Can you give me some general guidelines for activity and exercise after I have my knee replaced? I know this varies from person-to-person but what are patients told are general good rules to follow? I intend to be very active but don’t want to blow it either.

After going through all the fuss to replace a joint, you do want the best results, right? Well, here are a few tips to help you along the way. Knowing how much activity is too much and ways to prevent complications are important.

The information comes from a systematic review of 30 years’ worth of research results (over a period from 1980 to 2010). All English-language studies of total joint replacements were gathered and reviewed. A special search was done to find studies that reported on sports or recreational activities after total joint surgery. Most of the surgeries were to replace the hip, knee, or shoulder.

Why is this information important? Because like you, more and more young adults and active older adults are turning to joint replacement to alleviate pain from degenerative joint disease. And they intend to stay active after the surgery.

It is in their best interest to receive advice about level of activity and exercise. What’s reasonable? What’s too much? What’s allowed? What’s prohibited? How will the final results of the joint replacement be affected by physical activity and exercise? These are some of the issues addressed by this study.

Here’s a list of the current guidelines available. Keep in mind, these are NOT the result of direct research studies comparing one patient group to another. They are the answers provided by surgeons filling out surveys and from consensus statements (agreements) made by groups of surgeons.

  • Everyone should stay as active as possible after joint replacement surgery.
  • Load and force through the joint (generated by movement) helps the bone grow around the implant and hold it in place better.
  • Some activities are recommended over others (e.g., walking, biking, or swimming rather than jogging, running, or football) because they place less load and strain on the hip and knee than others.
  • Activities that place the greatest peak force on the joint include golf, tennis, jogging, and running.
  • Premature wear and revision surgeries have been observed in cases of high joint load from high-impact activities.
  • Rates of implant loosening have been shown to be lower with physical activity.
  • Cemented joints may be a more important factor in the need for revision surgery than physical activity.

    Surgeons agree there’s a balance between enough activity to increase bone density and too much activity contributing to excessive wear and tear on implants. They agree that improved surgical techniques and better implant designs have allowed for greater physical activities without problems. They also report cases of active patients who fared far better than those who had an inactive lifestyle.

    Your surgeon is the best one to advise you about specifics for physical activity, exercise, and sports participation. In general, most patients are encouraged to stay active while avoiding some of the higher impact activities. The type of surgery done and implant design are important factors. Likewise, your level of physical fitness, motivation, and training will be keys to a successful outcome.