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What's Recovery Like for People in Their 40s and 50s?

Dr CR Oosthuizen 3 min read

Faster than older patients, with higher activity expectations met by 3–6 months.

Patients in their 40s and 50s generally recover quickest from UKA. Better baseline strength, cardiovascular fitness and faster tissue healing translate to earlier independence, earlier return to work and earlier return to sport.

Typical milestones: walking unaided at 7–10 days, driving at 2 weeks, desk work at 2 weeks, gym at 4–6 weeks, sport at 8–12 weeks. By 3–6 months most patients are at or above their pre-arthritis activity level.

The 'investment' in a partial knee replacement at this age is high: 15–20 years of pain-free activity, preserved bone for any future surgery, and a knee that feels close to natural. This is exactly the patient group UKA was designed for.

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