Recovery after orthopedic surgery, week by week
The weeks before your operation: prehab strength, first exercises, crutch practice and setting up your home.
A high tibial osteotomy realigns a bowed leg to take weight off worn cartilage on the inner side of the knee. It suits younger, active people with one-sided arthritis, means crutches for several weeks, and full activity at around 3 to 6 months.
Hip resurfacing caps the ball of your hip instead of replacing it, and suits a narrow group best: younger, active men with a large hip and strong bone. For most other people a total hip replacement is the more predictable choice, and resurfacing needs lifelong follow-up for metal wear.
A revision knee replacement redoes a knee replacement that has loosened, worn, become infected, unstable or stiff. It is a bigger operation than the first, and recovery usually takes 3 months to a year.
Ankle fusion and ankle replacement both relieve most of the pain of ankle arthritis, with similar walking ability a year later. Fusion has a longer, stricter recovery but is permanent; replacement keeps movement and gets you moving sooner, but can wear out.
Most people with back pain don’t need surgery. It clearly helps leg weakness that’s getting worse, cauda equina syndrome and severe leg pain that won’t settle, but it rarely helps back pain on its own.
It’s usually time to consider a knee replacement when arthritis pain disrupts sleep and daily life and non-surgical treatment no longer helps enough. Signs to look for, X-ray vs symptoms, and the risks of going too early or waiting too long.
Bunion surgery is usually worth it when a bunion hurts and limits your life despite wider shoes, not for looks. Most people are satisfied, but recovery takes months and bunions can come back.
Use the weeks before a knee replacement to strengthen your leg, set up your home and get your health in the best shape you can. Prehab exercises, equipment, what to arrange, what to bring to hospital, and the health steps that lower complication risk.
Rotator cuff surgery is usually worth it for a sudden tear with real weakness, especially in younger people. For slow, wear-and-tear tears, about 3 in 4 people do well with physical therapy and avoid surgery.
Some people with a torn ACL do well without reconstruction, especially if they avoid pivoting sports and their knee stops giving way after rehab. About half of those who start with rehab later choose surgery. Who does well, the meniscus risk, and questions to ask.