Glossary

Weight-bearing as tolerated (WBAT)

Quick answer

Weight-bearing as tolerated means you may put as much weight through the operated leg as comfort allows, using crutches or a frame for balance and dropping them as walking becomes steady. It is the usual instruction after knee replacement and many ACL operations, says Dr. Pablo Gelber, knee surgeon in Doha, Qatar.

What it means

Weight-bearing instructions tell you how much load a healing knee can take. The common categories are:

Non-weight-bearing: the foot stays off the ground.
Touch or toe-touch weight-bearing: the foot rests on the floor for balance only.
Partial weight-bearing: a set portion of body weight, often guided by a scale.
Weight-bearing as tolerated: as much as comfort allows.
Full weight-bearing: normal walking with no restriction.

Why it matters for patients

Loading the leg early helps muscle strength, balance, bone health and circulation, and lowers clot risk. Under weight-bearing as tolerated, pain is the guide: some limp and soreness is expected, but sharp pain or rapidly increasing swelling means you are doing too much.

Other procedures, such as some meniscus root repairs, cartilage restoration, osteotomy and fractures, need stricter limits for a few weeks, because early load could damage the repair.

Using walking aids

With crutches, step forward with the crutches and operated leg together, then the good leg. On stairs, lead up with the good leg and down with the operated leg. Your physiotherapist will check your pattern and tell you when to reduce to one crutch and then none.

Frequently asked questions

If I am allowed to bear weight fully, why do I still need crutches?

Crutches help balance and a normal walking pattern while muscles are weak and the knee is swollen. Discarding them too early often leads to limping.

What if I put weight on my leg by mistake when I was told not to?

A single brief accidental step is rarely harmful. If it was a heavy load, you have new pain or swelling, or the repair was delicate, contact your surgeon's team for advice.