Unfortunately I don’t have the answers but I do wish you a speedy recovery and hope you get onto the course soon.

Best of Luck Stephen.

Stephen, I've been there - I've got similar X-rays, though mine have random bits of metal from earlier ACL's. Right knee for me. Right knee is "better" as the loading through the swing is more intense on the left knee for right handers. One week in can be a low point. No point in being a hero - take whatever painkillers they give you!! Stairs will be an issue for some considerable time I'm afraid. You will, however, be able to use stairs to strengthen your muscles. Be diligent about your physio and to get access to an exercise bike of some description! When allowed, I did lots of walking and found it helped. I had my op in the November and was ready for the Driving Range the following March. Some say they were back on the golf course six weeks after the op - I would consider that to be a very risky strategy. It's a major reconstruction and it takes time to heal. The numbness wears off eventually but don't expect it to be exactly like a natural knee - it's good, but it's not that good! Oh, and be prepared to be stopped by Security at every airport - You'll set of the metal detector alarms!!
You can always putt without straining yourself so perhaps you can get your golf fix that way.
Get well soon
JT

Hi Stephen
I had a total left knee replacement in early December 2020 and was back on the course about 3 months later which matched one of the lockdown periods perfectly and playing properly (ha ha) Easter 2021 ()
I'm right handed so my left knee takes a fair load which might have been the reason the old one wore out after 50+ years of golf!
My advice to you is the same as JT and to do your exercises religiously. I'd heard lots of stories of folks not doing enough and paying the price with a loss of mobility. I too used an exercise bike not necesarrily to build up miles but to help with bending and I also did a lot of walking. Don't underestimate how much your muscles may have weakened or worked in the wrong way whilst compensating for your old knee.
I was lucky in that I see a personal trainer and we'd worked on building up leg and glute muscles as prehab and that certainly made rehab easier. I found that I was in quite a lot of pain for the first six weeks post-op - it's a brutal procedure - but a Cryo Cuff was a Godsend and worth every penny. It's a simple icing device which reduced the swelling and helped a lot with the pain and reduced reliance on painkillers. I even helped me to get some sleep.
How is my knee now? It's still numb in places - I'm not sure that will ever go away - and it doesn't bend as far as my right knee but I can play golf whenever I want on a course that is considered a tough walk. I've played (and walked) three days on the trot but I'm not sure I'd want to play four. Like any joint, if I twist it the wrong way or abuse it, it hurts and swells up but usually recovers after a few days of taking it easy.
Good luck and keep doing your exercises!
Brian

Further to Brian's post, my knee had undergone 2 x ACL reconstructions and other surgeries and was pretty well knackered. After each ACL, the nerves took months/years to recover but the numbness went eventually. Same with the Total Knee Replacement - it takes a long time for the nerves to knit. Even now, I bruise around my knee but it doesn't cause me any wider problems and possibly reflects earlier issues & surgeries I've had. Just day to day walking causes bruising but my knee no longer dislocates randomly, I don't suffer much pain (some stiffness) and though kneeling is not particularly pleasant, I can do it if I'm careful (but not for long!).
Eventually, you have to gauge what you can do comfortably. Personally, I try not to play on consecutive days unless we're using a buggy but that's my own, self-imposed guideline. Everyone is different - you have to explore your boundaries as your recovery progresses and listen to what your body tells you.
JT