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Can You Bend Your Knee After Partial Knee Replacement?

Dr CR Oosthuizen 3 min read

Most patients achieve 120–135° of flexion — close to or matching their pre-operative bend.

One of the strongest advantages of UKA over total knee replacement is range of motion. Because the cruciate ligaments and the unaffected compartments are preserved, the natural mechanics of the knee are kept.

Most UKA patients achieve 120–135° of flexion — enough to kneel, squat, cycle, garden, climb stairs normally and rise easily from a low chair. Patients commonly recover the same range they had before surgery, plus the comfort of having lost the bone-on-bone pain.

Range improves over the first 6–12 weeks with consistent physiotherapy. Sitting cross-legged, gentle squats and cycling on a stationary bike are all encouraged once the wound has healed.

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