Knee Replacement

Why Should I Consider Knee Replacement Exercises?

Now that you took your decision and concluded that you are going to subject yourself to the knee replacement surgery, there is a lot of care that you need to take. The success of the procedure would be taken care of by your doctors but when you expect good results, you have to be a proactive patient and not wait for the doctors to do all the great work for you.

Remember you must not even think twice about following your doctor's instructions. Whatever information you read in this article is meant to serve you as a general guide, but you should not use this guide to overrule or substitute your doctor's valuable instructions. If you have any queries that seems to be worrying you in relation to the knee replacement surgery, you should speak with your doctor directly instead of hiding your fears.

Remember that in the first days following knee replacement surgery, you will begin the knee replacement exercises pertaining to your formal rehabilitation. Following surgery, your doctor would explain to you that your knee replacement implants are set firmly in place. This means you can place your full body weight on the said knee. Initially, you will experience pain but you must work on becoming mobile as early as possible after the operation itself. We are going to cover some knee replacement exercises that focus on stimulating blood flow by contracting muscles.

Ankle pumps: Foot and ankle pumps would help you greatly because it prevents the problem of stiff ankles. Another plus point is that it also helps to circulate blood in the extremities. Straight Leg Raises: While keeping the knee straight, you must tighten up the muscles on the front of the thigh. Then you have to lift your heel up off the bed.

Other things you can do during the initial days is to assert your return to independent, mobile living. Like most patients, you may have to stay in the hospital for a few days. But you must motivate yourself to fully straighten and bend your knee. Push yourself to climb stairs and walk the corridor using crutches or a walker. If you are unable to perform these activities, it is possible that you may be sent to a rehabilitation facility. So remember, push yourself to work on these knee replacement exercises and activities.

When you are back home, don't imagine that things are going to turn rosy because you have to take charge of your post-operative care without a doctor's presence hovering around to check your progress. Again, keep in mind that these initial weeks following knee replacement impacts the overall outcome of this surgery.

While you can do basic knee replacement exercises, you must avoid kneeling, driving, heavy lifting, strenuous activity, and sexual activities during the first six weeks after the knee replacement surgery. To be on the safer side, a lot of patients usually take at least a month two off from work. This would be a good idea so that your return to office can be timed according to your convenience rather than a sense of forced compulsion. Let's hope this general guide helps you understand all the basics that you need to focus on. Good luck for your postoperative care!