Making Knee Replacement a Life-Changing Experience.
Knee replacement surgery a procedure that is done when all other procedures have failed to relieve you of the pain or the only option left is knee replacement in case of accidents and other such injury types where the knee is left immovable. Knee replacement surgeries and as a matter of fact, joint replacement surgeries as a whole have seen a lot of development in terms of surgical techniques and quality of prosthetics too. Total Knee replacement surgery could be done in a day with the latest technology and techniques of Knee surgery, wherein the patient can get the surgery done and be back home in less than 24 hours. More of the surgery has also become so very minimally invasive that the rehabilitation time has also come down drastically. This has made knee replacement a very vastly recommended and highly successful surgery for knee problems in comparison to other conventional and surgical techniques.
The reduced rehabilitation time has made the life of the patients who have undergone the surgery much easier and faster for them to get back to their normal routine. The surgery is bound to improve mobility in most cases and reduce pains after total rehabilitation is done. The rehabilitation time will depend mostly on the ability of the body to adapt to the prosthetics implanted and also on the patient’s ability and will to follow the instructions of rehabilitation by the medical practitioner. You will also need to endure some pain in the initial phase and do the recommended activities as advised by your surgeon or the physiotherapist till things get better. Most people take around 6-12 months to recovery and getting back to the normal routine.
Knowing how and when you could get back to different key routines of your life could be helpful. Let us look into some major activities a person would like to resume at the earliest after the surgery.
- Driving is one major activity mostly everybody would like to get back after the knee surgery and this activity could be resumed quite early in your rehabilitation period as this requires minimum movement of the knees. The major requirement to start driving would be the ability to bend your knees enough to drive. You could be driving around in around 4-6 weeks of the surgery.
Getting back to your work would need a more realistic approach as it would require you to understand the nature of work you do and if your knees can take the load and you do not have to commute a lot to work. You can be back to work in around 6 weeks after your surgery if you have no complications in doing so. Labor-intensive work style would require more rehabilitation time.
- Travelling would be another goal people set. But traveling is quite a tiring activity and would need some precautions to be taken and some steps that can reduce your discomfort during travel. A few steps like sitting in spaces with more legroom, wearing compression stockings, walking and stretching at regular intervals, wearing light and loose clothing and traveling light would be very helpful in traveling after surgery.
- Household chores would be the activity that you would be able to resume sooner than most of the other activities with the help of support. It can be resumed as soon as you feel comfortable walking with less discomfort. Chores like cooking and cleaning can be resumed if you feel stable and pain-free.
- Walking would be the first activity that you will be required to do as soon as from day one. This may be assisted walking with supports. The physical therapist will advise on the exercises and other activities you could start doing at different periods. Around 12 weeks you would be able to walk more and start doing other exercises which do not involve lifting weights or putting too much pressure on the knees. Exercises are specifically to be done under medical supervision and advice only. Avoid activities that involve squatting, twisting, jumping, heavy lifting and movements that could cause harm to your knees.
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