Severe postoperative pain occurs in 60% and moderate pain in 30% of patients undergoing TKA. In addition, the intensity of acute postoperative pain correlates with the risk of developing a persistent post surgical pain which can be chronic and debilitating. Thus, the management of pain following TKA is an important determinant of a patient's long term functional outcome. In addition, recovery from TKA requires extensive and effective postoperative physiotherapy (PT), itself a painful event following TKA. Physiotherapy ensures good range of motion and prevents complications such as tissue retraction, adhesion formation and muscle atrophy, all of which may compromise achievement of long term recovery milestones. Thus, the anesthesiologist caring for patients undergoing TKA attempts to provide a postoperative analgesic regimen which ensures that the patient is as pain free as possible while ensuring that the patient has sufficient motor strength to participate actively in PT.