What is the recovery typically like from a total knee replacement?

Takes effort: Most patients are hospitalized for 2-3 days for pain medication, antibiotics and physical therapy. Most patients then participate in outpatient physical therapy for 3-6 weeks. Patients will usually continue exercises after that for a few months.

Months & sore: A well installed total knee will really improve your knee pain once it recovers from the surgery. The recovery time varies for everyone. Most require 4-6 weeks before they are off walkers or canes. Pain is common for several months improving each week. Narcotics are used by some for a few weeks and a few months for others. Motion is stiff for many months but improves with consistent stretching.

3 months: It takes about 6 weeks to feel better than you did before surgery when walking and 3 months to return to all normal activities. I tell patients that it will be a year before you reach maximal improvement.