From the Research
For post-knee replacement swelling, I recommend a comprehensive approach combining several treatments, prioritizing the use of NSAIDs like ibuprofen and compression to reduce inflammation and improve circulation, as supported by the most recent and highest quality study 1.
Key Components of Treatment
- Regular ice application (20 minutes every 2-3 hours) for the first few days after surgery to reduce inflammation
- Elevate the leg above heart level when sitting or lying down
- Take prescribed pain medications as directed, typically including NSAIDs like ibuprofen (400-800mg every 6-8 hours with food) or naproxen (220-500mg twice daily), unless contraindicated
- Compression is also important - wear the compression bandage or stocking provided by your healthcare team
- Begin gentle range-of-motion exercises as instructed by your physical therapist, which helps reduce swelling by improving circulation
- Stay hydrated and limit salt intake to minimize fluid retention
Monitoring and Follow-Up
If swelling is severe, worsens suddenly, is accompanied by significant pain, redness, warmth, or fever, contact your healthcare provider immediately as these could indicate complications like infection or blood clots. Swelling is a normal part of the healing process after knee replacement and typically improves gradually over several weeks to months as tissues heal and adapt to the new joint. The use of multimodal analgesia, including NSAIDs, has been shown to be effective in reducing postoperative pain and opioid consumption, with a study finding that oral selective COX-2 and non-selective NSAIDs and intravenous ketorolac safely reduce postoperative pain and opioid consumption during hospitalization for primary total joint arthroplasty 1.