I didn’t have this all figured out before my first knee replacement.But I sure do now. Enough to help you through yours.
This isn’t everything and in no way is this a full checklist.
But these? These are the things that actually made a difference in my knee replacement recovery.
1. Don’t Go into Surgery Without a Pain Management Plan
I would never walk into surgery without a plan again. Ever.
For knee #1, I didn’t know that I could take Tylenol in between my prescriptions. It would have been a detail that I would have liked to have.
Please ask what you’re being prescribed and how often you will get the chance to have that refilled.
It’s even better if you know what’s worked for you before and what hasn’t.
Find out if you can layer in over-the-counter options.
Because when pain isn’t managed well, your nervous system kicks into overdrive.
And when your nervous system is on edge, everything feels harder. Movement, sleep, even your mindset.
I learned that the hard way with knee #1 but I fixed it for knee #2.
2. Don’t Assume Swelling Is Short-Term
Swelling is the #1 question I get about knee replacement recovery.
And I get why.
You ice, it goes down. You move, it’s back.
It lingers. It cycles. It shows up when you think you’re “past it.”
And if you don’t expect that, you can spiral and fast.
If you do expect it, you may not like it, but you can remember that it’s part of the process.
3. Don’t Skip Pre-Op Strength
This one matters more than most people think.
The stronger you go into knee replacement surgery, the better your coming out.
And no, it doesn’t mean doing squats if you’re in pain. It can be simple.
Quad contractions: towel under your knee, press down, and hold for 3–5 secs.
That counts. I skipped this the first time because I thought I couldn’t do anything. That wasn’t true.
4. Don’t Fight Sleep During Recovery
Sleep after surgery can be all over the place. I stopped fighting it.
If I dozed in the recliner, I stayed there.
If I slept during the day, I took it.
If nighttime sleep wasn’t perfect, I wouldn't get frustrated. I simply got up and went somewhere else to try and get comfortable.
Your body doesn’t care what the clock says. It just needs rest to heal.
And recovery after knee replacement surgery takes a lot of energy.
5. Don’t Go In Without a Recovery Vision
This one changes everything.
What does life actually look like on the other side of this?
How are you moving? Living? Feeling?
If you don’t have that picture, it’s really easy to get lost in the day-to-day ups and downs of knee replacement recovery.
You need a destination, much like you do when you order an Uber.
Bonus: Have a Constipation Plan (Seriously)
No one talks about this enough.
Pain meds will slow everything down.
Have something ready. Prune juice, tea, whatever works for you.
Because this is one of those things that will catch you off guard fast.
It’s quickly becoming the one stop shop for knee replacements.
If you’d like more encouragement through healing, please book a call. I am happy to help. It’s what I do for a living.
AFFILIATE DISCLAIMER:
I’m a proud affiliate for some of these tools and products that are suggested on this page and throughout my website. Meaning if you click on a product and make a purchase, I may make a small commission at no extra cost to you. My recommendations are based on knowledge and experience and I recommend them because they are genuinely useful and helpful, not because of the small commission that I may receive.
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