Last reviewed: September 29, 2026

You can do it at home. The studies are fairly clear on that. When patients doing a home program are compared with patients going to a therapist, most outcomes come out the same.

That is not the whole picture. Those studies enroll people who agreed to be in a study and who did the program. They do not tell you much about the person who stops when it hurts, or who is not sure whether what they are feeling is normal.

That gap matters. The first weeks after a knee replacement are uncomfortable. What the studies do show is that the people who fall behind early are the ones who need the help: trouble bending the knee in the first couple of weeks, trouble getting it fully straight, or struggling to manage at home. A therapist is not doing something to your knee that you cannot do yourself. A therapist is someone watching, pushing a little harder than you would push alone, and telling you when the pain you are feeling is the ordinary kind.

If you are the kind of person who will do it anyway, at home is fine. Most people are not sure which kind they are until they are already behind.

In general:

  • Do it at home if you know you will actually do it.
  • Go to a therapist if you think you will talk yourself out of it.
  • Being uncomfortable in the first weeks is expected, not a sign to stop.
  • If you are falling behind on bending the knee, say so early.

Drafted with AI assistance from published sources, reviewed and edited by Babak Sheikh, MD.

Sources:

  • Buhagiar MA, et al. Assessment of Outcomes of Inpatient or Clinic-Based vs Home-Based Rehabilitation After Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. JAMA Netw Open. 2019. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2019.2810
  • Bravi M, et al. Supervised Versus Unsupervised Rehabilitation Following Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Knee. 2023. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.knee.2022.11.013
  • Florez-García M, et al. Efficacy and Safety of Home-Based Exercises Versus Individualized Supervised Outpatient Physical Therapy Programs After Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc. 2017. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-016-4231-x
  • Fleischman AN, et al. 2018 John N. Insall Award: Recovery of Knee Flexion With Unsupervised Home Exercise Is Not Inferior to Outpatient Physical Therapy After TKA: A Randomized Trial. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2019. https://doi.org/10.1097/CORR.0000000000000561

This is general information about what published research shows. It is not medical advice and it is not about your situation. Reading it does not create a doctor-patient relationship with me. I am a retired orthopedic surgeon and I do not see patients. Talk with your own doctor before changing anything about your care. If something feels suddenly or seriously wrong, get medical care promptly rather than waiting.

This page is provided as is. I make no guarantee that it is accurate, complete or current, and medical evidence changes. Use of it is at your own risk.

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