Total Knee replacement home exercise

TOTAL KNEEREPLACEMENT HOME MANAGEMENT

HOME EXERCISE PROGRAM

·         To get the best results from your surgery, it is important that you do your exercises consistently and correctly.

·          The following exercises are to be performed 10x each, at least 2x daily (1x in the morning, 1x in the afternoon).

·          If you have any questions or concerns regarding your exercise, do not hesitate to contact your Physiotherapist or your surgeon.

             Tips for care TKR

1.       As my surgeon friend say  WORK ON MOTION! Walking is a good exercise but is no substitute for your stretching and exercises.

2.       For the best results: keep working on good motion for both FLEXION (bending) and EXTENSION (straightening) .

3.       DO NOT lift any weights with your legs, hang weights on your knee, or do resistive exercises (bike, treadmill, or gym equipment) until your motion is at least zero to 100 degrees, and you have been cleared by your surgeon! Typically, our surgeon discourages these activities for four to six weeks.

4.       The most important thing to remember is Avoid pillows behind your knees or recliners for six weeks after your surgery as they encourage your knees to heal in a bent position.

5.       Try to sleeping on your back is the best position for your knees; it keeps them straight during the healing process

6.       Make sure when sitting, allow your knees to bend completely, and your feet to rest on the floor.

7.       Remember to try If you have only had one knee replaced, do not support your operated knee with your unoperated leg

Lets go for exercise

1.       Knee Extension Stretch

                                     This stretch is the most important following surgery, as it ensures that you will have straight knees after surgery

• Begin sitting on a firm surface, such as a stool or chair (not a bed or recliner).

• Place the leg to be stretched on a stool or chair of similar height.

• Lean forward and push down with both hands over the kneecap.

• Push steadily for a count of 30 seconds to straighten the knee.

• Repeat 3x

NOTE: You should do additional sets of this exercise frequently throughout the day until you have full extension (zero degrees). You can set up your knee for this exercise while reading, talking on the phone, or watching TV with nothing behind your knee to support it. This allows gravity to assist in straightening the knee.

2. Seated Knee Flexion

        To strengthen your knee and increase 2 3 your bending or “flexion.”

• Begin with both knees bent.

• Keeping your thigh on the chair, slide your foot back under the chair as far as possible. You do not need to keep your heel down.

• This motion will cause your knee to bend and you will feel a stretch along the front of your knee.

• Hold this position for 5 seconds.

• Slowly return your knee to the starting position.

• Repeat 10x on each leg.

NOTE: To get a deeper stretch, you can cross your opposite leg over your ankle to bend your knee farther.

3 .Seated Kicks or “Long Arc Quads”

                              Seated Kicks or “Long Arc Quads”

To strengthen your thigh or quad muscles

• Begin with both knees bent.

 • Keeping your thigh on the chair, straighten out your knee as you slowly kick up.

• Hold this position for 5 seconds.

• Slowly return your knee to the fully bent position before repeating.

 • Repeat 10x on each leg.

4. Seated Ankle Pumps

To increase the strength and flexibility of your ankle muscles.

• Begin with your feet resting on the floor or supported on a very low stool.

• Gently pump your ankles up and down, feeling a gentle stretch in your calf muscle.

 • Repeat 10x on each leg

5.Seated Marching

To strengthen your hip flexors

• Begin with both knees bent.

• Lift your knee up towards the ceiling to bend the hip.

• Slowly lower your leg to the starting position.

• Repeat 10x on each leg

 SUPINE EXERCISES

These exercises should be performed lying on your bed. Do not attempt to get onto the floor to perform these exercises, unless cleared by your doctor. Getting on and off the floor is very challenging. All exercises are to be performed 2x daily

6.Bridging

To strengthen your buttock and hip muscles.

• Begin with both knees bent to a comfortable position or using a towel roll under your knees to support your legs.

• Squeeze your buttock muscles and slowly lift your hips up 1-3 inches off of the bed.

• Slowly lower your hips to the starting position.

• Repeat 10x.

7.Heel Slides

                   

To strengthen your hip flexors and your hamstring muscles.

• Begin with both knees straight or you may bend your non-operated knee to a comfortable position.

• Bend your operated knee, sliding the heel up the bed towards your buttocks as a far as possible.

 • Slowly return your leg to the starting position by completely straightening your knee.

• Repeat 10x on each leg

8.Short Arc Quads

To strengthen your thigh or quad muscles.

• Begin by rolling up several towels or a small blanket to form a “roll”.

• Placed the roll under your knees for support.

• Keeping your thigh on the roll, slowly straighten your knee and pull your toes towards the ceiling.

• Hold this position for 5 seconds.

• Slowly lower your leg to the starting position.

• Repeat 10x on each leg.



9.Straight Leg Raise

 To strengthen your hip flexors

• Begin with one leg slightly bent to protect your back.

• Press your opposite knee completely flat against the bed.

• Keeping your knee straight, slowly lift your leg upward a few inches off of the bed.

 • Slowly lower your leg to the starting position.

• Repeat 10x on each leg.

10.Knee Extension Stretch/Quad Sets 

To strengthen your thigh or quad muscles and to increase your knee extension.

• Begin by placing a towel or blanket roll under your ankle so that your knee does not touch the bed.

 • Tighten your thigh muscles and press your knee as flat as possible (Imagine you are squashing a tennis ball behind your knee).

• If you are doing this exercise correctly, you should feel a stretch behind your knee.

• Hold this position for 5 seconds.

• Relax your thigh muscle.

• Repeat 10x on each leg.

 So this exercise is same as method that are using to strengthen the knee , but some modification had been done to make it suitable for patient who are underwent for knee replacement surgery wallahuaklam..