Knee Surgery - Total Knee Replacement

Who this leaflet is for

This leaflet is for anyone who is recovering from, or is about to undergo surgery to have their knee joint replaced with an artificial joint. It should be read in conjunction with any other information you have already been given about your procedure.

The following information is designed to help you make the important decisions about your recovery, such as when you should go back to work, and generally just get back to enjoying life the way you like it. Your surgeon, GP and other healthcare professionals will offer you a lot of very good advice - but ultimately it’s you that has to make the decisions.

The advice in this leaflet offers broad guidelines for people who do not have any complications with their surgery, or other specific medical circumstances, such as a long-term condition.

Obviously, every individual has different needs and recovers in different ways – so not all the advice in this leaflet will be suitable for everybody. As always, if you’re in any doubt, talk first to your surgeon’s team, who will help you to make the right choices for a safe and speedy recovery. Also, if your employer has an Occupational Health service, do use it - they can be an invaluable source of advice in helping you to decide the best way to return to work.