Knee Replacement Rehab Timeline
This question is often asked by visitors to specialized forums dedicated to endoprosthesis replacement issues. Progress is purely individual, a full return to normal activities is possible within 3-6 months after the procedure, during which you will renew your life, learn the most ordinary things.
The difficulty of the recovery process is that people with arthritis live with debilitating pain for years. During this time they develop desirable positions for sitting, standing, moving, becoming inactive and some muscle atrophy. Those same habits, called abnormal neuralgia, dont go anywhere even after you wake up in the postoperative ward. The process of removing them is complicated, thorny it is advisable to go under the supervision of a rehabilitation doctor.
In degenerative joint diseases, patients are entitled to disability benefits. For its registration, it is necessary to collect the necessary research results, confirming the inability to move independently.
Rehabilitation after an endoprosthesis can also be a reason to gain a similar status if, as a result of surgery, you are unable to do your usual job. Such social assistance is provided within 12 months.
Proper Prehab And Rehab Will Help Get You Running Again
If you want to be able to run again, its necessary to be aggressive about doing your prehab and rehab exercises. The key to a successful recovery is to take your time and do what the therapist recommends.
People with the most successful results keep a routine for their exercises. Stay moving every 30 minutes or so to avoid stiffness and keep working your knee to improve extension and range of motion.
Dont try to rush your recovery. In the long run, you could end up with more issues and be less likely to do the things you originally could.
In the end, it really comes down to 2 things. How strong is your leg and how much do you weigh.
If your leg becomes strong enough to support the impact of running on your new knee then you will be fine. As well as if you are obese or overweight. For each step with running a force of 3-8x your body weight goes through your knee joint. The less your body weighs, the less accumulative load through the prosthesis and the longer the knee replacement will last.
Icipation In Sport Activities
Pre-KA versus Post-KA
Eight studies examined the number of sport activities of in total 873 participants from Pre-KA to Post-KA. An overview of the participation in sport activities by the participants Pre-KA and Post-KA can be found in . The change in mean number of sport activities of active participants from Pre-KA to Post-KA showed a quite similar pattern as the change in mean number of sport activities for all participants .
Pre-TKA versus Post-TKA
Out of the eight studies, five focused on only patients who had a TKA , while Ho et al had a mixed group. Pre-TKA 49.1% did not participate in any kind of sport activity. Post-TKA 48.7% did not participate in any kind of sport activity. The mean number of sport activities per participant increased from Pre-TKA to Post-TKA . This increase in number of sport activities Post-TKA was found in low-impact , medium-impact and high-impact sports . Similar outcomes were found when looking at the mean number of sport activities per active participant .
Pre-UKA versus Post-UKA
Pre-ORS versus Pre-KA
Pre-ORS versus Pre-TKA
Pre-ORS versus Pre-UKA
No study looked into the change in number of sport activities from Pre-ORS to Pre-UKA for patients with UKA exclusively.
Pre-ORS versus Post-KA
Ten studies examined the number of sport activities of in total 1134 participants from Pre-ORS up to at least more than a year Post-KA. An overview of the participation in sport activities by the participants Pre-ORS and Post-KA can be found in .
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Therapy For Knee Replacement
Rehabilitation after endoprosthesis is of special importance. A person undergoing surgery requires a specially developed exercise program. At the same time, the patient will have to leave many sports, due to the need to reduce the load on the knee.
For the next few years after surgery, the patient must be under the supervision of a physician.
There is an opinion that after the replacement of the endoprosthesis the patient should save and protect the knee. This means that running after knee replacement was prohibited. However, this claim is only partially true.
The need for a frugal way of working, for the first time after surgery, certainly exists, but the first exercise can begin on the second day. Furthermore, the load in the implementation of the training will gradually increase. Consider what exercise therapy during rehabilitation will help in the rapid recovery of a damaged knee after an injury or surgery.
The rehabilitation period can be divided into three main phases:
Can I Run After Knee Replacement
by Anthony Maritato PT | Nov 19, 2020 | Total Knee Replacement
Conventional advice is to avoid high impact activities after a total knee replacement. This would include running, jogging, and other high impact sports. The concern is the increased wear and tear on the new knee will cause it to wear out sooner or possibly even fail.
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I Thought I Would Be Able To Kneel After Knee Replacement I Cant An Expectation Of The Total Knee Replacement To Improve Patients Ability To Kneel Was Associated With Lower Odds Of Satisfaction
Lets remind ourselves here that many people have very successful knee replacement surgeries and they can function better afterward. These are not the patients we see. We see the patient who had an over expectation of what their knee replacement could do for them and then they found out, the knee replacement could not help them do all the things they thought it could.
