Can You Ride a Bike After Total Knee Replacement?

My primary reason for having a total knee replacement was the drive to return to outdoor cardio. 

I had been an avid runner for many years until I had to stop due to severe left knee pain.

I tried a couple of steroid injections which helped for about 18 months, but then the pain came back.

My doctor told me that the best way for me to return to my favorite physical activities without much pain, would be to have a total knee replacement surgery.

I’m not going to lie, this was scary!

Not only was it my first surgery ever, but I didn’t know how this would affect my active lifestyle.

During my meetings with my orthopedic surgeon, I questioned what I would and would not be able to do after the knee surgery.

He told me that he would not advise me to return to running 5 days a week because it’s a high impact sport that would put too much stress on the knee and could damage it over time.

However, he did recommend that I try bicycling instead.  

He told me that it was a great exercise that would put less stress on my new knee joint.

I had not ridden a bike since I was a kid!

My first thought was can it really be as good as running?

I didn’t really know, but in my mind, it was at least some type of cardio that I could do outside.

So, after I gathered all of my information, I made the educated decision to proceed with my knee replacement surgery last November.

After surgery, it took some work and a lot of patience, but I can tell you that I did start outdoor cycling….. and I love it!

For me, it is a great low impact alternative to running.

So, if your asking – can you ride a bike after total knee replacment – the answer YES!

If your looking for more info, I hope I can help.

I wanted to share my experience and some tips that I learned along the way about riding a bike after knee replacement surgery. 

Preparing for Bike Riding After Surgery

After having my knee surgery, I felt like a beat-up puppy!  

I had severe pain and swelling – which I can tell you from talking to other people who had knee replacements – is very normal.  

It was tough to do even necessary daily activities, but my focus was getting back up and going again. 

This wasn’t going to stop me!

Here’s how the recovery process went for me.  

I hope that this helps you to prepare for surgery.

Just remember everyone’s journey is different, so just go at your pace and you will be fine.   

Initial Recovery Phase

During the initial recovery phase, your focus will be on resting and allowing your body to heal. 

For the first couple of weeks after surgery, you will need to use a walker or crutches just to get around.  

Your main focus will be on controlling your pain and swelling – you will need to take pain medication and use ice often – I will tell you that ice was my best friend! 

The next morning after surgery, I started an outpatient physical therapy program- just getting there was a chore!

But don’t avoid it – this is when your therapist will begin by working on getting the range of motion back in your knee joint.   

They will also instruct you on a home therapy program – I hated it but I did it and I’m glad I did. 

This is so important, if you don’t get all of your motion back then you can’t get all of the strength back, they go hand in hand.  

It will hurt at first but if you work at it and do what they tell you to – including your home therapy program then you should get your full range of motion back within the first 4-6 weeks.  

Physical Therapy and Strengthening

Since we had already discussed my previous fitness level and what goals I had for after recovery – my therapist was able to create a plan based on what I needed to do to reach those goals.  

As my range of motion began to  improve, my therapist started adding strengthening exercises to my plan in order to get some muscle tone back.  

To help me get the last bit of my range of motion back I started warming up on a recumbent exercise bike with just a little resistance.

The advantage to the recumbent bike was that the seat reclined which made it easier for me to get on and off. 

Also, the pedals are out in front instead of under me like an upright exercise bike.  

This made it much easier to pedal the bike because it didn’t put as much stress on the knee.  

In addition to physical therapy, I was able to go out and start walking longer distances.

I also started going up and down my stairs to home once my therapist gave me the green light.  

This was super helpful with getting some of my muscle strength and endurance back.  

Just remember to always listen to your body and take things at your own pace.

There were some days that I just couldn’t do as much as other days – that’s okay just take it easy and get back at it tomorrow.  

But don’t quit or dog out!  

It will take work on your part to get back.   

The Benefits Of Riding A Bike After Knee Replacement

I personally found cycling to be the perfect exercise for my rehab.  

First of all, it’s a low-impact exercise so it didn’t mess up my new knee joint. 

As a matter of fact, I found that it was actually gentler on my knees – however, I was still able to get my heart pumping like I did with high impact sports like running and jumping.  

Cycling also helped me to get my full range of motion back.  

From the very beginning of my recovery, when I was on the recumbent bike the pedaling helped to push my knee to full range of motion which I couldn’t do by myself at first.  

Then as I progressed, riding my bicycle helped to build my strength back up in my muscles that support my new knee.  

This was a big help for my balance and stability.   

