Final answer:
For a successful recovery after a total knee arthroplasty, a patient should maintain a healthy weight, engage in low-impact exercises, and adopt daily stretching and muscle-strengthening routines. They should also use proper techniques to lift and carry objects while distributing the workload across the body properly.
Step-by-step explanation:
A nurse providing postoperative teaching to a client who has undergone a total knee arthroplasty should include several important instructions to ensure proper recovery and functionality of the knee joint. It is essential that the patient maintains a healthy weight to minimize pressure on the new joint, participate in low-impact exercises such as biking or swimming to reduce stress on the knees, and follow a daily routine that includes stretching and muscle-strengthening activities to promote joint stability and flexibility.
Additionally, patients should learn to distribute the workload over larger and stronger joints when lifting or carrying heavy objects, and utilize proper techniques to prevent injury. During recovery, careful attention to these recommendations along with guidance from healthcare professionals, including the surgeon, nurse, and anesthesia team, will support the alignment and function of the prosthetic knee components, as depicted in post-op X-rays of knee replacements which have been performed for over two decades. Figure 5.3 from the reference materials shows the successful implantation of an artificial knee joint.