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By Mayo Clinic staffMost people who have a knee replacement experience significant pain relief, improved mobility and a better overall quality of life. Talk with your doctor about what you can expect from knee replacement surgery.
Four to six weeks after knee replacement surgery, you generally can resume most normal daily activities such as shopping and light housekeeping. Driving is also possible at around four weeks if you can bend your knee far enough to sit in a car and you have enough muscle control to properly operate the brakes and accelerator.
After you've recovered, you can enjoy a variety of low-impact activities, such as walking, swimming, golfing or biking. But you should avoid higher impact activities — such as jogging, skiing, tennis, and sports that involve contact or jumping. Talk to your doctor about your limitations.
- Martin GM, et al. Total knee arthroplasty. http://www.uptodate.com/index. Accessed Aug. 29, 2012.
- Total knee replacement. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00389. Accessed Aug. 29, 2012.
- Canale ST, et al. Campbell's Operative Orthopaedics. 11th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby Elsevier; 2008. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/208746819-4/0/1584/0.html. Accessed Aug. 29, 2012.
- Frontera WR, et al. Essentials of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation: Musculoskeletal Disorders, Pain, and Rehabilitation. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2008. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/208746819-6/0/1678/0.html. Accessed Aug. 29, 2012.
- DeLee JC, et al. DeLee & Drez's Orthopaedic Sports Medicine: Principles and Practice. 3rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2010. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/about.do?about=true&eid=4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-3143-7..X0001-2--TOP&isbn=978-1-4160-3143-7&uniqId=230100505-57. Accessed Aug. 29, 2012.
- Martin GM, et al. Complications of total knee arthroplasty. http://www.uptodate.com/index. Accessed Aug. 29, 2012.
- Stuart MJ (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Sept. 17, 2012.
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