5 Recovery Tips After Knee Replacement Surgery

April 25, 2025

by Jackie Wicks

Medically reviewed by: Dr. Ronald Mochizuki, MD

Having knee replacement surgery is one of the first steps you can take toward reclaiming your mobility. While the initial recovery period can feel overwhelming, the desire to return to daily activities—from walking to gardening—can be a powerful motivator. This motivation, coupled with the right recovery strategies, can make all the difference in your rehabilitation.

Luckily, today’s recovery options are more diverse than ever. From traditional rehabilitation techniques to innovative technologies like whole body vibration plates, you have more tools than ever at your disposal to support your recovery.

If you’re wondering what is the fastest way to recover from a knee replacement, this essential guide can help you learn how to combine proven rehabilitation strategies with cutting-edge technology so that you can quickly adapt to life with your new knee.

The Importance of Proper Recovery

After surgery, your knee replacement needs time to heal and adapt. This is why careful attention to recovery in the months following surgery is crucial. During this period, the surrounding muscles, tendons, and tissues must rebuild their strength while learning to work with your new joint.

A structured recovery plan helps restore strength, improve range of motion, and enhance overall mobility. An effective plan requires a balanced approach that combines appropriate movement with adequate rest.

Following these knee replacement recovery tips can potentially reduce your recovery time and improve your surgical outcome.

The Role of Whole Body Vibration in Recovery

As you explore options to support your swift recovery, you might be interested in learning about innovative approaches to rehabilitation. One such approach is whole-body vibration (WBV).

The controlled vibrations of a WBV plate create a stable platform where you can perform various exercises and movements based on your rehabilitation plan. You can start with simple standing positions and gradually progress to more dynamic movements as your strength improves, all while receiving the recovery benefits that whole body vibration offers (we’ll get into those benefits more below).

Key Recovery Tips After Knee Replacement Surgery

A successful recovery combines several key elements, from following your doctor’s recommendations to exploring different rehabilitation tools. While everyone's path differs, certain strategies have proven helpful for many people healing from knee replacement surgery.

To that end, here are five essential tips to help support your recovery process.

1. Follow Your Physical Therapy Program

Your physical therapy program serves as the foundation of your recovery. Physical therapists design these programs to help you:

Restore the range of motion in your new knee
Build strength in supporting muscles
Improve balance and stability
Learn proper movement patterns
Monitor your progress and adjust activities as needed

Consistency with your physical therapy exercises is vital. Even on challenging days, maintaining your prescribed routine helps ensure steady progress toward your recovery goals.

2. Start with Gentle Movement and Gradual Progression

In the early stages of recovery, gentle movement can help prevent stiffness and promote healing. Try these small movements to gradually improve mobility:

Quadriceps sets
Ankle pumps
Straight leg raises
Supported knee bends

As your strength and comfort level improves, you can increase the intensity and range of your exercises. This progressive approach helps ensure safe and effective rehabilitation while minimizing the risk of complications.

3. Incorporate Low-Impact Exercises

Your healthcare provider may recommend that you exercise for up to half an hour daily as you recover. Even though the task might seem daunting, not all exercises must be high-impact.

Once your doctor gives you the green light, incorporating low-impact exercises into your routine can allow you to build strength and improve cardiovascular fitness without putting excessive stress on your new knee.

Effective low-impact exercises may include:
Swimming or water exercises, for full-body conditioning
Yoga, for joint flexibility and increased range of motion
Stationary biking, to promote circulation and build supportive muscles
Walking, to build endurance

Remember to start slowly and increase duration and intensity only when you’re ready. The goal is to challenge yourself while staying within safe limits that support your healing.

3. Manage Swelling and Pain

While some swelling is normal after surgery, implementing proper management techniques can help you stay comfortable and maintain progress with your rehabilitation.

Effective strategies include:

Elevating your leg often
Applying ice regularly
Wearing compression garments
Taking prescribed anti-inflammatory medications
Staying active with appropriate physical therapy exercises

By proactively managing swelling and discomfort, you can participate more fully in your rehabilitation activities, potentially leading to better outcomes.

4. Prioritize Rest and Sleep

If you want a speedy recovery, it’s essential to do everything you can to assist the healing process, and this includes getting optimal rest.

Why is sleep so important to recovery?

During sleep, your body does a few pretty incredible things. In particular, it:

Releases growth hormones to stimulate muscle repair
Increases blood flow to circulate more oxygen and nutrients to recover muscles and regenerate cells

To promote the highest sleep quality possible, consider the following tips:

Create a comfortable sleep area complete with blackout curtains, soft bedding, and potentially a white noise machine
Make sure it’s easy to maneuver into and out of your bed
Follow a consistent sleep schedule (i.e. aim to go to bed at the same time every night)
Consider using ice or other pain and swelling management techniques before bed

And remember: Prioritizing rest doesn’t mean always sleeping—balance periods of exercise and movement with adequate rest throughout the day to aid your recovery efforts.

