Total Knee Replacement Series: The Finishing Touches
- Jeremy Tarwater PT, DPT
- Mar 15, 2023
- 3 min read
Updated March 5th, 2023
Introduction
At this point, you should be experiencing more days of “I’m glad I got this done” than days of “I never should have had my knee replaced.” If you still have times where you regret it, that is completely normal! The knee replacement recovery process is NOT a linear progression. Meaning there will be ups and downs in your pain, movement, and ability to get things done throughout the day. But overall, you should feel much better than you did in those first few weeks. If this describes your situation, let me guide you through the “finishing touches” to find the new you after this knee replacement.
Ditching Your Assistive Device
Most patients will use a walker for a few weeks to a few months, depending on progression. As I talked about in the previous article, ditching the walker too soon may lead to you limping, have more pain, and slow your progress. This is where the importance of PT comes in, as a therapist can watch you walk and help you figure out when to switch from a walker to a cane. I have videos for you below both on switching from the walker to the cane and from the cane to no assistance. Even if you know you can balance without the device, you need to make sure your walking looks “normal” before moving on. It is more difficult to fix your gait pattern after you are fully recovered.
Gait Check
Let’s polish up the way you walk. Your body will choose the path of least resistance during any injury or recovery, which is the main reason so many people have a limp for quite a few months after surgery. Walking correctly may be painful for a while or just difficult to perform due to weakness. But once you have your strength up and pain under control, it all comes down to your mindset and concentration on form. Below, I have a few beginning exercises for form and a video explaining what you should be trying to achieve. Optimal gait is very important for maintaining the health of your new knee joint and the surrounding muscles.
PT Advocacy
Did you really think I could write this article without making a case for you to continue with Physical Therapy? Too many patients get to the point where they can walk without assistance and decide to stop PT. Don’t quit too soon! The first few months of recovery are so crucial for how you are going to move and feel down the road. Spend the time and extra money now to make sure you get everything out of therapy. If you feel stuck in a rut with your current therapist or that you could be doing more, DON’T BE AFRAID TO SWITCH THERAPISTS! Our job is to help you in any way possible, even if that means giving you away to another therapist or clinic. For more on this read my finding the right PT for you article.
Higher Level Exercises
If you are walking without a device, feel steady on your feet, and are ready for the final challenge to get back moving your best: give these following exercises a try!!
Conclusion
Hopefully if you are reading this, you have survived the knee replacement!! You should be proud of yourself for putting in all of the work. This is a very difficult process both physically and mentally. Many of my patients have reported that they felt like quitting multiple times throughout the first few months, some even felt that way daily. But the majority of them broke free from that endless, debilitating pain. Now they plan to get their other knee done in the future. Wherever you are in your journey, just know that PT will always be on your side!
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Last updated April 24, 2022
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