The viral Knee Surgery Memes have taken over TikTok in recent days and show no signs of slowing down. This meme is believed to have first appeared in 2021 when an anonymous user on one of the popular meme websites posted the first version of this meme which showed an animated squirrel standing with its two front legs raised. The meme didn’t initially gain much traction, but it ended up getting a lot of attention later in the year on social media. Currently, it has taken a new form on the Internet as the viral “Blue Grinch Meme”, on TikTok, Instagram and X.

This popular Blue Grinch character, whose expression is said to accurately capture the nervousness and anxiety people feel before having knee surgery, has struck a chord with many people on the internet as they find him very relevant. Watching this Grinch is like looking at the face of impending doom awaiting the dreaded knee surgery. However, the recent wave of knee surgery memes appears to have caused real patients about to have knee surgery to see the humor in their situation, thanks to others making fun of their situation.

Why are knee surgeries so feared, making this meme so relevant?

In the United States, more than four million knee surgeries are performed each year, and that number is expected to multiply several times over the next 10 years. While most patients undergoing knee surgery are over the age of 50, younger people are also susceptible to knee injuries due to accidents, obesity or repeated stress on the knee. Knee surgeries are particularly feared because of the pain patients feel several weeks after their operation. Knee pain and swelling sometimes persists even for months, making the procedure one of the most frustrating and intimidating out there.

Knee surgery is also infamous for its long recovery period, lasting months after the operation, involving patients undergoing numerous physiotherapy sessions. It also affects their ability to complete daily tasks, which can be very upsetting and intimidating for recovering patients. Additionally, the high costs associated with surgery and subsequent physical therapy make knee surgery one of the most physically and mentally painful procedures one can undergo, and this is what makes these memes so relevant.

While knee surgery memes have been well-managed to capture people’s fear and anxiety before having surgery, they have also helped the same people about to have surgery alleviate those same fears through the experiences shared by other people who have had the operation via this meme.