I had a distinct advantage going through my second knee replacement that I didn’t have with my first. And it had everything to do with my physical therapist.
First, let me begin by saying that for my first knee replacement, I left physical therapy up to chance. I actually fared quite well because my physical therapist was very informative. What I didn’t know at the time was that physical therapists are trained at the same level as medical doctors. The main difference is that they don’t go through a medical residency, but their training is extensive.
When I had questions, I asked him. And he explained things in the level of detail I needed to understand. That turned out to be a Godsend.
So, for knee number two, I did it the exact same way. I went to the same physical therapy clinic because I already knew it. However, my original physical therapist was no longer there, so I worked with whoever was available. It was still a very nice clinic, and the people were friendly.
Week 1 Knee Replacement Recovery Is About Safety and Acclimation
My biggest suggestion for Week 1 after knee replacement surgery is to understand that this week is all about getting acclimated to your new knee and learning how to manage it, along with your assistive devices, safely.
This is something you don’t see in any medical paperwork sent home.
Because we’re taught to prep, prep, prep. Buy the toilet risers. Buy the assistive devices. Buy the ice machines. All the things.
But really, it comes down to simple mechanics we do every single day.
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There are a couple things I really want you to know about swelling after knee replacement. Out of all the questions that land in my messages, comments and groups, one comes up over and over again.
“Is it normal to still be this stiff?”
And what I learned through my first knee replacement is this: yes, it can be stiff for a while. And “a while” is completely relative.
It depends on you.
How active you are or how sedentary you are?
If you’re here because it’s the middle of the night and sleep feels impossible after your knee replacement, you’re not doing anything wrong. This is one of the most common and frustrating parts of recovery, and it’s rarely talked about in a way that actually helps.
Why You Can’t Sleep After Knee Replacement Surgery
By far the biggest complaint outside of pain that I hear after a knee replacement is the inability to sleep. I had this myself for the first six weeks after my first knee replacement. The only way it seemed that I would sleep is directly after taking my pain dosage.
I would also find myself dozing throughout the day, and I often wondered if that’s what kept me from sleeping at night. But it didn’t really matter because at some point either the nerve zinging or the deep ache would get me to get out of bed for my first knee replacement.
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Let me take you back to 2020 for a minute.
I’m not here to reopen that whole chapter of history. I’m just giving you context, because at that point in my life I had one knee that was about eight months old and a hip that was barely two months post-op.
So yes, I was very aware of my body.
Anytime you go through joint replacement, you’re told about a couple of risks right out of the gate. Infections and blood clots. Those two tend to stick in your mind. And when the world started talking nonstop about illness, I found myself doing what a lot of people do when they’re unsure. I started searching online.
