[Dr. Tomek] "The recovery after knee replacement varies between patients.
Some patients recover very quickly and get back to a point of walking and activities that, frankly, sometimes are surprising to me."
[Azell] "You know, I had no idea how it was going to be.
But I knew that my goal was to be back at work in 3 weeks.
And whether it was going to be realistic or not, I didn't know in the beginning.
But I worked on it. And I kept saying to myself, 'I'm going to get back to work in 3 weeks and get out of this room.' "
[Dr. Tomek] "Other patients take longer.
They have more pain, more stiffness, and they struggle in the beginning to recover from knee replacement.
Fortunately, by about a year after surgery, most patients are about at the same point.
They are off pain medications, and they have managed to get back to activities that they've often not been able to do for years.
In general, I tell patients to expect two phases of recovery.
The early part of recovery probably takes about 3 months.
And it's during this time that physical therapy is important to get the knee joint moving.
You'll want to walk and strengthen the muscles that move the knee."
[Susan] "The physical activity that I was given to do in the hospital, in the transitional care unit and here at home ...
they were not super-strenuous exercises.
They were more trying to get used to having a new knee, being able to go up and down steps.
Particularly if you live in a home where there are steps, that's very critical ...
You can't go home and expect everything is going to be wonderful, because you have to work at what you are doing in order to be able to get beyond the initial recovery period."
[Dr. Tomek] "The second part of recovery has to do with conditioning and endurance.
During that time period, patients will continue to do exercises and stretches but may branch into activities such as sports or other exercise activities that will ensure that the knee functions well for the long term."
[Susan] "I went back to doing regular water aerobics probably about 8 weeks out.
The physical therapist had said she thought it was a great idea.
Water aerobics is a zero-impact activity, and I could get in the pool and I could do a lot ... a lot more than I could do on land.
So I think it really did help me."
[Dr. Tomek] "The bottom line, though, is everyone is different.
And patients shouldn't fall into the trap of comparing themselves to their neighbors or to other people who've had the operation.
Factors such as age, medical conditions, and personal experience are going to have an impact on how you recover from knee replacement."
[Azell] "I made it back in 3 weeks.
And I think the best part was when I could go out and go up to the golf course and sit around with my buddies for a while.
And, you know, they was like, 'Gee, man. You're up and you're moving.' Like, yeah."
