Recovering From Partial Knee Replacement: What to Expect

Knee joints can wear out over time due to the forces of degenerative diseases like osteoarthritis. But with surgical partial knee replacement, you can restore your knee joint to full function, giving you years of improved mobility and decreased pain.

At Twin Palm Orthopedics, orthopedic surgeon Dr. Derek Farr, Dr. Nirav Gupta, and the rest of our team provide the support you need before, during, and after your partial knee replacement surgery. We see new and existing patients at our location in Ocala, Florida.

If you have questions about the process of recovering after partial knee replacement surgery, you’ve come to the right place. Here’s what you need to know about what to expect during your post-surgery recovery.

What happens during your partial knee replacement surgery

Dr. Farr and the Twin Palm Orthopedics team prioritize keeping your surgery as minimally invasive as possible. The more we can avoid impacting surrounding muscles, ligaments, cartilage, and bone, the faster you can heal after your procedure.

During your surgery, we create an incision to remove damaged cartilage and a small portion of bone from your knee joint. We use state-of-the-art Stryker Mako MCK implants that function just like your original joint. Mako robotic-assisted surgery techniques also help us keep high precision during your procedure, improving fit and minimizing recovery.

What to expect right after your surgery

Your procedure typically takes less than an hour, meaning you can head home the same day without any need for an overnight hospital stay. You can move and bend your knee immediately after surgery and place weight on your surgical knee.

In fact, we get you started with physical therapy in the recovery area! Your physical therapy exercises help your knee joint regain full extension.

We also instruct you on using ambulatory aids, like crutches or a walker, to help you stay safe and balanced in the early days of your recovery.

Completing your post-surgery recovery

Many of our patients recover in just 6-8 weeks. Plan on several weeks of post-surgery physical therapy to rehabilitate your knee.

For the first few weeks post-surgery, your rehabilitation focuses on improving motion and keeping pain and swelling under control. In the first few weeks, you may need to follow instructions about caring for your incision site, including bandaging, cleaning, and keeping the bandage from getting wet.

Your rehab changes after about 3-6 weeks post-surgery, when most patients are done with ambulatory aids. At that point, it’s time to strengthen your knee joint and surrounding muscles. We help you get started walking and support you as you build your way up to longer and longer walks and fuller knee extension.

After six weeks post surgery, most people can get back to normal activities and low-impact aerobic exercise. Once you’re completely recovered, you can get back to all activities, including sports. You can expect your knee replacement to last for as long as two decades.

To learn more about how partial knee replacement could benefit you, contact Twin Palm Orthopedics over the phone or online and schedule your appointment today.