The aims of the pre-operative and post-operative exercises are:
- To improve movement of the knee joint and strengthen the muscles around the knee
- To improve lower limb circulation to help the healing and soft tissue recovery
- To facilitate weight bearing and therefore improve mobility and overall function
- To reduce swelling (please note that swelling can be present for up to 3 to 6 months).
Your compliance with your exercise programme pre and post operatively is essential for your recovery from surgery. This is to ensure better outcomes and benefits after surgery.
Pre and post op exercises
These are the same exercises that you will do before and after surgery.
Each exercise should be performed 10 times every couple of hours. (Repetitions can be increased if you find them easy or decreased if you find them more difficult).
Bed exercises
These exercises are important for increasing circulation to your legs and feet to prevent blood clots.
Ankle Pumps
Instructions
Keeping your leg still, slowly push your foot up and down.
This exercise can begin immediately after surgery and continue until you are fully recovered.
Ankle Rotations
Instructions
Keep your leg still and then do small circling movement with your ankle, clockwise and anticlockwise.
Static Quads (thigh muscle) contractions
Instructions
Tighten thigh muscle (push back of knee into the bed as if you are squashing something under your knee).
Hold for 5 seconds then relax.
Knee flexion in lying
Instructions
Bend your knee by sliding your foot towards your bottom and then straighten leg.
Only move as far as you are able to comfortably.
Inner range quads
Instructions
Lie on your back and put a rolled up towel under your knee. Pull your toes up, tighten your thigh muscles (keeping your knee on the towel) and lift your heel of the bed.
Hold for 5 to 10 seconds.
Straight leg raise
Instructions
Tighten your thigh muscle, keeping your leg straight try and raise it 6 inches off the bed.
Slowly lower. Hold for 5 to10 seconds.
Knee flexion and Extension in sitting
Instructions
Slowly straighten your left leg out in front of you as far as feels comfortable. Slowly lower back to the floor.
Hold your leg out straight for 5 to10 seconds.
Now bend your knee back as far as comfortable. Hold for 5 to10 seconds.
Hamstring curl
Instructions
Hold on to the back of a chair or stable surface and bend your knee towards your bottom.
Repeat 10 times, 3 times a day.
Knee extension in sitting
Instructions
Sit on a chair and place your foot on a chair opposite you and allow gravity to pull your knee down.
Hold your leg out straight for as long as comfortable.
Ice to knee
Instructions
Apply an ice pack or frozen peas to your knee. Make sure you wrap it in a thin towel so it’s not too cold and no longer than 20 minutes. Use this to reduce pain and inflammation.
You may also find it useful to elevate the leg to further reduce swelling.
Using stairs and steps after surgery
Going up
- Stick stays down on bottom step
- Step up with your non-operated leg (good leg)
- Then step up with your operated leg (bad leg)
- Now bring stick onto same step
Going down
- Place stick down onto lower step
- Step down with your operated leg (bad leg)
- Then step down with your non-operated leg (good leg)
Going up and down steps with a frame
Going up
- Lift frame on to step
- Step up with your non-operated leg
- Then step up with your operated leg
Going down
- Lower the frame down the step
- Step down with your operated leg
- Then step down with your non-operated leg
Sitting and standing with walking sticks
Standing with sticks
- Place sticks into one hand
- With your other hand push up from the chair/bed
- Once stood up, place the sticks into each hand
Sitting down
- When you feel the chair/bed on the back of your legs, place both sticks into one hand
- With your free hand reach for the chair/bed
- Now slowly lower yourself down on to the chair/bed (you might find it less painful if you slide your operated leg forward as you sit down)
Our contact details
Grantham Hospital: 01476 565232
Physiotherapy Department: 01476 464253
Occupational Therapy: 01476 464360
Ward 1: 01476 464420
Lincoln Hospital: 01522 512512
Physiotherapy Department: 01522 573945
SAL (Surgical admissions lounge): 01522 573144
Digby Ward: 01522 572256
Pilgrim Hospital: 01205 364801
Physiotherapy Department: 01205 446412
Ward 9A: 01205 446412