Exercise following knee replacement

Hi @emb123 - I'm 10 weeks out and my physical therapist released me at 8 weeks. However, on my first TKR, I did 12 weeks, and I have a good friend going through it now who is doing 12 weeks. My therapist was more interested in balance and functional ability - like climbing stairs vs. how far I could walk. Also, help me understand. Did you literally mean that if you could walk 2 miles you didn't have to do ANY exercises? If so, I think that is just plain bad advice. I think it is hugely important that we exercise - joint replacement or not. And for me, with 2 TKR's, I do exercise my legs in addition to my morning walks. I try to do water therapy (because it is easier), stationery bike, and some of the plain old PT exercises like leg lifts w/ weights. What kind of exercises are you doing at this point? Wishing you the best!

Thanks for your reply. I will be 12 weeks out on Monday. Graduated from PT after week 9 with 122 ROM and absolutely flat extension. I am a walker, and when I saw my doc, he said if I walked my 2-2.5 miles a day I didn't have do to any other exercises. I have been following that direction and seem to be doing just fine. However, on days that I do not walk, I do many of my exercises from PT, ie., leg lifts, squats, banded walking, leg raises, slides, and a few others. Hope that helps. BTW, I am off all meds and have been since probably week 4 with the exception of some Aleve if I know I'm going to have a really busy, hectic day with lots of walking, etc. Hope that helps.

I had right TKR 7 months ago. Took me forever to get full extension, bend has always been outstanding. Currently I STILL do some knee exercises (also back exercises for Sciatica) most days. Squats, banded clams, bi-lateral and unilateral bridges, my own variation of heel slides, etc. That is in addition to either a 2 mile brisk walk, or a 1/2 mile swim 5 to 6 days a week. Not sure if the knee exercises are necessary at this point, but the whole set takes about 15 minutes, and certainly can’t hurt. Boring, but pretty much part of my daily routine now. Re. pain: knee still acts up with excess activity, or when the weather changes, and I take an Aleve as needed - about once every 2 to 3 weeks.

@emb123 - OK... now I understand - your exercise regime is a lot like mine. Congratulations on your ROM, flat extension and maybe most, pain management! You may be a poster child for TKR's. Sounds as if you are doing great in all ways!

@emb123 With your ROM, it sounds as if you do not need to do specific knee therapy exercises, and what you do for exercise will suffice I think. I do a lot of exercises both in the water, in a gym, and on my recumbent bike. When I do water jogging I very consciously bend my knee as well as I can. The gym exercises are not really knee-oriented but I do use the elliptical which I think is a good knee exercise.
I've had flat extension forever, but I sure wish I had your flex!
JK

You wish for more flex, and I was truly frustrated that I could not get my knee flat for months! Would be nice if everybody got both, and soon, especially if one puts in all the work. Out of curiosity I went back and checked my Oxycodone pill bottle. Had a prescritption for 42 pills, have 20 left. So taking only 22 means perhaps 5 to 7 days after hospital discharge. In hindsiight I should have been more generous using them, but oh my! The freedom of finally getting out of the house and behind the wheel, all by myself!

Thank you. I have to tell you, yesterday I went to my volunteer position at our local hospital emergency room. The hospital has been undergoing major renovation and we have an entire new wing and main entrance. Went over to check it out with another volunteer and saw the huge amount of stairs going up to the second floor......Did they have an elevator, yes, but I decided to try the stairs. We did GREAT. All the way up, walked around the new med/surg unit, and all the way back down. Before knee replacement, I definitely would not have tackled that, it would have been the elevator. I do think our "dog walk" is the best medicine, both for our body and soul.

Thank you, Debbra. I knew going into this that I was going to kill myself, so to speak, doing my exercises, pt, and anything else I had to do to get "back to normal" as quickly as possible. Some stumbles along the way, but I did keep that goal in mind. Would I say "poster child for TKR" NOOOOOO, but my doc did say he knew I was going to get through it quickly. Just keep on keeping on, and one thing I definitely have learned is PATIENCE.

Emb123. Glad you found the stairs manageable. I know that’s one of my goals.

I just have set my mind to getting everything accomplished that I wanted. Not discounting the pain, but I guess attitude is very important and working really hard, especially at PT.