Practice practice practice

In time it will but you have to be patient. Also buy a protractor to measure your angle of ROM. I had this with a previous op to realign my knee cap took months and at the time I was 20 so not very patient, it was a long time ago but i still remember my frustration, i couldn't even do static bike and knee wouldn't bend. My problem was I healed too quickly and ligaments and tendons had gone too tight. Took me 9 months to bend leg properly. No my ROM is restricted and i cannot straighten leg due to OA knee, trying to put off replacement as i am under 60 and whilst one surgeon told me 8 years ago try and last till your 60, another has said wait as long as you can past 60!  Good luck

G'day Robin,

?All I ever did was heel slides - 4 to 5 times a day, each time I did 10 slides. I bought an Orthoglide from Amazon as I have carpeted floors.

?In my 'patients' view ( as opposed to a medical practioners view) a bicycle is a waste of time as it does achieve the bend you need, you gotta be aiming for at least 135 degree bend to walk properly in the future. All a bike does is keep the knee mobile and help with muscles.

?So, I sat in a dining table chair (in my case with arms) and I found depending on where I put my butt impacted on the bend I achieved. So, sitting with my butt up against the chair back I achieved a modest bend, when I sat in the middle, I increased my bend slightly, and when I sat at the front edge of the chair I achieved a maximum bend. I just repeated this daily.

All that said I am in UK and was operated on as an NHS patient in a private hospital. It was both surgeons and hospital policy that all patients had to reach at least a 90 degree bend before they were allowed home.

?Also suggest you get onto YouTube and type in Orthoglide and have a look at short videos. You can of course always practice what I described with your good leg and get an idea of how it works and an idea of the bend, compared to a bike.

Further, the orthoglide technique also works if you are lying down in bed too.

YouTube is also useful if you type in the search box, exercises following TKR. A whole range of videos, some from USA some from Australia, some from UK - it all helps.

Good luck.

John

should be ............. 'doesn't achieve the bend you need'.

Stop thinking about the stupid number on a daily basis.  This will drive you insane.  Just like someone trying to lose weight getting on a scale every hour!!!  There are advances, setbacks and plateaus...ALL are normal.  You have to "measure" your improvement physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually on a MONTHLY basis.  You cannot see day to day or even sometimes week to week improvements.  This is a long-term rehab (takes a year total) so stop with the measuring!!!  PS: If 10 pros took 10 measurements of your knee, you'd get 10 different numbers.  THEY JUST EYEBALL IT!!!  There is no objective measurement.

Do the work...stay strong...be patient...  I'm almost 21 months...it works out fine in the end.