Preparing for a Knee Replacement the EASY Way
The best way to prepare for a total knee replacement surgery is to follow these three steps:
Step 1 – Take a pre-operative knee replacement class.
Step 2 – Schedule a pre-operative physical therapy evaluation.
Step 3 – Create a battle plan for your recovery.
Step 1 – Take a pre-operative knee replacement class.
Cleveland Clinic’s A Patient’s Guide To Total Joint Replacement and Complete Care is a great resource with comprehensive checklists from one of the leading joint replacement programs in the country.
A total knee replacement class will teach you everything you need to do before surgery, the day of surgery, and after surgery.
What if my surgeon doesn’t offer a class?
If your surgeon doesn’t offer a class then consider taking my class or find one online or in person.
Much of the material is the same regardless of surgeon or surgical procedure.
Step 2 – Schedule a pre-operative physical therapy evaluation.
Physical therapy is widely recommended after a joint replacement. Clients may also choose to start physical therapy before a joint replacement.
As a physical therapist myself, I can tell you that some of the most important parts of a pre-surgical physical therapy evaluation is the time spent answering questions, taking measurements, practicing with your walker, and preparing you for the best possible outcome.
What can I expect from a pre-surgical physical therapy evaluation?
Since your physical therapist has most likely worked with several hundred patients who have already had a hip or knee replacement you will be able to learn from all of that experience.
Your therapist has seen the good and the bad and will provide you with great advice for your before surgery.
Your therapist will also be able to help you fit your walker, cane, or crutches to your body and teach you how to use these devices with enough time for you to get some practice.
You will develop a pre-surgical strength and conditioning program that will not make your knee pain worse, but will help you improve the muscle health and improve your body’s ability to recover from surgery.
I recommend having a pre-operative physical therapy evaluation approximately 6-weeks prior to surgery. This will allow you enough time to learn everything you need and practice the exercises you have been shown.
Step 3 – Create A Battle Plan
Joint replacement surgery is major surgery. You should hope for the best while planning for the worst.
This means you want to start with a list of all the daily chores and responsibilities you perform in a day. Then decided who will be performing these activities while you are recovering.
In the best case scenario you should plan to be unavailable for 2 weeks, but this could be as long as 12 weeks depending on your body’s response to surgery.
Determine who will buy groceries, who will prepare meals, who will wash laundry, clean the bathrooms, take out the trash, feed the pets.
The less you have to worry about after surgery the better your recovery will go.
More Blog Posts …
Can you use a TENS unit after knee replacement?
A TENS unit is safe to use after a total knee replacement. It is commonly used during knee flexion and extension exercises. Using TENS to reduce pain during knee replacement exercises may improve range of motion without the need for more medication.
How To Stretch A Stiff Knee After Knee Replacement
Stretching a stiff knee at home requires patience and time. Research suggests a long duration low intensity stretch will produce the greatest benefits in knee range of motion. In this post I will discuss using a Joint Active Systems and static progressive stretch technique to improve knee flexion at home.
Knee Replacement Bending Flexion Exercises at Home
Knee bend, also known as knee flexion, exercises may be performed immediately following knee replacement surgery. This videos shows several examples of knee flexion exercises to be performed at home. 120 degrees of knee flexion is considered normal range of motion following surgery.
Can I Run After Knee Replacement
Conventional advice is to avoid high impact activities after a total knee replacement. This would include running, jogging, and other high impact sports. The concern is the increased wear and tear on the new knee will cause it to wear out sooner or possibly even...
How soon after knee replacement can I use exercise bike?
It is commonly recommended to start using an exercise bike within the first 48-hours following a knee replacement. Standard practice in physical therapy is to begin the bike with a gentle rocking motion until the knee is capable of a completing full rotation without significant pain.
Calf Pain After Knee Replacement
Calf pain can happen for many reasons, but after surgery the most common reason is weakness, swelling, and change in activity levels. These exercises will help improve calf mobility, increase strength, and condition the calf to handle the workload associated with normal walking.
Please check with your physical therapist or doctor before performing these exercises.
Minimalist Running Shoe Review Unboxing Merrell Men’s Trail Glove 4 Runner
The Merrell Men’s Trail Glove 4 Runner has been a great show. I am updating this description today January 1, 2020. I have worn the shoe for work in the clinic as a physical therapist as well as the occasional run. It is ideal for a medium or narrow foot. I absolutely would not recommend it for a wide foot or a foot that will swell over the day.
Best Tip To Improve Knee Extension- Prone Hangs
Improve knee extension with this simple and effective exercise! Total knee replacement | ACL reconstruction | Knee Surgery
Using an Elliptical Trainer After Total Knee Replacement Surgery
Using and choosing an elliptical trainer after total knee replacement surgery or any other knee surgery can be challenging. There are so many different brands available on the market. In this video I will show you how to safely get on, off, and use the elliptical trainer whether you are using one at home, at the gym, or in your physical therapy clinic.
3 Versions of a Hip Bridge for Total Knee Replacement Therapy At Home
The hip bridge is a very common exercise following total knee replacement, but doing it correctly isn’t as common. There are three version of the hip bridge and in this video I share information about all three.