Having a knee replacement is not easy on your body. It can take each person a different period of time to heal after such a surgery, so your doctor might not be able to tell you exactly how long it will take you to recover from knee replacement surgery. 

However, the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons reports several important recovery milestones and the time it often takes to reach them. They reveal that many patients will be able to return to most normal activities within about three months. Yet, they also warn that it can take between six months to a year to fully recover your knee strength and endurance. 

Physical therapists can help you address several important factors that can impact how long it takes you to recover from knee replacement surgery. They can do so by creating a pre- and post-surgical rehab plan that’s unique to your needs. 

Three factors that can affect how long it takes to recover from knee replacement surgery: 

1. Your condition before surgery — A body that is fit, well hydrated and energetic tends to take less time to recover from surgeries. However, the pain you feel from your injury might make it tough to meet these goals. Physical therapists offer pre-surgical rehab that can help reduce your pre-surgical pain. This service can help strengthen your body and prepare you for surgery, too. 

2. Additional medical issues — How long it takes to recover from knee replacement surgery can also be affected by other medical problems you have. Some examples of issues that can slow your recovery include: 

• Lung conditions like emphysema.
• Poor blood flow. 
• Infections.

3. How hard you work to recover — People who recover faster tend to work as hard as they can during their post-surgical rehabilitation. This means they get information from their physical therapist about their recovery, and it also means asking questions about how to improve the quality of their recovery. In many cases, recovering faster also involves putting in work outside of your scheduled PT sessions. Please note, however, that you will want to avoid doing things that your doctor or physical therapist hasn’t approved yet. 

Rehab Access can help you recover faster after knee replacement surgery

Wondering how long it will take you to recover from knee replacement surgery? Our team at Rehab Access Physical Therapy is primed to help you learn this information. We can do a free screening to assess your condition after surgery. Our team will then build you an individualized rehab plan that’s designed to: 

• Reduce post-surgical pain.
• Improve knee flexibility. 
• Increase leg muscle strength. 
• Decrease overall recovery time. 

Contact our team today for more information about how we can help you recover from surgery or to schedule an initial appointment.