Tips for Full Recovery from Total Knee Replacement Surgery

You've had total knee replacement surgery. You've taken some good advice for reducing recovery time. For a good outcome that's long lasting, you need to make another investment now. Follow these six simple tips for a complete post-op follow-up. You will be pleased with the great returns.

Do it at home. Do it at work. Do it everywhere you can.

We're talking about post-op physical therapy here. After your surgery, you'll get a prescription for professional physical therapy. You'll go for physical therapy as an outpatient in a physical therapy facility. You'll get physical and you'll get therapy, but don't let it stop there. Do not save all your exercising for the office appointment. It's important to perform your physical therapy while you're away from the facility too.

Ask your physical therapist for a plan of exercises you can do when not in formal physical therapy. Then put that plan into effect. Do it at home, do it at work, do it in the supermarket, while pumping gas, waiting in line at the bank, drug store, check-out counter, waiting anywhere, going everywhere. Opportunities abound for executing your exercise plan. Fill those void moments with simple strength building exercises. Don't wait. Just do it.

Keep moving

Most exercises are straight forward and can be done almost anywhere. It's the simple ones that fit well into those found moments: Stair steps, squats, leg raises while lying down, balancing on one leg, and simply walking everywhere. Your physical therapist will tell you what to do. Your job is to do it, and do it whenever and wherever you can. Save the lying-down leg raises for home, and don't worry about looking like a pelican standing on one leg in the grocery store.

You'll soon get the idea that public places are great for your exercises and provide plenty of opportunities to keep moving. For example, notice how many public places have stairs. How convenient for your exercise plan! And, how nice that your new knee replacement made climbing stairs possible again. Another idea: Consider tossing your handicapped parking sticker. A walk from the back of the lot might do you better, and save the spot for those who can't walk at all.

Weights

Buy a set of pillow weights for leg raises. But a word of caution: Use them only after you have achieved full extension. Your leg must be able to extend straight out. The weights provide resistance. Exercises with weights will deliver results faster and better. And when you're done, the weights make excellent door stops.

Get the knee tired

Exercise your knee to the point where you're tired and you want to stop. But don't overdo it! Stop when you feel your knees getting tired but they're still working. It's important to recognize this point. An exercise that gets you tired in 10 to 20 repetitions is about right. That's how you build muscle. The most important point here is not to baby your knee. That's for babies, not you.

Ice will suffice

If all of this leaves your new knee complaining--perhaps a little red, warm, and puffed up--know that this is normal response to a good workout. Reward your knee with a soothing ice pack. Any old cold will do, but ice cubes in a plastic bag may be less comfortable than a gel pack that stays flexible while frozen. Go ahead; make the investment in a nice one that bends. The knees will bend for you too. They'll return your investment with a full recovery.

Attitude is everything

If you've convinced yourself that failure is not an option, you're home free. What you plan on achieving will be achieved. If you believe that anything worthwhile requires working hard for it, you'll succeed. You'll work on it, of course. Because nothing worth having is just handed over. If you can turn every moment into a productive one, you are creating your future.

Welcome to your future. No appointment necessary. Walk-ins welcome!

Source: personal experience.