Preparing for Knee Replacement Surgery: Prehab and Home Setup
Key takeaways
- Good preparation makes recovery smoother: strengthen the leg with prehab exercises before surgery.
- Set your home up before you go in, because you will need walking aids for 2 to 6 weeks afterwards.
- Health steps such as reaching a healthy weight and stopping smoking lower your risk, including infection (about 1 to 2 in 100).
- Sort practical help in advance: you cannot drive until usually around 6 weeks after surgery.
- Pack a hospital bag early, as most people stay in hospital just 1 to 3 days.
By Margaret Doyle | Medically reviewed by Mr Paul Henderson, FRCS (Tr&Orth)
Published May 29, 2026 · 3 min read
Preparing for a knee replacement means four things: prehab exercises to strengthen the leg, setting up your home for limited mobility, health steps that lower your risk, and arranging practical help. The operation itself is over in about 1 to 2 hours, but how well you prepare shapes the weeks that follow, when you will need walking aids for 2 to 6 weeks1.
The preparation was the part I got most right, almost by accident, because a friend who had been through it bullied me into sorting my house out beforehand. I was grateful every single day afterwards. Here is what actually helped, checked by a consultant orthopaedic surgeon. For the operation in full, see knee replacement surgery.
Start with prehab exercises
Prehab means strengthening the leg before surgery so you have a head start on recovery. Gentle work on the thigh and buttock muscles, range-of-motion exercises, and general fitness all help, ideally guided by a physiotherapist2. It matters because bending the knee is the key early goal afterwards, and a stronger starting point makes that fight easier. Physiotherapy begins the day of or day after surgery, so the work you do before is genuinely banked. See knee replacement exercises for what to do.
Set up your home
Set your home up before you go in, because afterwards you will be moving carefully with a frame, then crutches or a stick, for 2 to 6 weeks:
- Clear trip hazards: loose rugs, trailing cables, clutter on the floor.
- Create clear paths wide enough for a walking frame.
- Set heights right: a bed and a chair with arms at a comfortable height to get up from.
- Keep essentials within reach: so you are not bending or stretching for everyday items.
Doing this while I was still mobile, rather than trying to fix it one-legged afterwards, was the best decision I made.
Take the health steps that lower your risk
Some of the biggest gains come from your general health. Reaching a healthy weight, stopping smoking, controlling conditions such as diabetes, and clearing any infections (including dental problems) all lower your risk, especially infection, which affects about 1 to 2 in 100 people3. National guidance such as NICE NG226 frames surgery as one step in managing osteoarthritis, with these health measures supporting it4. Your hospital will usually run pre-operative checks at an assessment appointment.
What to buy before surgery
A few inexpensive items make daily life much easier when you come home:
- A raised toilet seat and a chair with armrests
- A grabber or reacher and a long-handled shoehorn
- Ice packs for swelling, which is normal for months
- Loose, comfortable clothing and slip-on shoes
Walking aids are usually provided by the hospital. Our knee replacement hospital bag checklist covers what to pack, and equipment for knee replacement recovery goes through the aids in detail.
Arrange practical help
Line up help in advance, because you cannot drive until usually around 6 weeks after surgery and you will tire easily at first. Arrange someone to drive you home, help with shopping and cooking for the first week or two, and be around in case you need a hand. Most people stay in hospital just 1 to 3 days, so home support starts quickly1. To know exactly what the operation day holds, read what to expect on the day of knee surgery.
References
- Knee replacement, NHS. ↩
- Knee replacement surgery, Versus Arthritis. ↩
- Total Knee Replacement (OrthoInfo), American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. ↩
- Osteoarthritis in over 16s: diagnosis and management (NG226), NICE. ↩
Common questions
How do I prepare for a knee replacement?
Prepare in four ways: do prehab exercises to strengthen the leg, set up your home for limited mobility, take health steps such as reaching a healthy weight and stopping smoking, and arrange practical help. Most people need walking aids for 2 to 6 weeks and cannot drive until around 6 weeks, so planning ahead matters.
What exercises should I do before knee replacement surgery?
Gentle strengthening of the thigh and buttock muscles, range-of-motion work, and general fitness all help, often guided by a physiotherapist. This is called prehab, and going into surgery stronger gives you a head start on recovery, because bending the knee is the key early goal afterwards.
How should I set up my home before knee surgery?
Clear trip hazards and loose rugs, create a clear path for a walking frame, set up a bed and seating at a comfortable height, and put everyday items within easy reach. A raised toilet seat, a chair with arms, and a grabber all help. You will rely on this setup while using walking aids for 2 to 6 weeks.
What should I do to lower my risk before surgery?
Reaching a healthy weight, stopping smoking, controlling conditions such as diabetes, and treating any infections like dental problems all lower your risk, including infection (about 1 to 2 in 100). Staying as active as your knee allows also helps. Your team may run pre-operative checks at an assessment appointment.
What should I buy before a knee replacement?
Useful items include a raised toilet seat, a chair with armrests, a grabber or reacher, a long-handled shoehorn, ice packs for swelling, loose comfortable clothing, and slip-on shoes. Walking aids are usually provided by the hospital. Buying these before surgery means they are ready when you come home.
How long before surgery should I start preparing?
Start as soon as your surgery is planned. A few weeks of prehab, organising your home, and arranging help make a real difference. Pack your hospital bag early too, since most people stay only 1 to 3 days, and arrange someone to drive you home and help for the first week or two.
Written by Margaret Doyle. Medically reviewed by Mr Paul Henderson, FRCS (Tr&Orth).
Our guides are written from personal experience and reviewed by a qualified clinician for accuracy. Read our editorial policy.