Whether at home or in a rehab facility, you’ll want to take care of your new joints. Practice movements that increase strength and range of motion. For the best recovery, you should avoid dangerous movements and return to the hospital for regular check-ups. Return to activities slowly; a little stiffness in the knee is normal in the beginning. Increase Muscle StrengthStrong leg muscles reduce the stress on the knee joint, which allows the joint to be maintained for longer: The simplest and easiest way to perform quadriceps exercises is to practice straight leg raises. Hook your toes back vigorously, pop the muscles in front of your thighs and calves, pop your knees straight, slowly lift your thighs off the bed, then slowly lower them, and so on. Increase joint activity, sitting knee flexion exercises can make the new joint flexion smoother. Practice knee flexion and extension according to the learned movements. 1. Sit on a chair and place a towel under the new joint; 2. Straighten the leg as much as possible and maintain the movement to the count of 5; 3. Then flex the knee as much as possible and maintain the movement to the count of 5; 4. Repeat continuously. Review A post-operative review allows your doctor to determine how well your joint is healing. Incision sutures are usually removed 2 weeks after surgery. Go to the hospital when you have any of the following symptoms: 1. Increased knee pain; 2. Pain or swelling in the calf or thigh; 3. Unusual redness, heat or pus at the incision site; 4. Breathing difficulty or chest pain; 5. Fever over 38°C. Be careful to protect your new joint: Do not twist your knee and do not engage in high-intensity activities such as running, jumping, racewalking, or basketball when you turn but do not move your foot; Avoid twisting your knee; you should move your foot first and then turn. Recovery Activities Practice walking daily to increase strength. Gradually increase activity each week. You can drive or return to office work in January after surgery. If the work is more intense, you will need to take 3-4 months off before working. Total Knee Replacement is a larger surgery, so it takes several months to really recover.