How Much Walking After Knee Replacement

Written by: Dr. Samantha Smith PT, DPT (Physical Therapist and Knee Replacement Specialist) This article contains commission banded affiliate links  

Knee replacement surgery is becoming more and more common as our population ages. A knee replacement is a great intervention to treat arthritis in the knee. Many people will complete years and years of conservative treatment before committing to a total knee replacement. Many people will also go years and years limping, not being able to complete daily activities, missing family events, delaying vacation, or just simply not sleeping well because of the knee pain. 

If you have had or are planning on having a knee replacement, it is very likely you would like to return to walking pain free. You will be able to walk with minimal to no pain after surgery. 

When Can I Start Walking After Surgery?

Approximately 90% of people are allowed to get up and walk the day of surgery. The other 10% may have had complications that allows them not to walk such as low blood pressure, blood loss, confusion, or possibly a bone fracture. 

When you wake up from surgery, you will have a licensed Physical Therapist show you physical therapy exercises, positioning of the knee, and ensure you are safe walking before you go home. You will use a walker or crutches after surgery due to muscle weakness and knee pain. Most likely, your Physical Therapist will instruct you to put as much weight on your knee as you would like. This is what we called: weight bearing as tolerated (WBAT). Technically, you can put your full body weight on your knee right after surgery; however, this is not recommended. 

It is likely you will have increased pain or soreness when walking right after surgery, but this pain does not mean you are causing injury or damage to your new knee. 

When the surgeon cements the knee in place, the cement cures very quickly. The cement will be very strong right after surgery, and eventually, it will strengthen more when the bone grows. Putting weight on your knee can actually help the body produce bone cells called osteoblasts. These cells are responsible for making new bone after an injury. 

How Much Should I Be Walking by 1 Month?

Everyones rehabilitation process is very different. Depending on your age, previous activity level, balance and overall health, you could be walking 1 mile by 1 month post surgery or you could be walking just from your kitchen to bedroom. 

The goal of walking is to slowly increase it over time based on your tolerance. For instance, if you can walk 2 laps in your home and then your knee begins to ache, then your goal will be to increase your walking to 3 laps by the next week. On the other hand, if you are walking 3 laps around the block, then maybe your goal is to walk 4 extra houses each day. 

Every person is very different at one month post surgery, which is considered very early in the rehabilitation process. 

Walking is very beneficial for weight loss and building muscle so improving your tolerance to walking is very important if this is your goal. A knee replacement will also last longer if you are at an appropriate weight. 

Try the FitTrack Scale to get you back on track with your weight loss. This scale not only tracks your weight in an app, but also measures muscle mass, fat mass and bone density. This is great for someone post knee replacement who needs to build muscle. Use code SAMANTHASMITH for 20% off  

How Much Should I Be Walking By 6 Months?

By 6 months, your walking should be fairly pain free and easy. You should feel confident doing your daily activities and have minimal discomfort. You should be able to complete long walks in the grocery store or at the doctors office without stopping due to pain. Overall, walking should not be an exhausting task. 

However, it is not uncommon to still experience swelling, stiffness and aching at 6 months post surgery, if you walk too much too soon. 

Because each person is different, normal walking duration can range from 10-30 minutes non-stop by 6 months post surgery. If you an older individual who has not been active, maybe you are only completing 10 minutes. However, if you are young and active, you should be able to do 30+ minutes without any significant discomfort or pain in the knee. 

How Much Should I Be Walking by 1 Year?

This question highly depends on your goals. If your goal is to do chores, visit family and go to the grocery store, then you may only need to walk 30 minutes total. 

If your goal is to be able to go on a hiking trip in Hawaii with your family, you may need to walk 2 hours. 

Despite the type of person you are, the ways to get there are the same. You will need to start a walking program. 

Walking Program

Before starting any exercise program please get clearance from your physician. 

To start the walking program, you will need a timer and a safe place to walk (either in your home, at a gym, on a treadmill, in a park). You will first start by walking as long as you can until you feel tired, short of breath, or your knee becomes achy, stiff or painful. 

Here’s an example:

Goal: Betty wants to be able to walk 30 minutes so she can walk at the grocery store without needing to sit down or lean on the cart.

Week 1: Betty can walk 20 minutes until knee starts to ache. Betty will walk 20 minutes 2-3x a week. 

Week 2: Betty will walk 23 minutes, 2-3x per week. 

Week 3: Betty will walk 25 minutes, 2-3x per week

Week 4: Betty will walk 28 minutes, 2-3x per week 

Week 5: Betty will walk 30 minutes, 2-3x per week. 

Betty may not follow this program exactly. She might have days where she is more tired and may need to scale it back some. The only thing Betty should NOT do is walk more than the suggested amount. For instance, do not walk 20 minutes on week 1 and then 30 minutes on week 2. The goal is to slowly increase the duration. 

After your walking program, be sure to ice and elevate to reduce post workout swelling, aching and stiffness