Posts by Dr Jonathan Negus

TL;DR Most patients can return to hiking after knee surgery, but the timeline depends heavily on the procedure performed, the terrain you want to tackle, and how committed you are to rehabilitation. Light, flat walking on stable ground is usually safe within 6 to 12 weeks for arthroscopic procedures and 3 to 6 months for…

TL;DR Most total knee replacements contain enough cobalt-chromium or titanium to be flagged by airport security screening, with detection rates ranging from 38% to over 83% across published studies. Most major Australian airports now use millimetre-wave body scanners as the primary screening method, which still flag the implant area but tend to lead to a…

TL;DR Hot tubs, spas, and saunas are generally avoided in the first 6 weeks after knee replacement to protect the surgical wound and reduce infection risk. Heat itself is not the issue; the concerns are submerging an unhealed incision in shared water, increased swelling in the operated leg, and dizziness from prolonged heat. Most patients…

TL;DR Wearing heels after knee replacement is generally possible for most patients, with low to moderate heels safer than very high or thin styles. Heels under 4 cm with a wide stable base are usually well tolerated; stilettos and very high heels carry more risk of falls and joint strain. Most patients can return to…

TL;DR Kneeling after knee replacement is generally safe for most patients once healing is complete, usually from around three to six months post-surgery. Many people find kneeling uncomfortable rather than dangerous; the discomfort comes from the soft tissue over the implant, not the implant itself. Brief, padded kneeling for tasks like gardening or prayer is…

TL;DR Most people can return to social dancing after a total knee replacement, usually between 3 and 6 months post-surgery, once swelling has settled and strength has returned. Lower-impact styles like ballroom, line dancing, and slow social dancing are generally well tolerated; high-impact styles with jumping, deep pivoting, or kneeling carry more risk. Recovery milestones…

TL;DR Recovery from knee surgery is rarely linear, and motivation tends to dip around weeks 3 to 6 when early progress slows and rehabilitation becomes harder. Recovery works best when patients set small, weekly milestones tied to function, such as bending, walking, and getting off crutches, rather than fixating on the final outcome. Recovery normally…

TL;DR Overuse knee injuries develop slowly from repeated stress, not a single event, and the earliest warning signs are often dismissed as ordinary tiredness or stiffness. The most common early signals are pain that builds during or after activity, stiffness that eases after a few steps, mild swelling, and tracking that feels slightly off. Common…

TL;DR High-impact and pivot-heavy sports such as running on hard surfaces, basketball, netball, football codes, skiing, and CrossFit place the highest mechanical load on the knees and carry the greatest risk of cartilage wear, meniscus tears, and ligament injury. Risk is shaped less by the sport itself and more by training load, body weight, prior…

TL;DR Walking and swimming both support knee health, but they load the joint very differently. Swimming reduces compressive load on the knee, making it useful for painful or arthritic joints. Walking helps maintain bone density, cartilage health and overall fitness for most healthy knees. The better choice depends on the specific knee condition, pain level…