What should you know about post total knee replacement?

The replaced joint is designed to reduce pain from damaged knee surfaces, such as those affected by Knee Osteoarthritis. Swelling, bruising, warmth, stiffness, and tiredness are common during early healing. Bending and straightening may feel difficult, and stairs can remain challenging while the thigh muscles recover. The implant may include combinations of metal, plastic, and fixation material; your surgeon can explain whether Bone Cement, Cobalt-Chrome Alloy, Highly Cross-Linked Polyethylene, or Titanium Implant is part of your reconstruction.

Take medicines as prescribed, keep the incision clean and dry according to instructions, and use walking aids until your balance and leg control are reliable. Complete the recommended exercises rather than forcing a painful range. Short, regular walks can support circulation and confidence. Avoid twisting, kneeling, or carrying heavy loads until your team permits them. Attend physiotherapy and appointments so movement, swelling, gait, and wound healing can be reviewed. Some teams use Computer Navigation for Surgery to support implant positioning, but rehabilitation still depends on your individual progress.

Seek urgent help for sudden breathlessness, chest pain, fainting, or a new painful swollen calf. Contact your surgical team promptly for increasing wound redness, drainage, fever, wound opening, worsening pain, or a knee that suddenly becomes unstable. A new inability to bear weight, a fall, or rapidly increasing swelling also needs assessment. Do not massage a swollen calf or change prescribed medicines without advice.

Ask when to progress from a walker, how much knee bending to practise, how to manage swelling, when to drive, and which wound or leg changes require same-day contact.