Adjusting Your Bicycle After Knee Surgery

Since I was new to cycling, I really didn’t know much about how or why the fit of the bike was important.  

I learned quickly when I started cycling and my knee pain started to increase…. oh crap!

So, I started talking to people and tried to figure it out.  

Someone recommended that I take it to the bike shop to see what could be done.  So, I did…. what did I have to lose?  

I found out how important the proper fit of my bike was, especially after knee surgery.  

The guy did a little adjusting of my seat and my handlebars.  It turned out that my seat was to low which caused extra stress on my knee.  

The new fit was much more comfortable and was a whole lot better for my knee – the pain was gone! 

Here are some things that I learned during the adjustment.  

• Make sure your seat is at the right height. Your knee should have just a slight bend when the pedal is at the bottom of the stroke – mine had a huge bend before I was fitted properly.
• The handlebars should be at a comfortable height and distance from the seat.  This I feel is just your personal preference. Do what is comfortable.  
• Just do a once over on the bike to make sure that everything is working properly.  

I highly recommend talking to “the guy” (or girl) at your local bike shop especially if you’re like me and have no clue how to adjust your bike.  

They saved my knees!    

​If you don’t have the right fit you rides will probably be uncomfortable – trust me – I really thought that I had made a bad choice with cycling until I got my bike fitted.  

However, if you don’t have a bike shop in your area, I did find a few good articles which explains how to fit a bike:  

Here’s one that seemed in line with “my guys” recommendations: Bike Fitting – How to Fit a Bike | REI Expert Advice. 

When to Start Riding a Bike After Surgery

After 6 weeks I was discharged from physical therapy.

My doctor and physical therapist gave me the green light to get back to normal activity.

Now I was on my own.

I was ready!

My incision was healed, my pain was pretty much gone, and I was anxious to get back to my normal physical activity.

This included my outdoor cardio.

However, I really wanted to get stronger before I tried hitting the open road.

I didn’t want to take a chance of falling or running out of steam away from home.

So, I personally stuck with an additional 8-10 weeks of riding my stationary bicycle before I did any outdoor cycling.

It was a great way to get stronger and work on my balance as well as gain my confidence before getting out on my regular bicycle.

Trust me, taking the extra time to get a little stronger was worth the delay in getting outside on my bike.

When I finally got out there, I was definitely ready for the ride.

For my first ride or two outdoors, I started out with short distances – around 2-3 miles close to home and I stayed on a flat terrain.

Over time I gradually increase the intensity and duration of my rides.

It wasn’t long before I was doing longer rides on tougher terrains and even took on those bigger hills.

I have learned to listen to my body more than I used to.

When I start to have any discomfort in my knee I stop and take a break – it’s always a good time for a cup of coffee. 

Can You Ride a Bike After Total knee Replacement?  Here are Some Tips to Help

The following tips will help you get started:

Pacing Yourself

It’s important to start slowly and gradually increase your biking time and intensity.

Don’t push yourself too hard or too fast, as this can cause pain and discomfort.

The first time you get outside to ride, consider riding on flat terrain, and avoid hills or rough terrain until you feel more comfortable.

Start with short rides and gradually increase the length of your rides over time.

Monitoring Pain and Discomfort

It’s normal to experience some discomfort or pain during and after your bike rides, especially in the first week or so.

However, if you experience severe or persistent pain, it’s important to take a break and rest your knee.

Make sure your bike is properly fitted to your body. This includes adjusting the seat height and handlebar position so that you are comfortable.

Remember, it’s important to listen to your body and take things at your own pace. 

Conclusion

So, as you can see it is not only possible to ride a bike after a total knee replacement, but it is also very therapeutic.  

But trust me, it doesn’t matter if you’re a new cyclist or an avid cyclist you will probably have some initial hesitation and fear about riding a bike after your total knee replacement surgery.

 However, don’t let this stop you from trying!

Just start slow, use proper equipment and follow your doctor’s recommendations, and you can safely and slowly work your way back to enjoying the freedom of the open road.

Remember to listen to your body and take breaks as needed, there are plenty of beautiful sites to stop and take in while you’re resting your knee.  

Your journey to getting on the bike may not be easy or smooth, but I will tell you that with determination and patience, you can reach this goal.

So go ahead and take that first pedal stroke – the wind in your hair and the sun on your face is waiting for you!  

And don’t forget to share your success story with others who may be facing a similar situation.

Let’s encourage each other to keep moving forward and never let any obstacle get in the way of our passions.

Keep pedaling, stay strong, and enjoy the ride!