The timing of your knee replacement is more important than you may realize. If you wait too long, you might be putting yourself at risk of additional health complications and decreased mobility. The leading cause of knee replacement is osteoarthritis. If you wait too long to have surgery, you put yourself at risk of experiencing an increasing deformity of the knee joint. As your condition worsens, your body may have to compensate by placing additional strain on other parts of the body like your other knee.
This could lead to stress or pain in the back, knee, or other parts of the body. One of the best indicators of expected motion after surgery is your mobility before the knee replacement. If you wait until your knee pain renders you immobile, you reduce your chances of getting full mobility back after the joint replacement.
Additionally, chronic pain can affect other aspects of your life. This could lead to health problems, weight gain, depression, or an overall reduced quality of life.
If your activity levels drop due to chronic pain or you find yourself wheelchair-bound as a result of osteoarthritis, the muscles in your legs may begin to deteriorate. A complete knee replacement — more correctly, a resurfacing — places metal pieces to recreate the surface of the joint, with a plastic separator in between and possibly a plastic resurfacing of the inside of the kneecap patella.
How do you know if you need a knee replacement in the first place? Most people who undergo a knee replacement have either osteoarthritis, the wear-and-tear type of arthritis; rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune condition that causes joint pain and damage; or post-injury arthritis. But at some point, they may not be enough. This can make you a candidate for a total knee replacement, he says. How long you stay after surgery depends on your individual needs.
Many people can go home that same day. Medications prescribed by your doctor should help control pain. You'll be encouraged to move your foot and ankle, which increases blood flow to your leg muscles and helps prevent swelling and blood clots. You'll likely receive blood thinners and wear support hose or compression boots to further protect against swelling and clotting. You'll be asked to do frequent breathing exercises and gradually increase your activity level.
A physical therapist will show you how to exercise your new knee. After you leave the hospital, you'll continue physical therapy at home or at a center. Do your exercises regularly, as instructed. For the best recovery, follow all of your care team's instructions concerning wound care, diet and exercise. Artificial knee joints used in knee replacement surgery are typically made of metal and plastic. Metal alloy parts replace the damaged thighbone and shinbone. High-density plastic replaces cartilage on the shin and kneecap components.
For most people, knee replacement provides pain relief, improved mobility and a better quality of life. And most knee replacements can be expected to last more than 15 years. Three to six weeks after surgery, you generally can resume most daily activities, such as shopping and light housekeeping. Driving is also possible at around three weeks if you can bend your knee far enough to sit in a car, if you have enough muscle control to operate the brakes and accelerator, and if you're not still taking narcotic pain medications.
After recovery, you can engage in various low-impact activities, such as walking, swimming, golfing or biking. But you should avoid higher impact activities — such as jogging, skiing, tennis and sports that involve contact or jumping. Talk to your doctor about your limitations. Explore Mayo Clinic studies of tests and procedures to help prevent, detect, treat or manage conditions. Knee replacement care at Mayo Clinic.
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