When Can I Drive

A common question asked by patients is ‘what sport/activity can I continue to be involved in after my knee replacement surgery?’ The short answer to this, which was debated at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Meeting in 2017, is that you should try to stay as physically fit and active following your surgery as possible, as the benefits to your overall health (including but not limited to: lower risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, diabetes, dementia, etc.) far outweigh the theoretical risk of premature failure of your knee replacement.

It was universally agreed that patients may safely partake in low impact sports with no restrictions. Examples of these activities include: walking, hiking, cycling, swimming, yoga, fishing, bowls, doubles tennis, snow skiing (blue runs).

The panel was split about advising patients about high impact sports, such as: running, competing in triathlons, soccer, hockey and singles tennis. 

No data in the literature supports the concept that high impact sport will cause premature failure of your implant however results from the Australian Joint Registry do show that younger patients have a higher rate of revision surgery (failure), which most surgeons presume to be partly activity related.

In conclusion, following knee replacement surgery you should seek to remain as physically active as possible, as this enables your best overall health.