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Knee straighten

Posted , 9 users are following.

janice83811
janice83811

In PT they me doing strengthening exercises.dOing the pedal. Leg raises. Leg bending. What I want know is why my kneeand leg isn't straight? I ice it and put heavy books onthe knee, I stretch and I hang my leg off the bed just below the knew lying on my stomach. What else can I do? Help!!!!

1 like, 10 replies

10 Replies

  • gill77343
    gill77343 janice83811

    Posted

    Hi Janice

    im not too sure and I am positive someone on the forum will give you sound advice, the only thing my doc said to me was, because the knee was bad the muscles went to the side, so now the muscles have to wake up and re adjust. 

    I try try and keep my leg straight when I'm resting and icing the leg.

    i am sorry that I could not offer you constructive advice, but I am sure someone will.

    take care Gill x

  • Oldfatguy1
    Oldfatguy1 janice83811

    Posted

    Straightening is probably harder but more important than bend. The ligaments and tendons have drawn up tight during tgecoeriod before you had the surgery. Chances are you, like most of us limped and favored the bad leg giving way to atrophy of the soft tissue. Qst you have to stretch the muscles and at the same time strengthen. S couple i f my favorite excercise to develop the straight: lay on my stomach with my legs hanging off the bed at the knee. Let gravity pull down as far as it will go, hold for 10 count. Do 3 sets of 10 increasing to 15. You will feel like a beached whale while learning but it's really a good one. No 2, lay on your back. Roll up a towel to about 4-5" in diameter. Put it under your ankle. Now start tightening all the muscles in your leg using them to push the knee toward the bed. When you get to maximum straight hol d for count of 10. Do 3 sets of 15. A week of theses and you will see a big difference in your degree of straightness. Last time I went from 11 to 3 in a week. Without straight you will never walk without some sort of limp

    • irish_linda
      irish_linda Oldfatguy1

      Posted

      im starting those as im struggling to straighten after my bi lateral i had a complete straight knee but could not bend beond 70 now adter having a revision on that knee i have 95 bend and 8 in straighening im 9mth post op im not sure though is it too late for me to get it straight
    • Oldfatguy1
      Oldfatguy1 irish_linda

      Posted

      I don't think so. You should show gradual improvement. You may never get back to zero but I'll bet you will be at 1 or 2
    • irish_linda
      irish_linda Oldfatguy1

      Posted

      if i got to that id be soooo happy thanks i will do those excersises and il let you know  when im straighter
    • irish_linda
      irish_linda Oldfatguy1

      Posted

      hi im doing those excersises regularly and it feels better already it not there yet i was at physio today and it was between 6-7 im going to keep it up as its starting to feel more comfortable standing up and sitting down witout holding ,its hard to get away from private physio they try to hold on to you and convince you that you cant do without them thanks for the excersises if you have any good tips to get more on bend too id be gratefull
  • moandrieu
    moandrieu janice83811

    Posted

    Oldfatguy had some good exercises for you. I never had a problem with getting my knee straight and I was told 10 years ago I needed my knees replaced. But after my bilateral, I mostly sat in my bed, with my legs out straight in front of me (mainly because the furniture in the living room was too low to the ground (amazing what you don't realize before the surgery). So, instead of usually having my knees bent at any degree, they were straight. A key exercise my PT used was to put his fist behind my knee and I'd have to tighten the leg muscles, lifting my calf off the bed and bringing my toes towards the body. It's really felt in the calf and under the knee. I was so tight behind my knee that this exercise felt wonderful. I would also reach down to touch my toes and bringing my head closer to my knees, while on the bed. It's going to take work, but I'm sure you'll get there, Janice.
  • sarah87162
    sarah87162 janice83811

    Posted

    One of the exercises I do is to sit on the bed with my legs straight and dig my knee into the bed. This is good because you cannot do it if your leg is bent. It has to be completely straight. Try practising this gently at first.

    Good luck

    Sarah xx

  • jennifer86104
    jennifer86104 janice83811

    Posted

    I found the one hanging legs over bed really hurt! I found another that helped was placing heel on a stool, leg "straight"  and bend forward from waist and hold for 20/30 secs. 3 times x 3 times a day. 

    It took me months to get my leg completely straight but I got there in the end so keep persevering 😊 

    Jen (11 months post op). 

  • irish_linda
    irish_linda janice83811

    Posted

    im with you on this as im the same its very frustrating the most i can get is 8 my physio said that 5 would be ok but like you i cant get it any straighter , im paying for private physio and im thinking im wasting my money   i hope we will get there in the end
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