You should give yourself at least one year for a full recovery. This time is sufficient to recover from residual injuries and any compensatory patterns develop while you were experiencing pain.
How Soon Can You Start Dancing Again?
How soon you can resume normal activities will solely depend on your situation. Everyone is different. The recovery time may take longer for some patients than others. After the surgery, the primary focus will be to reduce any inflammation and pain.
Once you notice an improvement in these areas, you may start seeing a difference in your movement and range of motion. To improve your range of motion, you will have to undergo physical therapy for some time.
Your doctor may also recommend light activities like cycling and strength training workouts to improve strength. You can expect to start dancing again in about 4 to 6 weeks.
Will Your Dancing be Affected?
Yes and no. After knee replacement, you should expect to dance the same way you did in your 20s. Furthermore, you’ll notice a difference in your range of motion with the implant compared to your natural knee.
However, you’ll still be able to square dance confidently. And the best part is that you’ll be doing it pain-free. Therefore, while it may take time to get used to your new knee, in the big picture, it will be a small trade-off since you’ll be enjoying what you love doing and not having to deal with pain all the time.
Source: Beyond the Barre
Final Thoughts
Getting knee replacement surgery isn’t an easy decision especially when you think of the ways it may affect your day-to-day activities. Fortunately, if you’re a square dancing enthusiast, this isn’t something you need to worry about. Square dancing is a low impact activity that’s appropriate for candidates who’ve undergone knee replacement surgery.
However, you may have to wait a few months before getting back on the dance floor. After the procedure, you’ll need to give the knee some time to heal and go through physical therapy to regain your full range of motion.
Also, don’t expect to dance the same way you did before. It will take time to get used to moving with the implant. What’s more, you may not be able to move as fast since you have to watch your movements with a knee replacement to ensure its survivorship.