Lead by researchers at the University of Toronto and the University of Calgary, a 2021 study published in the journal Arthritis & Rheumatology assessed the relationship between patients expectations for total knee replacement and satisfaction with surgical outcome.
What the researchers did was look at patients who received total knee replacement surgeries and then they gave questionnaires that measured depression scale, body mass index , comorbidities , and prior joint replacement), at 1-year post- total knee replacement to assess overall satisfaction with total knee replacement results.
The researchers then divided up responses to see what the patients considered important factors in their satisfaction or dissatisfaction with the knee replacement.
Here is what 1,266 patients who had a knee replacement had to say:
- 74.7% of patients were very satisfied,
- 17.1% were somewhat satisfied,
- and 8.2% were dissatisfied.
An expectation of the total knee replacement to improve patients ability to kneel was associated with lower odds of satisfaction
Which Sports Should Be Avoided After Knee Replacement
Your knees are no exception to the wear and tear that comes with age. The largest joint in your body is also susceptible to overuse and trauma, which can significantly limit the activities you enjoy.
One of the treatments you can explore when your knees begin to give way is knee replacement surgery. This procedure involves replacing the damaged part of your knee joint with a prosthesis. Experts estimate that most knee implants can last 20 years, up from an average of 10 years in the 1970s due to technological advances in prosthetic design, bearing surfaces, and fixation methods.
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Running After A Joint Replacement
Low-impact activities generally recommended for those with new hips and knees
Dear Sports Doc,
I am a 41-year-old female who had a total hip replacement almost two years ago. Now that I’m totally healed and have built up all the damaged muscles in my leg, I’m ready and excited to start running. I ran twice this week2.6 and 2.2 milesat a slow and steady pace. My question is, how far can I run safely without wearing out my hip? And will yoga complement my running? B.J.
Dear B.J.,
This is a topic dear to my heart. I also had total hip replacement about three years ago. There are many people who run with total hips. That said, there is not much data available to tell you how far and how often you can run, or even if you can. The prevailing thought is that running will speed the wear compared to lower impact activities. Most of the orthopedic surgeons I know, including my own, do not encourageor frankly discouragerunning after a total-joint replacement in the hip or knee. The rationale seems to be that limiting impact loading can preserve the surface of the new joint. Some of the newer devices have been wear-tested in the lab to 25 to 30 years, but the devices still wear down over time.
Your yoga workouts should complement whichever cardiovascular activities you choose to pursue.
I hope this helps.
Bill
Heres How I Returned To Racing After Knee Replacement
A lifelong runner finds new satisfaction in runningand opens his surgeons eyes to the possibilities.
When I was wheeled in for partial knee replacement surgery in 2011, at age 71, I was convinced I would never run again. I could walk or cycle, the surgeon said. Anything more jarring would wear the prosthesis or loosen it.
I didnt disagree. I didnt disobey. I just sort of forgot. Recovery went well because I had kept fit beforehand by biking. While walking one day, three months after the procedure, I tried a little shuffle-jog of 10 paces. Nothing hurt, nothing seized up, so I did it again a few days later. Soon, I was runningvery short jogs, interspersed with walkingevery fifth day, for caution, with the bike still my main exercise. Slowly, slowly, I increased, still running only every four days.
Soon I had the idea of adding one minute each run. Its amazing how the total goes up. On the one-year anniversary of the surgery, I ran one hour nonstop for the first time, and felt as if Id done a lifetime PR in the marathon.
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Do You Have to Stop Running After Joint Replacement?
Its not often in this world that we can enjoy dawn at twilight, I wrote.
I scrupulously had Russell x-rayed every two years. No wear was evident. I conferred with the now retired surgeon Russell, who was fascinated and changed his views, hunting out research suggesting that impact exercise may benefit the stability of the prosthesis by increasing muscle strength and bone density.
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Replace Doesnt Mean Ruin
Just remember that having your knee replaced doesnt mean that you are ruined. Having a strong will and determination can get you back to running if thats what you choose to do. Listen to your doctor, listen to your body, and consider investing in products to minimize the impact running has on your newly repaired joints.
The National Joint Registry
The National Joint Registry collects details of knee replacements done in England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man. Although it’s voluntary, it’s worth registering. This enables the NJR to monitor knee replacements, so you can be identified if any problems emerge in the future.
The registry also gives you the chance to participate in a patient feedback survey.
It’s confidential and you have a right under the Data Protection Act to see what details are kept about you.
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Choose The Softer Side
Theres more than one way to reduce stress on a joint. Supportive shoes are only the first step. The second step is avoiding super hard surfaces such as asphalt or concrete. Runners should opt for padded tracks or dirt trails instead. These options are much softer which means the ground will absorb stress with each foot-fall. And, as with supportive shoes, this will lead to less strain on the runners knees.
