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Flexibility and Range of Motion after TKR

Joint Replacements | Last Active: Mar 13, 2022 | Replies (23)
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@4russcoll

Thank you for the advice John. I found the video very helpful.
At home have been doing some short sessions on exercise “bike” (set of pedals on floor), knee glide, step stretch, walking and dangling leg w 4 pound weight to bend knee.
Most progress fm Outpatient PT has come from using heat + hamstring weight machine to alternate weighted flexing and hamstring curls.
Restarting daily Outpatient PT for next 2 weeks.
Swelling and bruising was a problem earlier but has largely abated. Dr prescribed prednisone to further reduce and encouraged continued use of tramadol and/or oxycodone to assist w PT.

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Replies to "Thank you for the advice John. I found the video very helpful. At home have been..."
glidefloss | @glidefloss | Jan 24, 2022

Hi @4russcoll, today's my 7th week after RTKR and apart from the dreaded "get up from bed" super tight band feeling around the knee and minor swelling, the knee has been pain free, stable, and much stronger than before. I now have pretty good ROM on the knee, though quite a ways from being able to do a yoga "baby's pose" ... but I'm slowly working my way there.

Here's something I do nightly in bed right before turning in ... which you might consider - on my back, I raise my right (surgical) leg straight up (perpendicular with my body) and then slowly lower the lower leg into a bend - just letting gravity work its magic. I use my left arm to guide the lower leg gradually down, letting gravity do the work. At some point the knee'd come to a near standstill but gravity will continue to exert its force and the knee will start to hurt due to the bend. I'd use my left arm to continue to prop the lower leg up at that position and I'd try to hold it for a minute (not always possible), getting the knee used to the deeper bend ... then gradually straighten the leg up. Straightening the leg up always cause an interesting sensation as the blood from the lower leg rush downward. After a few seconds of the leg up, I'd repeat the gravity bend. After a few repetitions, I'd call it a night.

Good luck with rehab!

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