Looking after worn knees, and what a knee replacement is really like

I spent the best part of a decade trying to keep my arthritic knees going before I finally had one replaced, and the whole time I wanted a straight account I could not find. So here it is: how to protect worn knees, the injections, exercises and other steps that can put surgery off, how you know when conservative care has run out, and what a knee replacement and its demanding rehab are really like. A consultant orthopaedic surgeon reviews every article.

Latest articles

• Bow Legs, Knock Knees and Knee Arthritis: The Alignment Link

  Bow legs and knock knees load one side of the joint, wearing it faster and driving arthritis. Here is what can be done and when a replacement is needed.

• Sleeping After a Knee Replacement: Positions and Tips

  Broken sleep is normal early on, with night pain and swelling the usual culprits. Here are the best positions and tips for resting better after a new knee.

• Equipment for Knee Replacement Recovery: What to Buy

  Walking aids, a raised toilet seat, ice packs and a long-handled grabber make recovery far easier. Here is the kit worth buying and what you can skip.

• What to Expect on the Day of Knee Replacement Surgery

  Admission, anaesthetic, a 1 to 2 hour operation, then your first steps the same day. Here is exactly what to expect on the day of knee replacement surgery.

• Losing Weight Before Knee Surgery: Why It Matters

  Shedding weight before surgery lowers infection and clot risk and eases load on the joint. Here is why it matters so much and how to do it safely beforehand.

• Flying and Airport Security After a Knee Replacement: What to Expect

  Your implant can set off airport scanners, and clot risk means waiting before you fly. Here is when flying is safe and how to handle security with a new knee.

• Best Age for a Knee Replacement: What Really Matters

  There is no ideal age for a new knee: pain and lost function matter far more than the number. Here are the trade-offs for younger and older patients.

• Preparing for Knee Replacement Surgery: Prehab and Home Setup

  Prehab exercises, a set-up home and a few health fixes beforehand lower your risk and speed recovery. Here is how to prepare well for knee replacement surgery.

• The Emotional Side of Knee Replacement Recovery

  Feeling low after a knee replacement is common and rarely talked about: the rehab is hard and about 1 in 5 knees never feel normal. Here is the honest side.

• Knee Replacement for Younger Patients: What to Know Before You Decide

  Implants wear out, so a knee replacement under 60 may mean a revision later. Here is how age changes the odds, the alternatives, and how the decision is made.

• Alternatives to Knee Replacement: What to Try First

  Physiotherapy, weight loss, injections, bracing and osteotomy can all delay surgery. Here is how well each option works and how long it tends to buy you.

• Regaining Knee Bend and Avoiding Stiffness After Surgery

  Bending the knee is the key early goal, and a stiff joint can be freed with a manipulation under anaesthetic. Here is how to regain bend and avoid stiffness.

• Corticosteroid Injections for Knee Pain: Do They Work?

  Steroid injections can quieten knee pain for weeks to a few months, but relief fades and repeats are limited. Here is how they work and where they fit.

• How Much Does a Knee Replacement Cost? NHS, Private and US

  Free on the NHS, roughly £12,000 to £16,000 for UK private, and around $30,000 to $50,000 self-pay in the US. Here is what each price should actually include.

• Swelling After a Knee Replacement: How Long It Lasts

  Most swelling settles over a few weeks, though some lingers for months and is nothing to fear. Here is an honest guide to how long it lasts and managing it.

• Signs You Need a Knee Replacement: When It Is Time

  Pain that wrecks sleep, stops walking and resists everything else is the real signal. Here are the signs it may be time, who qualifies, and what to try first.

• Bilateral (Double) Knee Replacement: Both Knees at Once or Apart?

  Both knees at once, or one then the other? Bilateral surgery means a single recovery but a tougher one. Here are the pros, cons and who each route suits.

• Knee Replacement Scar and Wound Care: A Practical Guide

  Keeping the wound clean and dry, knowing when stitches come out, and spotting infection early all protect healing. Here is how to care for the scar and wound.

• Kneeling After a Knee Replacement: The Honest Truth

  Can you kneel on a new knee? It is safe but often uncomfortable, and roughly 1 in 5 find the joint never feels quite normal. Here is the honest answer.

