What to Expect with a Total Knee Replacement

A Patient's Guide to Surgery, Rehab, and Beyond

What to Expect with a Total Knee Replacement: A Patient’s Guide to Surgery, Rehab, and Beyond contains detailed information on every step of the process of having total knee replacement surgery. It will teach you how to gain the greatest benefit from your surgery, minimize complications and setbacks, and empower you to achieve the best results possible. This book is intended for every person planning to undergo total knee replacement surgery, as it will take you through the entire journey from pre-operative preparations to full recovery and beyond, arming you with important knowledge along the way. You will find detailed descriptions of:

• The multiple steps you need to take to prepare yourself and your home environment prior to the surgery, including pictures of pre-operative exercises you should be doing
• The process of the surgery itself
• What you can expect will happen during your hospital stay, as well as what is expected from you
• Potential post-operative problems to watch for, and what you can do to prevent them
• How to manage your pain and other side effects of the surgery
• Your entire course of post-operative rehabilitation, including important goals that you will be working toward at each stage of rehab
• What a stay in an inpatient rehabilitation facility might look like
• What to expect with home-based therapy
• What to expect from outpatient physical therapy, from your first visit until the end of your rehabilitation, including pictures of typical post-operative exercises you will be expected to do
• Life after rehab is over and how to get the most out of your new knee
• Tips for maximizing your success and avoiding pitfalls
• Some of the latest research guiding current medical practices surrounding total knee replacement surgery and rehab today

Regardless of your current stage in the process of having a total knee replacement – whether you are still debating whether to do it or you are already halfway through your rehab – this book can help you every step of the way. Even caregivers, friends, or family members can use the information in this book to help the person having a total knee replacement to prepare and to succeed. This book was written by a physical therapist with focused experience in orthopedic rehabilitation. She has assisted countless patients undergoing total joint replacement through their hospital stays and their course of outpatient physical therapy, using the latest scientific evidence for successful outcomes.