KNEE ARTHROSCOPY POST-OPERATIVE REHABILITATION

KNEE ARTHROSCOPY POST-OPERATIVE REHABILITATION PROGRAM

INTRODUCTION:

                          Regular exercise to restore strength and mobility to your knee is important for your full recovery after arthroscopic surgery. Your orthopedic surgeon or physical therapist may recommend that you exercise for approximately 20 to 30 minutes, 2 or 3 times a day. They may suggest some of the exercises shown below. They may also advise you to engage in a walking program.

                         This guide can help you better understand your exercise or activity program, supervised by your orthopedic surgeon or physical therapist. To ensure your safe recovery, be sure to check with your therapist or surgeon before performing any of the exercises or activities shown.

                         The Rehabilitation Program consists of 3 stages:

·         Initial Exercise Program

·         Intermediate Exercise Program

·         Advance Exercise Program

INITIAL EXERCISE PROGRAM:

Ø  Hamstring Contraction:

                                  No movement should occur in this exercise. Lie or sit with your knees bent to about 10 degrees. Pull your heels into the floor, tightening the muscles on the back of your thigh. Hold for 5 seconds, and then relax. Repeat 10 times.

Ø  Quadriceps Contraction:

                                  Lie on stomach with a towel roll under the ankle of your involved knee. Push ankle down into the towel roll. Your leg should straighten as much as possible. Hold for 5 seconds, and then relax. Repeat 10 times.

Ø  Straight Leg Rising:

                                     Lie on your back, with your uninvolved knee bent. Straighten your involved knee. Slowly lift leg about 6 inches, then hold for 5 seconds. Continue lifting in 6-inch increments, holding each time. Reverse the procedure, and return to the starting position. Repeat 10 times.

Advanced: Before starting, add weights to your ankle, starting with 0.5 kg of weight and building up to a maximum of 5 pounds of weight over 4 weeks.

Ø  Buttock Tucks:

                     While lying down on your back, tighten our buttock muscles. Hold tightly for 5 seconds, and then relax. Repeat 10 times.

Ø   Straight Leg Raises, Standing:

                                    Support yourself, if necessary, and slowly lift your involved leg forward keeping your knee straight. Return to the starting position. Repeat 10 times.

Advanced: Before starting, add weights to your ankle, starting with 0.5 kg of weight and building up to a maximum of 2-3 kg of weights over 4 weeks.

                        

INTERMEDIATE EXERCISE PROGRAM:

Ø  Terminal Knee Extension, Supine:

        Lie on your back with towel roll under your knee.

        Straighten your knee (still supported by the roll) and hold for 5 seconds. Slowly return to the starting position. Repeat 10 times.

Advanced: Before starting, add weights to your ankle, starting with 0.5 kg and build up to a maximum of 2-3 kg over 4 weeks.

Ø   Straight Leg Raises:

                                     Lie on your back, with your uninvolved knee bent. Straighten your other knee with a quadriceps muscle contraction.

                     Now, slowly raise your leg until your foot is about 12 inches from the floor. Slowly lower it to the floor and relax. Perform 5 sets of 10 repetitions.

                 

Ø   Partial Squat, With Chair:

                         Hold on to a chair or counter with your feet 6-12 inches from the chair or counter. While keeping your back straight, slowly bend your knees. DON’T GO LOWER THEN 90 degrees. Hold for 5-10 seconds. Slowly come back up, relax. Repeat 10 times.

               

Ø   Quadriceps Stretch, Standing:

                         Standing with your involved knee bent, gently pull heel toward buttocks, feeling a stretch in the front of the leg. Hold for 5 seconds. Repeat 10 times.

 

ADVANCED EXERCISE PROGRAM:

Ø   Knee Bend, Partial, Single leg:

                                 Stand supporting yourself with the back of a chair. Bend your uninvolved leg with your toe touching for balance as necessary. Slowly lower yourself, keeping your foot flat. Do not overdo this exercise. Straighten up to the starting position. Relax. Repeat 10 times.

 

Ø   Step-ups, Forward:

                             Step forward up onto a 6-inch high footstool or platform, leading with your involved leg. Step down, returning to the starting position. Increase the height of the platform as strength increases. Repeat 10 times.

 

Ø   Step-ups, Lateral:

                                Step up onto a 6-inch high footstool or platform, leading with your involved leg. Step down, returning to the starting position. Increase the height of the platform as strength increases. Repeat 10 times.

          

 

Ø   Terminal Knee Extension, Sitting:

                                   While sitting in a chair, support your involved heel on a stool. Now straighten your knee, hold for 5 seconds, and then slowly return to the starting position. Repeat 10 times.

                              

Ø  Hamstring Stretch, Supine:

           Lie on your back. Bend your hip, grasping your thigh just above the knee. Slowly straighten your knee until you feel the tightness behind your knee. Hold for 5 seconds, and then relax. Repeat 10 times. Repeat the exercise with the other leg. If you do not feel this stretch, bend your hip a little more, and repeat.

 

Ø   Hamstring Stretch, Supine at wall:

                                     Lie next to a doorway with one leg extended. Place your heel against the wall. The closer you are to the wall, the more intense the stretch. With your knee bent, move your hips toward the wall. Now begin to straighten your knee. When you feel the tightness behind your knee, hold for 5 seconds, and then relax. Repeat 10 times. Repeat the same exercise with the other leg.

                                   

Ø   Exercise Bike:

                                  If you have access to an exercise bike, adjust the seat height so that the bottom of your foot just touches the pedal and complete a full revolution. As you become stronger, slowly increase the tension on the bike. Start pedaling for 10 minutes a day. Increase the duration by one minute a day until you are pedaling for 20 minutes a day.

Ø  Walking:

                      Walking is an excellent physical exercise activity for the middle stages of your recovery from surgery (after 3 weeks).

Ø  Running:

                  Doctor may recommend that you avoid running activities for a period of time after surgery in order to protect your knee. The length of the restriction will depend upon what type of procedure you had. For example, if you had an ACL reconstruction or meniscal repair, your running restriction will be different than if you had torn cartilage removed. Doctor will talk with you about when it is safe to gradually resume your running activities.

PAINS, SWELLING AFTER EXERCISE contact your orthopedic surgeon.

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