Total Knee Replacement
Recovery and Rehabilitation
Once your arrive on the ward, a team of nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and doctors, will help you recover from your operation.
My Pain
You can expect to have pain in the operation site. You will have either:
- An injection into your spine – an epidural - which may be connected to a fine tube and a pump which sends painkiller into your spine. This can cause headache and soreness at the injection.
- A patient controlled analgesia which, when you press a button, releases a painkiller into your IV drip. This can cause nausea and vomiting, sleepiness, and/ or trouble emptying your bladder. These pain-killing devices will stay in for 24 – 48 hours depending on the amount of pain you have.
My Food
You may have a drip in your arm, this will be removed by the second day after your operation. To begin with, you can have small sips of water, then slowly take more until you are eating normally.
My Wound
Your wound will be a cut about 20 to 30 cms down the front of your leg from above to below the knee and will be closed with either stitches or clips. The stitches or clips will stay in for 10 to 14 days. A dressing will cover the cut and you will have a drain to drain any blood and fluid from the wound into a small bag. This is removed 24 to 48 hours after operation – or once the drainage has stopped. You can shower 1 or 2 days after surgery. A waterproof dressing will be put on over the top. Your dressings will be changed as ordered by the surgeon. You may go home with a dressing covering your wound until your stitches or clips are removed. Continue to keep your wound clean and protected until healed and no seepage is present.
My lungs and blood supply
It is very important after surgery that you move as soon as possible. Pump your feet backwards and forwards and bend and straighten your non- operated leg at the knee. This prevents blood clots forming in your legs and possibly travelling to your lungs. This can be fatal. You will be shown which of your pre–operation exercises to continue after surgery. You will start walking the second day after surgery with the use of walking aids. You will be told when you can put your full weight on your new knee. Also, you need to take ten deep breaths every hour, to prevent secretions in the lungs becoming stagnant. If this happens, you may develop a chest infection. At all costs, avoid smoking after surgery as this increases your risk of chest infection.
My Exercises
You will feel tired for a few weeks after surgery. You need to take things easy and return to normal duties, as you feel able to. It takes about 3 months to recover. You will be given exercises to do for a month after your surgery. You will also be shown how to safely climb stairs, shower, dress and toilet yourself.
There are a number of movements to avoid:
- Avoid jumping - even from low surfaces.
- Avoid sudden jolts to the leg (e.g. stepping off kerbs).
- Avoid gaining weight, which puts extra stress on your joint.
- Keep to low - key activities at work and at recreation.
- Avoid kneeling on your new knee joint.
- Be careful in slippery, cluttered or uneven areas so that you don't fall.xiii You will be told about these before you go home.
Looking after my knee joint
Joint replacements can become infected at any time after the surgery from the first postoperative day to many years down the line.
You can take the following steps to help prevent infection:
- Take antibiotics before dental or any medical procedure.
- See your doctor to treat all suspected urinary tract infections.
- Look for signs of infection in the knee including pain, redness, swelling or increased warmth.
- Your new joint replacement may trigger airport metal detector alarms. We will give you a certificate that verifies that you had a knee replacement.
- Keep in mind that you need to protect your knee replacement to ensure a long lasting, successful result. Follow all instructions concerning any activity restrictions.