Total Knee Replacement Baltimore MD: The Steps of the Healing Process

What Will Happen to Me After Total Knee Replacement Baltimore MD?

Like with any other extensively complex surgery, you’ll need plenty of time to recover and let your body do what it needs to do in order to repair itself. With a total knee replacement, not only will your body have to heal on the outside, but it will also have to heal around an implanted new knee structure, which can take time. There are some important milestones and things to remember, and being aware of what you should expect can make the lengthy process much less stressful and surprising.

It is important to remember, though, that everyone’s body will respond to surgery like this differently, so you’ll need to work with your medical team in order to ensure that you’re following the correct process for your own needs.

Total Knee Replacement Baltimore MD: The Steps

First, you should know that after having a total knee replacement in Baltimore, you won’t be totally out of commission for a long period of time. Within the first 24 hours of the surgery being completed, your medical professionals will want you to be up and moving around with the use of a walker or other assisting device. In some cases, you’ll be able to go home after a few days have passed and you’re no longer considered a fall risk… but if you are unable to care for yourself, or have no one at home to help you, there may be a need to enter a rehabilitation facility until you become stronger and more capable.

Though the replacement site will need time to fully heal, it is important to follow instructions pertaining to physical therapy during the healing process. If you simply let the knee joint sit idle while it is healing, there is likely to be a buildup of scar tissue, which can cause pain in the future. In addition to this, if you’re not attending your physical therapy sessions or following the plan laid out for you after your total knee replacement Baltimore MD, you risk over or under-working the knee joint, which can limit the flexibility and mobility as well as potentially result in a rejection of the replacement implant.

The process of healing from a surgery of this nature is anywhere from 4-6 weeks for typical day to day activities and driving, and up to a year for people to get back to “full strength” with their new knees. This seems like a long time, yes, but it’s important to think carefully about why this is the case before disregarding medical advice. The time you spend rehabbing your knee replacement can be used for a lot of things, like reading that book you’ve been putting off, binge watching your favorite shows, or even learning a new hobby that is not physically demanding. It’s all up to you!