Exercises before Knee Replacement Surgery
Exercises before knee replacement surgery
In case your doctor has recommended knee replacement surgery after having seen your physical, you will have to prepare your body for a future operation. This basically means strengthening knee muscles so that the impact of the surgery is not adverse on your body, the recovery after surgery is speedy and you are prepared to support your new joints. In this guide, we list exercises that will help you meet these goals.
Toe Bending
Any exercise that is meant to help the lower part of your body has to start at the fag-end of the body—i.e. your toes. The first exercise in your routine should be toe bending which involves flexing your toes towards and against your knee.
Ankle Bending
The next in the series is ankle bending. Here, you have to perform the same action as you did with the toes.
Ankle Rotation
Move your ankles in the clockwise and anticlockwise direction for a certain number of times. 5 would be a good number to start with.
Knee Squeezes
Tighten your knee muscles by pushing the back of your knee down into the bed. Hold for 5 seconds before coming back to your normal position.
Heel Slides
While lying flat on the surface, elevate your knees by moving up your heels. Bring your heels all the way towards your buttock. Hold it for a few seconds before you walk them back and retain the original pose. Do repetitions.
Leg Raises
While lying flat on your back, bend one leg with the foot flat. Raise the other foot, keeping its knee straight. Hold this position for 5 seconds. Come down real slow. Repeat with both legs.
Leg Slides
While lying flat on your back and keeping your body in the center, slide one leg, opening up your thigh. Stretch the leg only as far as it is comfortable to do so. Hold the position for a few seconds before coming back to the original pose. Repeat with the other leg.
Dos and Don’ts
- Don’t perform the exercise in case of any pain or discomfort.
- Each patient is different, and they might require varying exercises to address the exact issue. Consult your doctor when preparing your pre-knee-replacement surgery workout regime.
- Knee-muscle strengthening exercises have to be done daily. In some cases, their repetition is also recommended.
- Being slow and steady is the way to go. Don’t make any sudden movements while working out.
- Engage both your legs when exercising even if the knee replacement surgery is only for one leg. You want both your knees to be strong.
