Knee Replacement - How Much Work Will I Miss Due to a Knee Replacement?

After undergoing a knee replacement, one of the many questions that come up is when you can return to work. Generally before your surgery during pre-operative classes or, during your consultation with your surgeon, an estimate will be given to you depending on our occupation.

It is recommended for most individuals that they allow and plan to be out of work for a minimum of six weeks with a maximum of eight weeks. These guidelines are given providing there are no complications such as infection or injury to the joint or surrounding bone the femur or tibia during surgery.

The deciding factor after your first check up with your surgeon after surgery will be how well the incision is healing, how well the prosthesis is seated, and how your rehabilitation is progressing. If your rehabilitation is going slower than expected for instance that could slow down your time table of when you report back to work.

If you hold a job where you are seated most of the day in an office for example, most people will return back to work in six weeks. even at six weeks you may not be able to put in a full eight hours depending on your fatigue factor, if the knee is swelling more than usual or, there is an increase in pain due to the positioning of your knee under a desk for instance. You will find you will have to get up and walk more often to help stop the chronic ache that sometimes develops due to positioning of the leg.

I have had some patients that have gone back to work in office settings within five weeks going in for several hours a day to catch up on paperwork.

If you have a job where you are on your feet throughout the day than eight weeks is highly recommended. At the eight week point a large majority of patients are able to withstand the rigors of walking or getting up and down from a desk throughout the day.

Everyone begins to feel good and ready to go back to work at six weeks. If you can however, plan for eight weeks to return to work. At eight weeks you will be strong enough to make it through a workday without regretting you returned to work. If you report too early than, trying to get additional time off may not be easy depending on your employer.

I had a knee replaced in 1999, while working in a hospital in the rehabilitation department. I felt I was ready to go back to work at six weeks out. However upon calling my supervisor we discussed the situation and I took the additional two weeks off. In hind sight that was the best move I made. I was able to return at eight weeks without any problems.

You have gone through the surgery now take the time to let your knee replacement heal properly. If you let it heal properly and get the necessary rehabilitation at the start, than you will have a new knee that will give you many dependable years of service ahead.