Replaced both knees in 2024. Right in Jan, left in May. I was prescribed a ROM therapy bike each time and was spinning the day after surgery. The ROM bike adjusts pedal radius, starting small and working your way out. The prescription was for 3 weeks, then I moved to a bike I set up on basic rollers before surgery for 2-3 weeks—after that, I started riding outdoors. This is in addition to walking and doing all the stretches and exercises learned in PT, weight training for legs, etc.

it’s a tough surgery with lots of aches and pains afterwards. The prescription painkillers help you through the first few weeks and I found it all to be quite manageable. I recommend “prehab” PT so you learn the exercises now and build up your quads and glutes as much as possible. Being an active cyclist will help you have the right mindset for recovery. I was amazed at how quickly abilities come back. I rode 25 miles today on a mostly flat route. 20 miles last Saturday in rolling hills. No knee pain and can stand on the pedals and crank up short steep hills again like I could before knee arthritis symptoms began! Between cycling, hiking, gym days, I try to work out an hour a day or longer.