How bad is the pain from a total knee replacement usually?

Very: Let's be very honest, although there have been significant advances in how we manage the pain of a knee replacement postoperatively, the first few days to weeks involve a significant amount of pain. Utilizing pain catheters, injections around the knee during surgery, epidural catheters, and various medication combinations the pain is usually well controlled.

Depends: I tell my patients that their job rehabing the knee is much more difficult than my job replacing the joint. On a pain scale of 1-10 (with 7/10 being equivalent to pulling your teeth our without novocaine), we try to keep your post-op pain around 4/10. We usually use a cocktail of different pain meds to allow you to adequately perform your rehab regimen.

Total knee pain: Severe the first 2 days--lessened with spinal and femoral nerve block anesthesis, pain meds, joint cocktail, minimally invasive procedures. Much less pain after 1st 2 days. Trutthfully, the rehab is tough, so be prepared to work to get the best result.