5. Focus on Proper Nutrition

A balanced diet rich in key nutrients can support your recovery process and help you get the most from your rehabilitation exercises. Try filling your plate with:

Protein – The compounds in protein help muscle and tissue grow, which is especially important for the muscles around the knee. Try to include quality protein sources like lean meats, fish, eggs, legumes, or dairy products at each meal.
Vitamins and minerals – Vitamins C, D, calcium, and zinc help increase immune system function and support bone health. Dark leafy greens, citrus fruits, and fortified dairy products are excellent sources of these nutrients. Consider eating a rainbow of colorful fruits and vegetables to ensure you're getting a wide range of vitamins and minerals.
Anti-inflammatory foods – Foods containing omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants can help reduce swelling and pain during recovery. Fish like salmon, nuts, seeds, and dark-colored produce like pomegranates and beets are particularly rich in these beneficial compounds.

You can also consider incorporating Mediterranean-style meals into your diet and limiting processed foods to help reduce inflammation during your recovery. A Mediterranean-style diet might include dishes rich in olive oil, fresh vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins. Proper hydration also supports healing and helps maintain your energy levels for rehabilitation exercises.

How Power Plate Supports Knee Replacement Surgery

While swimming and stationary bikes are excellent low-impact ways to aid recovery, innovative technologies like whole body vibration (WBV) could offer additional support.

Whole body vibration technology is an emerging rehabilitation tool. It uses precision vibration to gently and systematically engage muscles and bones in a way that’s designed to complement traditional recovery.

Benefits of Whole Body Vibration for Recovery

Power Plate's controlled vibrations can help support your knee replacement surgery recovery in several key ways:

Enhanced circulation throughout the body
Gentle activation of muscles around the knee
Improved balance and stability
Support for a range of motion exercises
Low-impact strength building

Ultimately, the main improvements to look for when using Power Plate’s whole body vibration machines are in muscle strength, bone health, pain management, and functional outcomes.

Just take a look at this example: A 2022 randomized controlled trial published in Aging Clinical and Experimental Research indicated that total knee arthroplasty patients who used WBV reported improvements in pain intensity.

Another study published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine 2019 also showed that knee surgery patients who used whole body vibration early after surgery reported increased knee strength and decreased calf swelling.

Low Impact Rehabilitation

Power Plate provides a low-impact, joint-friendly way to exercise during recovery. The platform's controlled vibrations offer a low impact and low intensity way to gain strength and stability without putting excessive stress on your new knee. This makes it an excellent option for:

Early-stage rehabilitation exercises
Maintaining fitness during recovery
Balance training
Ongoing wellness support

Working with your physical therapist, you can develop a program that incorporates Power Plate's technology into your recovery journey at the appropriate time and intensity level.

Final Key Tips for Optimal Recovery

At the end of the day, successful recovery from knee replacement surgery requires a multi-faceted approach that combines various methods to guide you back to an active lifestyle.

Staying committed to your physical therapy program creates the foundation, while gradually progressing with your exercises helps build strength safely. Choose appropriate low-impact activities, manage swelling, prioritize rest, and maintain proper nutrition to support a safe and fast recovery.

And for further support—now and in the future—talk to your physical therapist about adding Power Plate to your rehabilitation plan.

Explore Power Plate’s Whole Body Vibration Collection

Power Plate's innovative approach to rehabilitation transforms traditional recovery through advanced vibration technology, offering a new path to renewed strength and mobility. Our comprehensive collection harnesses controlled vibrations to help support your recovery.

With options designed for both clinical and home use, Power Plate empowers you to take control of your rehabilitation and build the strength you need to return to an active lifestyle.

If you're ready to enhance your approach to knee replacement recovery through innovative technology, explore Power Plate’s collection of whole body vibration plates today.

Sources:

OrthoInfo. Total Knee Replacement Exercise Guide. https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/recovery/total-knee-replacement-exercise-guide/

Prime Surgical Suites. Best Low-Impact Exercises After Knee Surgery. https://www.primesurgicalsuites.com/blog/best-low-impact-exercises-after-knee-surgery

Complete Orthopedics. Swelling after Knee Replacement. https://www.cortho.org/knee/swelling-after-knee-replacement/

Ortho Carolina. Sleep: The Secret Ingredient of Injury Recovery. https://www.orthocarolina.com/media/sleep-the-secret-ingredient-of-injury-recovery

Redwood Orthopaedic.The Importance of Post-Surgery Nutrition for Knee Recovery. https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/recovery/total-knee-replacement-exercise-guide/

Outpatient Hip and Knee. Nutrition Following Joint Replacement. https://outpatienthipandknee.com/nutrition-following-joint-replacement/

Power Plate. The Benefits of Power Plate After Hip and Knee Replacements. https://powerplate.com/blogs/news/power-plate-and-joint-replacements

Aging Clinical and Experimental Research. The effect of whole-body vibration in osteopenic patients after total knee arthroplasty: a randomized controlled trial. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35028919/

Journal of Clinical Medicine. Early Post-Operative Intervention of Whole-Body Vibration in Patients After Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Pilot Study. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31703305/