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Can You Play Sports After Partial Knee Replacement?

Dr CR Oosthuizen 3 min read

Yes — most low-impact and many moderate-impact sports are encouraged.

Partial knee replacement is specifically designed to allow a return to active life. Cycling, swimming, golf, hiking, doubles tennis, pilates, gym work, social skiing and even gentle jogging are all realistic.

Higher-impact and contact sports — competitive running, singles tennis, rugby, soccer, basketball, downhill skiing — are possible but accelerate wear of the implant. Many patients choose to scale them down rather than stop entirely.

Return to sport timing: stationary bike at 2 weeks, gym (lower body, light) at 6 weeks, golf at 8–10 weeks, tennis and skiing at 3–4 months. Build up gradually with guidance from your physiotherapist.

Next Step

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