• Knee Replacement Risks and Complications, and How Common They Are

  Infection runs at about 1 to 2 in 100, and roughly 1 in 5 have lingering pain. Here are the real risks of knee replacement and how common each one actually is.

• Rheumatoid Arthritis and the Knee: Symptoms and Treatment

  Rheumatoid arthritis attacks the joint lining rather than wearing cartilage like osteoarthritis. Here are the symptoms, treatment, and when surgery is needed.

• Revision Knee Replacement: When and Why It Is Redone

  When an implant loosens, wears or becomes infected, the knee is redone. Here are the warning signs, what revision surgery involves, and the honest outlook.

• Signs Your Knee Replacement Is Failing: When to See Your Surgeon

  New pain, swelling, instability or warmth can mean an implant is failing, and infection needs urgent help. Here are the warning signs and when to act on them.

• Pain Management After Knee Replacement: What to Expect

  Medication, ice and elevation control the worst of it, but pain after a knee replacement can linger for months. Here is the honest truth on managing it.

• Questions to Ask Your Knee Surgeon Before a Replacement

  Ask about their results, your specific risks, the implant and the recovery before you commit. Here are the questions that lead to a genuinely informed decision.

• Stairs and Walking After a Knee Replacement

  You take your first steps the day of or after surgery, leaning on walking aids for 2 to 6 weeks. Here is how walking and stairs progress after a new knee.

• Partial vs Total Knee Replacement: Who Suits Each

  A partial replaces one worn compartment and recovers faster; a total replaces the whole joint. Here is how they differ, who suits each, and the trade-offs.

• Knee Replacement Exercises: Pre-op and Post-op Physiotherapy

  Bending the knee is the make-or-break early goal, and physiotherapy starts the very day of surgery. Here are the prehab and post-op exercises that matter.

• Caring for Your New Knee Long-Term: How to Protect Your Knee Replacement

  Weight, regular exercise, prompt infection care and routine check-ups are what help a new knee last. Here are the long-term habits that protect the joint.

• Returning to Work After a Knee Replacement: How Long?

  Desk jobs often mean 4 to 6 weeks off, heavy manual work up to 3 months. Here is an honest guide to going back to work after a knee replacement, by job type.

• Knee Pain: Causes and When to See a Doctor

  Most knee pain settles, but a hot, swollen or locked knee needs urgent care. Here are the common causes and the warning signs that mean see a doctor now.

• Knee Replacement Success Rates: Satisfaction and the Honest Reality

  Around 80 to 90% of people are satisfied and implants last 15 to 20 years plus, yet about 1 in 5 say the knee never feels normal. Here is the honest picture.

• Knee Replacement Recovery Timeline: Week by Week

  Walking aids for 2 to 6 weeks, driving around 6 weeks, full recovery in 6 to 12 months. Here is the week-by-week timeline of knee replacement recovery.

• Types of Knee Replacement: Total, Partial and Kneecap

  Total, partial and kneecap-only replacements each suit different patterns of wear. Here are the types, the implant materials and how surgeons choose each.

• Activities and Sports After a Knee Replacement: What You Can Safely Do

  Walking, swimming and cycling are encouraged after a new knee, while running and contact sport need care. Here is what is safe and when to restart each.

• Driving After a Knee Replacement: When Is It Safe?

  Most people drive again around 6 weeks after a knee replacement, once they can control the car safely and are off strong painkillers. Here is how to judge it.

• How Long Does a Knee Replacement Last? Longevity and Registry Data

  Registry data shows 90 to 95% of knee replacements still working at 10 years, with most lasting 15 to 20 years or more. Here is what that means for you.

• Knee Replacement Hospital Bag Checklist: What to Pack

  Loose clothing, slip-on shoes, your walking aids and a few home comforts cover a 1 to 3 day stay. Here is the full hospital bag checklist, tested in practice.

• Knee Osteoarthritis: Causes, Symptoms and Treatment Options

  Knee osteoarthritis wears the cartilage until bone meets bone, causing pain and stiffness. Here are the causes, the symptoms and treatments up to replacement.

• Knee Replacement Surgery: Procedure, Types, Risks and Recovery

  What knee replacement surgery actually involves: the operation, the implant types, the real risks, the demanding recovery and the cost, from someone who had it.