Recovery & Rehab

Knee arthroscopy is generally a quicker recovery than open knee surgery, but patients often still have questions about what the first days and weeks actually involve. The Day of Surgery Knee arthroscopy is usually performed as a day case, meaning most patients go home the same day. The knee is typically covered with a light dressing over the small keyhole incisions, and a bulky bandage. You may be given crutches, though many patients can bear weight relatively quickly dependi

The time immediately after surgery, while still in hospital, can feel unfamiliar if you don't know what to expect. Here's a straightforward walkthrough of what typically happens on the ward. Waking Up and Initial Checks After surgery, you'll wake up in a recovery area before being moved to the ward once you're stable. Nursing staff will carry out regular observations — blood pressure, heart rate, oxygen levels, and temperature — to monitor your recovery from the anaesthetic a

One of the most common questions patients ask before knee replacement surgery is simple: how long until I'm back to normal? The honest answer is that recovery happens in stages, and it looks a little different for everyone. The First Few Days Most patients begin walking with support — a frame or crutches — within a day of surgery. Many knee replacements are now performed as a short in-patient stay or even a day case, with early mobilisation actively encouraged as it supports

Numbers and timelines are useful, but they don't always capture what a knee replacement recovery actually looks like day to day. With one patient's kind permission, here's a real journey through the first four weeks, in photos. Day of Surgery: Marking the Side Before any operation, the surgical site is clearly marked as part of routine safety checks — confirming the correct side and site with the patient while fully awake. It's a small, procedural moment, but an important one