For the first several days to a week after total knee replacement surgery, recovery will occur in the hospital under the guidance of a care team.
Here's what else you can expect.
The care team, which can include doctors, nurses, physiotherapists and occupational therapists, will help patients learn to move safely, using assistive devices such as crutches or a walker, while their knee heals.
The team will provide recommendations for careful movements to help prevent knee dislocation. They will provide instructions for exercises aimed at maintaining healthy circulation and lung function and generally helping with healing as well as tips for a safe and effective recovery at home. Although serious complications are rare, patients will also learn how to recognize warning signs of serious side effects such as infection or blood clots.
The length of stay in hospital will depend on factors such as the progression of healing and the support system available at home. It’s important to arrange for a support person, such as a spouse, friend or home care provider, to provide assistance at home for the first weeks after surgery. If possible, it’s helpful to return to a home that’s already set up with assistive devices, such as reaching devices with long handles and a raised toilet seat, as well as a recovery station.
Physiotherapy usually continues after hospital discharge and patients will normally have an exercise program as well as a list of precautions to follow while recovering at home. Patients can expect to gradually resume their daily activities as healing progresses. For example, driving can usually be resumed after about six weeks to two months, depending on the surgeon’s recommendations. Other activities such as swimming, golf or gardening can often be resumed after about three months recovery time. Post operative visits will be scheduled regularly over the course of healing and also afterwards to ensure the implant is functioning as intended.
Do you own a small business in Canada? The medical cost for your knee care is an eligible business deduction through a Health Spending Account. 
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