Which sport is allowed?
Sport is desired and useful after knee TEP surgery. Within the framework of rehabilitation, sport serves to restore the patient’s quality of life so that he or she can cope with everyday life without any restrictions. Positive effects for the entire organism such as improved physical performance, good blood circulation and good coordination are just some of the benefits of sport.
In particular, when patients return to their everyday lives without restrictions after a knee replacement operation and completed rehabilitation, the desire for sports activities arises for many. However, not every type of sport is suitable with a knee TEP. If the artificial knee joint is subjected to excessive stress or if sports with a high risk of injury are played, the prosthesis may be damaged or loosened.
Sports that are very contact-intensive (e.g. soccer, handball or basketball), as well as sports with abrupt stopping movements (e.g. tennis or badminton) are rather unsuitable with a knee TEP. Doctors recommend the practice of so-called low impact sports, i.e. those that have little impact on the joints and are therefore also known as joint-gentle.These sports include swimming, cycling, golf, cross-country skiing and gymnastics. Also sports like jogging or skiing are possible under certain circumstances. You can find more information on this topic here.
Prognosis – sick leave, how long incapacitated for work
Today’s knee TEPs have a lifetime of 10-15 years. Several weeks of hard work will pass before a regular daily routine is possible without restrictions after the operation. In the course of rehabilitation, the patient is supported more and more until the knee has regained its full load-bearing capacity and good mobility.
This process can take between 8-12 weeks, depending on the individual progress and is highly dependent on the patient’s good cooperation. How long the patient is unable to work after the operation depends on two factors. On the one hand, it depends on the type of profession exercised, so that logically an office worker can be reintegrated into work faster than an employee who is on his feet all day and may have to perform physical labor.
On the other hand, the reintegration into the job also depends on the individual’s progress in healing. If this is delayed or complications occur, the time during which the patient is on sick leave is automatically extended. As a general rule, patients are generally on sick leave for 2 weeks.
The doctor’s check-ups determine to what extent the sick leave has to be extended or can be cancelled. On average, patients return to their jobs after 2-4 weeks. However, it is also possible that patients have to be put on sick leave for several months. More information here.
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