After the surgical procedure, what can you expect to happen after that? Your long-term recovery from a revision total knee arthroplasty should have the same expectation as your first knee replacement. We want you to have a well-balanced knee that moves well, that bends well and that provides good painless function for you. In the immediate recovery period, you'll be admitted to the hospital for a few days, likely two to three days. The physical therapist will get you up, will get you moving on day one and then work with you a few times a day after that point until discharge.
During your work with the physical therapist you will walk up and down the hallways at least 100 feet. You'll walk up and down stairs and get out of a car, just like you did after your primary knee replacement. After that, we like to get you home if at all possible, as people are much more comfortable at home than in a rehab center. After that, you'll work with a physical therapist for the first six weeks to get your knee motion. Just like your first knee replacement, that first six weeks is a vital time where you get your knee motion, getting it all the way straight and then to get back to the goal is over 120 degrees. After that point, you can start the process of gentle strengthening of your lower extremities and your hips to provide you with the long-term outcome. Once again, our hope is that your long-term outcome of this knee replacement, your revision, will be the same good function as we expect from a primary total knee replacement.
