Dear snowdoc. Your problem is the pits. Should not wish it on a dog. Listen to me. I am 90 yrs old and retired with 40 years experience as a physical therapist. I have 2 total knees after 60 yrs old. They are the most tender surgery ever the first 2-3 days. Movement and walking are essensial. But you must never push to extremes. Manual techniques followed by light progressive weights of 2,3,5 lbs is the standard.. Some old fashion therapies vs sports medicine can often times get you back on the right path. First, gentle quadriceps supine with little movement is best. This is usually done in conjunction with manual passive movement to tolerance. A little vibration and tender loving kneading of the joint helps. Some physical therapist go through the motions. If you are lucky to get one, others have educated hand that can not be taught. I mention this, because trust is so important. If you are slow to adapt, certain simple exercise techniques help. Imagine having your therapist rest your knee as you try to extend. Then, relaxing the leg in his hands as you relax into flexion. At this new position you try to extend the knee without the therapist letting it move. You relax again and let the knee move into flexion with just a little kind help from the therapist. This is repeated until you can not tolerate the flexion help after the active attempt to move against resistsnce. After the session, have the knee wrapped in heat and have Electrical stimuation with 4 electrodes crossed your knee(like an X) usinf Interferential modulated surged current for 20 minutes. Follow the stim with deep friction-kneading massage. Again, supine, use a light ankle wt to do set of 10 (1-3). Walk afterwards for correctness of heel strike and toe of with a walker. At home, use ice(cold) for pain and Use a continuous flexion machine for an hour or tolerance.. You should alway ave a home health service when you go home from the hospital.n After that, medicare covers 12 viisits a pause and another 17 visits. From there you should be in the spa with a recumbant bike, treadmill other core and upper trunk strengthening. This should bring you you about 12 months and 100 degrees flexion and -5-10 degrees extension. and a cane as needed. Avoid squats except into a chair repetative exercise with a hand support. Walking down hill lets the femur gluid forward on the tibia. So. have support when you do so. Going up a hill is not as much trouble. I understand they are doing ablations for some bad TK. I think this should come after 6 months. I hope this helps. You m7ust be active but to tolerance