By Melissa Miller, PTA at Foothills Downtown Phoenix
Before knee replacement surgery, it’s the optimal time to get those joints ready to rock and roll again! Knee replacement surgery (total knee arthroplasty) can bring renewed mobility and freedom to knee pain patients. For individuals over fifty who suffer from severe osteoarthritis, knee replacements are often recommended. Learn ten home exercises to prepare your knees for their grand comeback. For best results, complement these exercises with your prehabilitation program for a successful replacement outcome. Remember, recovery takes time, and be patient with yourself while listening to your body.
10 Pre-operative Knee Strengthening Exercises
1. Ankle Pumps
Ankle pumps are a simple yet effective exercise to prevent blood clots, reduce swelling, and maintain joint mobility. This exercise also helps strengthen the calf muscles, crucial in providing stability and support to the knee.
How to perform this exercise:
- Lie on your back.
- Flex your ankle up and down.
2. Quad Sets
By engaging and strengthening the quadriceps, quad sets help support the knee joint, improve stability, and enhance overall knee function.
How to perform this exercise:
- Lie on your back with your leg straight.
- Push your knee down into the floor or bed, tightening your thigh muscle.
- Hold for five seconds.
3. Gluteal Set
How to perform this exercise:
- Lie on your back with your legs straight.
- Squeeze your buttocks for five seconds.
- Relax.
4. Heel Slides
How to perform this exercise:
- Lie on your back with your legs straight.
- Bend your surgical knee by sliding your heel towards your buttocks.
5. Sitting Knee Flexion
How to perform this exercise:
- Sit on a chair with a towel rolled under your surgical leg and both feet flat on the floor.
- Then slide one foot back along the floor, bending your surgical knee.
- Hold for a few seconds, then slide your foot forward.
6. Short Arc Quads
How to perform this exercise:
- Lie on the ground with a rolled-up towel under your knee.
- Slowly straighten your surgical knee by lifting your foot while keeping your knee on the rolled towel.
- Hold for five seconds.
7. Standing Hip Abduction
How to perform this exercise:
- While standing, raise your leg to the side.
- Keep your leg straight and keep your toes pointed forward the entire time.
- Use a walker for balance if needed.
8. Long Arc Quads
How to perform this exercise:
- Sitting in a chair, straighten your surgical legit, hold for five seconds, and bend back down.
9. Standing Hip Extension
How to perform this exercise:
- While standing, move your leg back.
- You can use a chair for balance.
10. Single Leg Stance
How to perform this exercise:
- Stand on one leg and maintain your balance.
These exercises can be performed daily in two sets of ten repetitions.
Please note that exercises are prescribed based on the individual. Not all pain and conditions are created equally. There may be other exercises for your specific case. Therefore, we encourage you to consult a physical therapist to determine the best care plan for your needs.
Resource >> “Total Knee Replacement and Rehabilitation: The Knee Owner’s Manual” by Daniel J. Brugioni
What To Expect Before Knee Replacement Surgery
After knee surgery, you will typically stay in the hospital for three to five days, and a therapist will be there to help you get up and moving the day after the surgery. After being discharged from the hospital, you will undergo a physical therapy program. Typically, patients will start to walk with the help of a walker or cane, but after six weeks of therapy, most can walk comfortably with no assistance device. In the later stage of physical therapy, the focus is on improving the range of motion, strength, balance, and gait deficits. From this stage, recovery time is around three months. It is important to remember that not all knees are created equally – each replacement is different, and the healing time differs based on individual factors. However, the good news is that about 85% of knee replacements last for twenty or more years.
Related Content >> Recovering from Knee Surgery
While post-surgery rehabilitation programs are common knowledge, fewer patients know that they can benefit significantly from pre-rehabilitation programs or exercise plans you perform before surgery. Taking therapeutic action before surgery can help you recover faster. Strengthening the musculature around your hip and knee joint allows you to reap the rehab benefits of actual surgery. Daily exercises can help prepare your body, speed recovery, and improve overall health. In as little as 30 minutes a day (two 15-minute sessions), you can improve your circulation, strengthen muscles that will soon support your new joint, reduce fatigue and muscle soreness, and possibly reduce your risk for blood clots.
Contact your local Foothills physical therapy clinic for questions about knee pain or surgery recovery! Our therapists will create an individualized plan for your recovery so you get exactly what your body needs to heal.
