How to Start a Rehabilitation Program After Knee Surgery

Most doctors will tell you that you should start a rehabilitation program for your knee the same day you have surgery. In the vast majority of cases, the most important factor in determining the success of your knee surgery will be your attitude toward physical therapy and other forms of knee rehab.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

Start A Rehabilitation Program After Knee Surgery

1. Adjust your expectations. A few patients may return to full range of motion and activity after knee surgery. Most patients will have greater mobility and less pain but will not return to pre-injury status.

2. Prepare for your post surgery rehabilitation by doing exercises to increase endurance, strength and flexibility before your surgery.

3. Swim after your wounds from either type of surgery have completely healed and all sutures or staples have been removed. Swimming is excellent rehabilitative exercise.

Start A Rehabilitation Program After Arthroscopic Knee Surgery

4. Speak with a staff physical therapist before leaving the hospital.

5. Bend your knee slightly under the supervision of the physical therapist.

6. Receive a list of approved exercises before you are released to return home.

7. Walk with a cane, walker or crutches the same day you have surgery.

8. Use a knee brace if necessary. Take care not to become dependent upon the brace.

9. Exercise 5 minutes out of each waking hour the first week you are at home.

10. Add a few minutes of resistance exercise to your program during the second week after surgery.

11. Train with very light weights the second week after returning home. Gradually increase the weights as your knee becomes stronger.

12. Resume other forms of moderate exercise as directed by your doctor. You may return to any exercise you feel comfortable doing after 4 to 6 weeks.

Start A Rehabilitation Program After Knee Replacement Surgery

13. Stretch slightly while still in bed the day of your surgery.

14. Take a short turn with a walker or crutches the day after knee replacement.

15. Bend your knee gently with the help of a physical therapist while still in the hospital.

16. Set a goal of 90-degree range of motion before being released after your procedure.

17. Build strength and endurance by exercising 2 or 3 minutes every hour. Work to increase the time that you can exercise.

18. Pedal a stationary bike with the consent of your health care team. For the first few weeks after surgery, have someone with you while you do bike work.

19. Control your weight. Maintaining an appropriate weight can be one of the most helpful factors in keeping your new knee healthy.

Tips & Warnings

• There is a fine line between pain that means your knee is getting better and pain that means it's time to stop exercising.
• Your knee may become stiff and your range of motion may actually decrease if you never push slightly beyond your limits for endurance and pain.
• At the same time, non-stop stabbing pain accompanied by burning or swelling of the joint may indicate that you have re-injured your knee.

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