Introduction to knee replacement surgery Your knee is one of the most important joints in your body and gives motion between your upper and lower leg. If you are experiencing pain in your knee, it is a good idea to see your Orthopedic Surgeon in Nagpur. Knee pain can result from injury, infection, or wear. It could be because of damage to your bone and cartilage. If the pain is chronic or caused by severe arthritis—one of the leading causes of joint pain—your doctor may suggest knee replacement surgery.
As the name suggests, a knee replacement surgery will involve the removal of the damaged bone and cartilage and replacing it with an artificial joint. While a partial knee replacement is done when only a part of the knee is damaged, total knee replacement is for people who have a chronically diseased knee. So when oral medication and anti-inflammatory drugs are not helpful and your pain doesn’t subside, your doctor may suggest surgery. Discuss your options at length with your doctor. Involve your family in the process before you decide on going for surgery.
Planning for a surgery
If you decide to go ahead with the surgery, ask your doctor about the kind of knee implant you will require. The most crucial part of successful surgery is knee replacement recovery. Post-surgery care will include diet changes as well as knee replacement exercises.
Post-surgery care involves pain management and total knee replacement exercises that strengthen your muscles and aid knee movement. If you’ve recently undergone surgery or are scheduled for one, read on to understand what happens after your surgery. Is it safe to perform exercises after surgery? In simple terms, yes it is safe. In fact, exercises are essential to your recovery. However, it is important to be careful and not exert the knee too much.
Immediately after your total knee replacement surgery, you will experience swelling in your legs. This is because your leg muscles become weak after surgery.
After the Surgery
After your surgery, your doctor will recommend a home routine for exercises that will help reduce the swelling, gradually increase the motion of your knee and strengthen your muscles. Follow this exercise regime for a complete knee replacement recovery.
Total knee replacement exercises to follow Post-operative exercises for total knee replacement recovery is done in stages to ease the pain. Immediately after your surgery, your doctor will put you on simple low-intensity exercises that you can do while lying on the bed. The intensity of these exercises will increase slowly.
Early knee replacement exercises and activities These are exercises immediately after your surgery that will aid blood circulation in your legs. Ideally, you should start with these exercises as soon as you are able to.
- Even as you lie on the bed, try to straighten your knee and hold it for a few seconds. Repeat this exercise frequently throughout the day.
- Lying down on your back, move your foot up and down. This exercise helps reduce the swelling and should be done two to three times every hour.
- Walk around in the house with the help of crutches. Make sure you do not exert too much pressure on your knees. Start slow and increase the frequency of your walks as you recover.
- As you lie on your back, bend your knee. Hold the position for about 10 seconds. Repeating this exercise will help you regain motion in your knee.
- Another important exercise is lifting your legs. Lie on your back and straighten your legs. Raise your legs, one at a time, a few inches above the bed. Hold the position for 5-10 seconds and slowly bring your leg back on the bed.
Advanced total knee replacement exercises and activities
- A few weeks after your surgery, your doctor will ask you to start climbing up and down a flight of stairs. At first, use your crutches while taking the stairs. When you feel stronger, give up the crutches and slowly climb the stairs. Make sure the stairs are not too high.
- Strength training is an important aspect of knee replacement recovery. Build strength by bending your knee while standing. Once you feel strong enough, go for assisted knee bends. This entails adding pressure using a towel or cloth while you do knee bends.
- Once you feel strong enough, you can start an exercise. It is an excellent activity to build muscles and make them strong, especially those around your knee.
You may be worried about the pain after your surgery. It is natural to experience pain after the surgery. In fact, exercise is critical to pain management. In case your pain and swelling don’t subside, please contact your doctor.
Conclusion
In this age, given our lifestyle choices, surgeries have become almost essential. Knee pain is no longer affecting the elderly alone as many are experiencing knee pain at a young age. Replacement surgeries help patients with chronic knee injury enjoy life, without having to compromise on knee movement. If you’ve undergone a knee replacement, get the right regimen for total knee replacement exercises and be on your way to a faster recovery.