Table 3.

The content analysis

Meaning unit	Condensed meaning unit	Description close to text	Subtheme	Theme
I don’t like stairs and such any longer. No, I don’t like it. Going downhill and downstairs, that is the worst. Yes, it's this pressure pain. It feels like it pushes against something (Patient 2).	I don’t like stairs—going downstairs and downhill is the worst	Pain when going downstairs and downhill	Pain with certain movements	Persistent limitations
I can’t even sit on my knees on top of my mattress in bed. If I am to crawl up to pull the sheet on the bed, it hurts. Pressure pain is what I call it. It's not like it's a tendon or muscular pain, it is just physically painful where that pressure is (Patient 17).	I can’t even sit on my knees on top of my mattress in bed. Pressure pain is what I call it, it is just physically painful where the pressure is	Painful to sit on knee	Pain with certain positions
But do you know what? I am just so happy that I can walk because I had such pains before the surgery. So, I don’t have those pains now. And I tell everyone that it is very good. Very happy about it. Trying to focus on what I can do. What I can’t … No I am just very happy for this now (Patient 14).	I am so happy that I can walk. I had such pains before the surgery. So, I don’t have those pains now	Assessing the outcome Regaining function Less pain	Regaining function Less pain	Regaining wellness
Now I use paracetamol in the evening before I go to bed. Otherwise, I seldom take any pain medications at all. At least not anything stronger than paracetamol. So, that is another life entirely (Patient 17).	I seldom take pain medication. At least not anything stronger than paracetamol. It is another life entirely	Seldom need for use of pain medication; a better life than before	Recovering
What is keeping me from doing the walks I would like to do, is more my ankle than my knee. I get tired from other things as well, but I really want to try to go for more walks. Not just for the exercise, but because it is good for my mental health being out in nature (Patient 11).	What is keeping me from the walks I would like to do is more my ankle than my knee	Ankle is painful when walking	Other pains more demanding	Complexity in other physical challenges
I guess I always have pain to different degrees. I have rheumatoid arthritis as well. So, it is not clear to me what is what (Patient 22).	I always have pain. I have rheumatoid arthritis as well, so it is not clear to me what is what	Rheumatoid arthritis also causing pain, difficult to differentiate pains	Other physical challenges interfering with the healing process