Someone pointed out on another thread recently that most of the people who breeze through knee surgery probably are NOT posting on a knee board--however, I am one of the exceptions, so far, cross fingers, knock on wood. I had a PKR, walked out of the hosptial 13 hours after I walked in, started outpatient PT the next day, and was essentially off strong pain medications THREE DAYS after my surgery. I think the "average" experience of knee surgery is somewhere between someone like me and someone who is incapacitated by pain many months after surgery.
I concur that icing, elevating, and taking the meds you need before you need them to avoid chasing the pain are key concepts for recovery. Will add that I am 60, obese, and explored every option but surgery for as long as I could stand to do so. The payoff already is huge, because the knee that was actually bothering me more before surgery is now much better. The knee that was operated on is now much better. I can walk, work, keep house, ride my horses, trim their feet (a fairly strenuous activity), tote buckets of water for my poultry and waterfowl...get the picture? My surgery was 8 weeks ago tomorrow. I will be happy to get the next knee done. I am still icing and elevating, and I know my knee had surgery, ie there is some discomfort, but NOTHING like what I was enduring before. My first day back at work was Friday. I did not ice and elevate during the 8 hour shift but was a lot less uncomfortable than I was during the last shift I worked 11 days before the surgery.
Hope this gives you some perspective that knee surgery doesnt HAVE to be a prolonged saga of agony.
United States
) is to have the surgery. That will make you an official post operative member. 
