a few times a day to make the pain go away and lower the swelling.
Do exercises that your physical therapist teaches you to make your knee muscles stronger and more flexible, which can help to take some of the stress off of the nerves.
Use a TENS machine, which is a device that gives small electric shocks to your skin, to make the nerves feel better and stop the pain messages.
Put creams or patches on your skin that have lidocaine or capsaicin in them, to make the pain go away or feel warm and less painful.
Talk to your doctor or surgeon about other things that they can do, like nerve blocks, injections, or small surgeries, to fix the nerve damage or make the pain less.
what is the most commonly reported problem after knee replacement surgery?
knee stiffness is the most commonly reported problem after knee replacement surgery. This can cause difficulty with activities that require a lot of bending, such as going down stairs, sitting in a chair, or getting out of a car. Knee stiffness can be managed with physical therapy, pain medication, and sometimes minor surgical intervention.
