Getting Back On Your Feet After Knee Replacement

Knee replacement surgery is one of the most commonly performed orthopaedic procedures in India with more than 1,20,000 procedures performed annually. Offered at all the leading orthopaedic hospitals in India, the procedure has helped to transform the lives of hundreds and thousands of patients by enabling them to stand on their feet without any pain or discomfort. Knee replacement surgery is an option for those patients who have been suffering from persistent knee pain and discomfort due to arthritic joints. Arthritis is an umbrella term used for various degenerative diseases and disorders that gradually damage the joints and lead to immense pain, inflammation and swelling. All the problem can affect all the major joints of the body, in this blog we are going to specifically talk about the knee joints.

A lot of people suffering from advanced knee arthritis find it very difficult to move around or carry out their day to day activities without help. Knee replacement surgery surely helps you with this, however, to yield the best results it is important to follow all the post-surgical guidelines. The surgery can put an end to your pain, but to get back on your feet and move around independently, you will have to resort to healthy lifestyle modifications. As per the doctors from the best hospital in Delhi, normal activities can be resumed within 3 to 6 weeks post-surgery. During this period the major focus should be on restoring the range of motion and strengthening your knees.

Doctors specializing in knee replacement in India suggest the following guidelines for patients undergoing the surgery:

• Keep your weight under check – Excessive body weight can put unnecessary stress on the replaced knee joint and damage it. Maintaining healthy body weight is extremely important for increasing the life span of the prosthetic joint. For this, you have to maintain a healthy diet chart and follow it strictly. This, however, does not mean that you have to starve yourself. Keeping your weight under control not only elevate the success rate of your knee replacement but also helps to keep other health issues at bay.
• Eat joint-friendly foods – Certain foods like cherries, red peppers, kale, oatmeal, turmeric, and walnuts have been found to be very good for your joints. Adding these to your diet can surely help to accelerate the process of recovery and alleviate the risks of revision knee replacement.
• Physiotherapy – A lot of people have this misconception that they need to take complete bed rest and avoid any movement of the knee for weeks following the surgery. Well, this is nothing but a myth. Surely, you have to keep your leg stable for a day or two but once the wound has healed to some extent, physiotherapy is started. The right movement is very important to improve the range of motion and to strengthen your joints. Your doctor will tell you the right technique and you just have to follow.
• Do not push yourself – Getting back on your feet without any pain surely is exciting but you need to take it slow. Don’t push yourself beyond the limits. What you do during the rehabilitation period greatly determines the lifespan of the prosthetic joints. Putting an unnecessary strain on your knees is surely not going to do any good. Perform low impact exercises and avoid lifting heavyweights. Focus more on cardio. You can even try by cycling and swimming after consulting your doctor.