Have you had a total knee replacement, but scared to kneel since your operation because you think you might damage the knee replacement.
Am here to give you some reassurance about kneeling after a knee replacement. I base this article on my knowledge as a diagnostic radiographer, consultation from expert doctors and supported by scientific studies on the subject matter.
Happy reading!😀
Have any questions, remarks, or experience to share? Feel free to use the comments section at the end of the article!🙏
Last updated: April 2024. Written by Juliet Semakula, diagnostic radiographer.
Disclaimer: no affiliate links.
Before delving into answering your question I want to first reassure you that kneeling after knee replacement will not damage your knee.
According to studies, up to 60-80% of patients report difficulty or inability to kneel following a total knee replacement (TKR). This may create a lot of dissatisfaction as many patients expect to be able to kneel following a knee replacement.
Being able to kneel is important because failure to do so can affect your quality of life and activities of daily living as well as religious activities, social activities, and employment.
The truth is most people, apart from young children, find kneeling difficult even without knee replacement.
To be honest I do not like kneeling, I find it very difficult, yet I have not had a knee replacement.
Reasons why it is not advisable to kneel after a knee replacement.
Studies have identified several reasons why patients may find it difficult to kneel following a total knee replacement.
⏸️Knee pain/discomfort will take time to heal.
⏸️Other medical problems that could hinder kneeling.
⏸️Numbness of the knee.
⏸️Fear of damaging the prosthesis.
⏸️Instructions from medical professionals where some people are advised to kneel others are not advised to kneel.
Among these reasons, pain and discomfort is the commonest reason for not kneeling even after you have been given education about it.
The image below clearly shows a healing knee replacement:
Imagine this being your knee, The truth is just the fear of kneeling or rather a fear of the pain kneeling may hinder you not to even think about it.🙅 it could be in your mind. so the best advice is to take the healing process slow until you can be able to kneel.
How long after total knee replacement can you kneel?
In any circumstances It is understood after surgery your knee will be inflamed, stiff, swollen and painful. You are not expected to start kneeling at this point.
After a knee replacement, you are usually allowed to kneel after 6 months depending on how comfortable you feel.
For most people, kneeling can take up to 8 to 12 months after surgery before it is possible and comfortable to kneel.
However, completing a kneeling desensitisation program introduces you to kneeling earlier in your recovery.
The reasons why patients have trouble kneeling have not been extensively studied in a population of patients with contemporary knee replacement. A few studies identify pain and discomfort being the main reason why kneeling is difficult.
There is no evidence that kneeling after a knee replacement is harmful to your knee replacement.
Kneeling after a knee replacement is possible and safe unless you have been told by the orthopaedic surgeon not to attempt kneeling.
⭕The desensitisation process can be started 6 weeks after your operation. During your rehabilitation, try gradually to kneel and practise with your physiotherapist, initially kneeling on the bed or couch, then progressing to carpet and grass as necessary.
⭕Kneeling on concrete or gravel will still be uncomfortable and a cushion should therefore be used.
⭕The rehabilitation process varies from individual to individual but may take anywhere from 9 to 16 months.
The goal is to gradually increase the time you spend while kneeling but at the same time, change the surfaces, slowly progressing from soft to hard.
Is kneeling bad for knee replacement?
I will not say that kneeling after a knee replacement is bad or good, but I will give reasons why kneeling on your knee after surgery may be uncomfortable.
♦️Firstly, there may be discomfort coming from the incision. This is worse in the early stages following the operation before the incision is completely healed.
♦️In addition, the front of the knee may feel numb. Some people experience discomfort because of swelling of the knee. This swelling may take up to 1 year in some people.
♦️Other causes of discomfort include injury to nerves causing nerve pain and irritation, reduced range of motion around the knee especially bending of the knee.
You should also understand that not being able to kneel straight after surgery has nothing to do with knee replacement.
You should not push yourself too hard, give your body time to heal before you start kneeling.
It is always important to work with your physiotherapist and check with your orthopaedic surgeon should you be concerned about your recovery progress.
What to do if you can’t kneel?
I have seen patients come to x-rays after years of knee replacement telling me that they cannot kneel since they had their operation. They always sound frustrated!
Some researchers in the UK conducted interviews with 56 patients who had extreme difficulty kneeling at 7-10 years after knee replacement. and they concluded that the main reason was pain and discomfort.
So, this is common! If you believe in miracles let these few points reassure you and help you keep hope that one day you will be able to kneel.
⚫It is very normal if you cannot kneel after your knee replacement because even some people who have not had a knee replacement find it difficult to kneel.
Just know it is not an issue with your knee replacement prosthesis.
⚫Be patient and have faith in the recovery period. Some people take months or years to start kneeling again.
⚫Find a comfortable kneeling routine to help strengthen your muscles and joint stability. You can start slowly by kneeling on your sofa.
Remember persistence in everything is key. One day you will find yourself kneeling again.🙏
I hope I have been able to answer your questions about kneeling after knee replacement.
I wish you a quick recovery 🙏
Any questions let’s meet in the comments sections.
Below are some of the resources used for this article.
📚References:
Wylde V, Artz N, Howells N, Blom AW. Kneeling ability after total knee replacement. EFORT Open Rev. 2019 Jul 7;4(7):460-467. doi: 10.1302/2058-5241.4.180085. PMID: 31423329; PMCID: PMC6667980.
White L, Stockwell T, Hartnell N, Hennessy M, Mullan J. Factors preventing kneeling in a group of pre-educated patients post total knee arthroplasty. J Orthop Traumatol. 2016 Dec;17(4):333-338. doi: 10.1007/s10195-016-0411-1. Epub 2016 May 27. PMID: 27234004; PMCID: PMC5071237.
White L, Stockwell T, Hartnell N, Hennessy M, Mullan J. Factors preventing kneeling in a group of pre-educated patients post total knee arthroplasty. Journal of Orthopaedics and Traumatology. 2016 Dec 1;17(4):333-8. [Google Scholar]