Activities With A High Risk Of Falling
After a total knee replacement, loss of strength, range of motion, and balance lead to an increased risk of falling. A fall can damage the prosthesis or interfere with the healing process.
A 2018 study found that 17.2 percent of a group of 134 people who had undergone a knee replacement fell at least once within 6 months of their operation. Roughly two-thirds of these falls occurred when walking.
Some lifestyle modifications to reduce your risk of falling include:
- using the handrail when going up and down the stairs
- using a rubber mat or shower chair when showering
- sitting down when putting on shorts or pants
- keeping the floor clear of stray toys, slippery rugs, and other objects that pose a tripping hazard
- avoiding slippery terrains like mud, ice, or wet grass
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Why Some Activities Are Restricted After Knee Replacement Surgery
Knee Replacement Surgery is one of the most critical clinical orthopaedic tools. It has some risks associated with it which include:
- blood clots
- Lose of motion
- Neurovascular damage
As these complications may arise due to knee replacement surgery, it is advisable for the patients to not get into high impact exercises. The exercises to avoid after knee replacement includes aerobics, running, swimming, football, basketball, etc. However, exercise limitations after knee replacement doesnt last long until you recover and rehab completely.
If you are considering knee replacement surgery somewhere in Patna, you must go through Orthopedic Doctor in Patna.
People often doubt if they can run after knee replacement-
How I Returned To Running After Knee Surgery
Dont worry, youll run again, just be patient.
I cant count the number of times someone said this to me and I had to bite my very blunt tongue because honestly, I never once considered that I wouldnt run again.
It wasnt an option. Maybe thats because Id already spent 8 months of dancing around an injury leading up to surgery. Maybe its because Im stubborn. Maybe its because Im an optimist.
But for the recordmost injured runners dont want your platitudes. They make our endorphin starved brains a little angry. Not because we dont believe you have the best intentions, but because we arent really the kind to sit around feeling sorry for ourselves, we want to TAKE ACTION!!! Take no prisoners, fight the good fight and all that jazz.Im now celebrating 9 1/2 weeks post knee surgery and to the amazement of many have been running since week 5 without pain. This week in fact, I hit 6 miles which felt pretty epic since 2 weeks ago 1.5 miles was pure bliss.
Going in to surgery I knew I would runI just didnt know when or what to expect.
Im sharing what worked for me in hopes that it helps calm someone elses nerves! The key here is to know that while I got up to running much faster than expected, I didnt do it against anyones orders! I wasnt taking chances or risking long term recovery for a couple uncomfortable trots.
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Do You Know If Your Knee Is Cemented Or Cementless
In this interview below, Dr. James D Abbott, MD discusses the two fixation types and some benefits and risks associated with each.
He mentions that a press fit cementless fixation implant may be a better choice for active adults who plan to return to sport or higher impact activities.
A cemented fixation device may be better for those patients who need a quicker recovery because as soon as the cement hardens in the operating room the implant is as secure as it will ever get.
To learn more watch the full interview on YouTube
Playing Sports After Knee Replacement
Many patients having joint replacement surgery are curious about which activities are safe to perform after their surgical procedure. While doctors often recommend specific sports which should be safe and those to avoid, there is remarkably little scientific information about which are safe. Most advice is based on opinion rather than on actual data. That said, there are some guidelines to help patients determine which activities are safe.
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What Can I Do To Relax My Thigh Muscle
A common report from patients is that the thigh muscle, the quadriceps, will tighten up as soon as they try to complete a full revolution on a bike.
That can happen for several reasons, but the most common is due to the bodys natrual protective response. When something hurts or has the potential to hurt our body will tighten the muscles around a joint to prevent movement and prepare for pain.
One way to reduce this response is to massage the muscle. My favorite is a rolling pin massage. In this video you can see how a simple rolling pin from the kitchen will reduce pain, reduce guarding, and improve tissue mobility.
My Recovery: Running Again After Knee Replacement
First Two Weeks
Knee replacement surgery is a major trauma for your body. You may be unconscious but the invasive insult will have a deep impact on your body and your subconscious and cant be ignored. Rest is critical to the healing process, to allow your tissues to get over the stress of the trauma. Due to blood loss you feel pretty weak and tire easily for a week or two after the surgery. Youre on painkillers for a while with all their unpleasant side effects I weaned myself off them as soon as possible.
Next Few Months
After those first two weeks, I began riding my bike and doing short hikes. I was initially quite wary of abusing my new knee and was slow to add much impact, but my confidence grew over the following months.
Throughout this ramp-up in activity, I was engaged in a gym strength training program focused on single-leg strength and stability. What I found was that the uphill and downhill hiking and running were producing their own strength training effect, such that they impacted my gym strength work and vice versa. It was surprisingly easy for me to overdo this strength work and need to take a rest.
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