How to Rehabilitate After Knee Replacement

Knee replacement surgery can be a scary thing. Questions you will ask include anything from "How do you know it's going to work?" to "How quickly am I going to recover?" A large part of the latter question is up to you. The more you are willing to work on your own rehabilitation, the faster and more efficiently you will recover. Read this article before you undergo your surgery so you can start your rehabilitation from day one.

Things You'll Need

• A comfortable place to work out and from which you can easily get off and on. A stiff bed would be good.
• An office or dining room chair
• A long pillow case, jump rope, or dog leash
• Ice packs
• Your prescribed medication

Show More

Instructions

Steps to Complete Knee Replacement Recovery

• 1

  Begin your rehabilitation immediately. Your physical therapist will arrive less than a day after your surgery and start bending your new knee. You will also take your first steps using a walker. You may think it's too soon; you need a few days to recuperate. You are wrong. The longer you wait to begin rehab, the more scar tissue will build up around your new knee. That scar tissue will limit your mobility. Cooperate with the therapist and begin your exercise program. Take your medication before you start your therapy to limit your pain. You will also receive ice to put on your knee afterwards to reduce swelling. Exercising will hurt, particularly the knee bending, but keep in mind the big picture of getting back on your feet. Also, don't forget about your exercises when your therapist isn't there. Do as much as you can on your own once or twice during the day.

• 2

  Enter a physical rehab center for as long as your doctor and insurance will allow once you leave the hospital. The center will provide three or more hours of exercise per day as well as occupational therapy. The occupational therapy will show you how to do certain things for yourself while you're recovering such as getting in and out of a car and going up porch steps. If you cannot enter a rehab, sign up for a rehabilitation nurse to come to your home or to receive therapy in a outpatient rehab center as soon as possible and for as many times a week as possible. The more you exercise, the faster and more efficient your recovery will be.

• 3

  Exercise at home at least twice a day. Your bed and a towel or dog leash make a perfect combination to practice bending your knee. Put your knee in the loop of the leash or hold both ends of the towel with your foot in the middle and force your knee to bend as much as you can. You can also bend your knee using a chair. Sit in the chair and force your knee to bend as much as you can underneath you. As time passes, it will get easier and your knee will bend more. Also, don't forget the straight leg raises and any other exercises your therapist gives you.

• 4

  Continue your individual, at-home exercises as your therapy progresses. As you make progress, the types of exercises you do will change and the frequency of your formal therapy will be reduced. You will soon be peddling a bicycle, doing step-ups, and squatting. Don't forget to exercise on your own as much as possible. The muscles you are building up will deteriorate if not worked out.