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All topics
  1. What it is
  2. Who it helps
  3. Timing
  4. The procedure
  5. Patient journey
  6. Recovery supplies
  7. Implant designs
  8. Side-by-side
  9. Robotics and alignment
  10. US manufacturers
  11. What the evidence says
  12. Value analysis
  13. Questions to ask
  14. Resources
  15. Glossary
  16. References

For patients and families

Your patient journey

Every hospital does things a little differently, and your own team's instructions always come first. This is a general picture of what most people go through.

Before surgery

Getting ready

  • Prehab. Strengthening exercises before surgery are linked to better function afterward.30
  • Practice with a walker. Learning to use a cane or walker before surgery makes the first days easier.50
  • Health check. Expect blood tests and a review of your medicines, especially blood thinners. Stopping smoking lowers infection risk.39
  • Prepare your home. Arrange help for the first week or two, and set up a safe, clutter-free path to the bathroom.48
Day of surgery

In the hospital

  • Anesthesia. Often a spinal anesthetic with a nerve block, or general anesthesia.
  • The operation. Usually about 1 to 2 hours.46
  • Up and moving. Many teams have you stand and walk with a walker the same day.
  • Going home. Some people go home the same day; most stay one night.45,49
After surgery

Recovery at home

  • Walking aids. Typically a walker for about the first three weeks, then a cane for another two to three weeks.49
  • Physical therapy. Usually continues for about six to eight weeks, and up to three or four months.49
  • Blood clot prevention. You may take a blood thinner for several weeks.46
  • Driving. Often around 4 to 6 weeks, once you're off strong pain medicine and your surgeon agrees.45
  • Full recovery. Most daily activities return within about six weeks; full recovery can take 4 months to a year.47,50

See the week-by-week recovery timeline

Tips for a smoother recovery

  • Do your exercises every day. Getting the knee fully straight and bending it well early on matters for the long-term result.
  • Ice and elevate the leg to control swelling, as your team directs.
  • Don't rest with a pillow under the knee; it encourages the knee to stiffen in a bent position. Support the heel instead if your team advises elevation.
  • Take pain medicine on schedule early on so you can do your therapy.
  • Prevent falls: clear walkways, use a night light, and keep your walker close.
  • Keep every follow-up and therapy appointment.

Rehab: at home or in a clinic?

For many patients, a structured home exercise program works about as well as supervised outpatient therapy in the short term.32 A randomized trial also found that a monitored home program matched a 10-day inpatient rehab stay for mobility at 26 weeks.31 Your surgeon and therapist will recommend what fits you.

Call your care team right away if you notice

A fever higher than 101°F,47 increasing redness, warmth or drainage from the incision, or new pain, swelling or tenderness in the calf or thigh. Call 911 for chest pain or sudden shortness of breath, which can signal a blood clot in the lungs.

Sources for this page

  1. Wang Z, et al. Effectiveness of preoperative rehabilitation compared with usual care in total knee arthroplasty: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2026;107(2):315-332. doi:10.1016/j.apmr.2025.08.022
  2. Buhagiar MA, et al. Effect of inpatient rehabilitation vs a monitored home-based program on mobility in patients with total knee arthroplasty: the HIHO randomized clinical trial. JAMA. 2017;317(10):1037-1046. doi:10.1001/jama.2017.1224
  3. Florez-García M, et al. Efficacy and safety of home-based exercises versus individualized supervised outpatient physical therapy programs after total knee arthroplasty: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc. 2017;25(11):3340-3353. doi:10.1007/s00167-016-4231-x
  4. Bedard NA, et al. Tobacco use and risk of wound complications and periprosthetic joint infection: a systematic review and meta-analysis of primary total joint arthroplasty procedures. J Arthroplasty. 2019;34(2):385-396.e4. doi:10.1016/j.arth.2018.09.089
  5. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, OrthoInfo. Total knee replacement. orthoinfo.org/treatment/total-knee-replacement
  6. Mayo Clinic. Knee replacement. mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/knee-replacement
  7. Cleveland Clinic. Knee replacement (arthroplasty). my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/8512-knee-replacement
  8. Johns Hopkins Medicine. Knee replacement surgery. hopkinsmedicine.org/health/treatment-tests-and-therapies/knee-replacement-surgery-procedure
  9. Hospital for Special Surgery. 6 things to know about recovery after knee replacement. hss.edu/health-library/move-better/knee-replacement-recovery
  10. MedlinePlus (US National Library of Medicine). Knee joint replacement. medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002974.htm

All references