What does recovery look like week by week after a knee replacement?

In hospital: days 1 to 3

Physiotherapy starts on the day of surgery or the next morning. You stand, take your first steps with a frame and begin simple exercises: tightening the thigh, ankle pumps and gentle bending. The team works on getting the knee fully straight from the start, because a knee that will not straighten is harder to fix later. You go home when you can walk safely, use the toilet and stairs if needed, and pain is controlled with tablets.

Weeks 1 to 6: the hard work phase

• Weeks 1 to 2: walking around the house with a frame or crutches, exercises several times a day, ice and elevation for swelling; the wound is checked and clips or stitches are removed if needed
• Weeks 2 to 4: longer walks, many people progress to one crutch or a stick, bending usually improves steadily
• Weeks 4 to 6: walking short distances without aids is common, stairs become easier, sleep often improves

This is the period when effort matters most. Bending and straightening gained now is much easier than trying to regain it later.

Weeks 6 to 12: getting life back

Around six weeks many people are able to drive an automatic car, if the right knee was operated on and they can brake firmly without strong painkillers, and if their insurer agrees. Office work is often possible from four to eight weeks. Walking in a mall, light shopping and praying on a chair are usually comfortable by now, and some patients start to try sujood gently with their physiotherapist's guidance. Stationary cycling and swimming, once the wound is fully healed, are good for strength.

Three months to one year

The knee keeps improving: swelling settles, endurance grows and the knee feels more like part of you. Many people say the knee feels 'normal' only after six months to a year. Keep up strengthening exercises even after formal physiotherapy ends. At Aman Hospital, Dr. Gelber sees patients at regular follow-up visits to check movement, X-rays and progress, and to adjust the rehabilitation plan.