8 Exercises post total knee replacement surgery

Your knee is one of the most important joints in your body and gives motion between your upper and lower leg. If you are experiencing pain in your knee, it is a good idea to see your doctor. A knee pain can result from injury, infection or wear. It could be because damage to your bone and cartilage. If the pain is chronic or caused by severe arthritis—one of the leading causes of joint pain—your doctor may suggest a knee replacement surgery.

As the name suggests, a knee replacement surgery will involve the removal of the damaged bone and cartilage and replacing it with an artificial joint. While a partial knee replacement is done when only a part of the knee is damaged, total knee replacement is for people who have a chronically diseased knee.

The most important part for a successful surgery is knee replacement recovery. Post-surgery care will include diet changes as well as knee replacement exercises.

Post-surgery care involves pain management and total knee replacement exercises that strengthen your muscles and aid knee movement. If you’ve recently undergone a surgery or are scheduled for one, read on to understand what happens after your surgery.

Why should you go for knee replacement surgery?

Knee replacement surgery is prescribed for people with chronic knee pain that could be caused by severe arthritis, infection or injury. Chronic pain may come in the way of performing routine activities such as climbing stairs or even walking. Sometimes, infection or injury may also lead to swelling and inflammation.

So when oral medication and anti-inflammatory drugs are not helpful and your pain doesn’t subside, your doctor may suggest a knee replacement surgery. Discuss your options at length with your doctor. Involve your family in the process before you decide on going for surgery.

If you decide to go ahead with the surgery, ask your doctor about the kind of knee implant you will require. Here at Meril Life, we offer three types of prostheses:

Our USFDA-approved Freedom Total Knee System is designed keeping in mind the lifestyle needs of patients today and requires minimum bone cutting. Designed with advanced engineering technologies, Freedom Total Knee System gives you excellent flexion motion and comes in eight sizes for left and right knee.

Designed along the lines of Freedom knee, is our Made in India knee implant Destiknee that was designed specifically to cater to Asian patients. Available in eight sizes for left and right knee, Destiknee is our one design solution for a complete spectrum of flexion motion of the knee.

Opulent Bionik Gold Knee is a patented technology offered by Meril Life. The Opulent Knee has a titanium nitrate coating that makes it eight times harder than commonly used cobalt chrome knee implants. The friction in Opulent knee is almost half as that of the cobalt chrome implant, making it an ideal choice for patients of all ages.

Is it safe to perform knee replacement exercises after surgery?

In simple terms, yes it is safe to do knee replacement exercises after surgery. In fact, total knee replacement exercises are essential to your recovery. However, it is important to be careful and not exert the knee too much.

Immediately after you total knee replacement surgery, you will experience swelling in your legs. This is because your leg muscles become weak after surgery.

After your surgery, your doctor will recommend a home routine for knee replacement exercises that will help reduce the swelling, gradually increase the motion of your knee and strengthen your muscles. Follow this exercise regime for a complete knee replacement recovery.

Total knee replacement exercises to follow

Post-operative exercises for total knee replacement recovery is done in stages to ease the pain. Immediately after your surgery, your doctor will out you on simple low-intensity exercises that you can do while lying on the bed. The intensity of these exercises will increase slowly.

• Early knee replacement exercises and activities

These are exercises immediately after your surgery that will aid blood circulation in your legs. Ideally, you should start with these exercises as soon as you are able to.

1. Even as you lie on the bed, try to straighten your knee and hold it for a few seconds. Repeat this exercise frequently throughout the day.
2. Lying down on your back, move your foot up and down. This exercise helps reduce the swelling and should be done two to three times every hour.
3. Walk around in the house with the help of crutches. Make sure you do not exert too much pressure on your knees. Start slow and increase the frequency of your walks as you recover.
4. As you lie on your back, bend your knee. Hold the position for about 10 seconds. Repeating this exercise will help you regain motion in your knee.
5. Another important exercise is lifting your legs. Lie on your back and straighten your legs. Raise your legs, one at a time, a few inches above the bed. Hold the position for 5-10 seconds and slowly bring your leg back on the bed.
6. A few weeks after your surgery, your doctor will ask you to start climbing up and down a flight of stairs. At first use your crutches while taking the stairs. When you feel stronger, give up the crutches and slowly climb the stairs. Make sure the stairs are not too high.
7. Strength training is an important aspect of knee replacement recovery. Build strength by bending your knee while standing. Once you feel strong enough, go for assisted knee bends. This entails adding pressure using a towel or cloth while you do knee bends.
8. Once you feel strong enough, you can start exercycling. It is an excellent activity to build muscles and make them strong, especially those around your knee.

You may be worried about the pain after your surgery. It is natural to experience pain after the surgery. In fact, exercise is critical to pain management. In case your pain and swelling doesn’t subside, please contact your doctor.

Conclusion

In this age, given our lifestyle choices, knee replacement surgeries have become almost essential. Knee pain is no longer affecting the elderly alone as many are experiencing knee pain at a young age.

Knee replacement surgeries help patients with chronic knee injury enjoy life, without having to compromise on knee movement. If you’ve undergone a knee replacement, get the right regimen for total knee replacement exercises and be on your way to a faster recovery. 

Click here to know more about different types of Knees