Surgeons perform approximately 800,000 to 1 million knee replacements every year in the United States. I had this done about 6 weeks ago. My surgery recovery is more complicated than most due to the fact I had a complete quad tear about 14 years ago which caused the knee to fail. We will see in about 6 months but so far so good.

General Dissatisfaction: Studies report that roughly 10% to 20% of patients are ultimately dissatisfied with their knee replacement outcomes.
Decisional Regret: Research specifically tracking decisional regret shows that up to 26% of patients report moderate-to-severe regret, while about 49% report no regret at all.
Complete Regret Without Complications: In uncomplicated cases, total regret is relatively low, affecting roughly 3% of patients.

Top Reasons for Regret
Unmet Expectations: Patients often expect their artificial knee to feel exactly like a natural, pain-free joint. The reality is that minor aches, mechanical feelings, and limitations remain.
Incomplete Pain Relief: Up to 15% to 33% of patients continue to experience some level of chronic pain or stiffness after the surgery.
Unprepared for Rehabilitation: Knee replacements require a rigorous, demanding physical therapy regimen. Patients who struggle to keep up with rehabilitation often report poorer outcomes and higher regret.
Premature Surgery: Patients who undergo the surgery when their arthritis symptoms are not severe enough to justify the aggressive intervention are at a much higher risk of regretting the procedure.