What sort of exercises has physio given you to do after TKR

Hi Mary I have found pre op exercises on computer these help to strengthen up muscles in readiness of op! Then the post op are a lot like the same there are ten all together for both pre and post op. 

Wow Mary, you started late with the physical therapy. From day one they had me doing exercises to straighten the leg as well as bending. Various stretching exercises, leg lifts and the stationary bike. My PT would also "work on me" for about 20 minutes, first massaging the knee then (ouch) pressing my knee down to get it flat as possible to straighten it.

Pretty basic too, but so important. Even now at nearly 6 months, if I don't do some sort of stretching or bending exercise every day, my knee stiffens up. I still don't think it's as straight as it should be though, as I find myself limping when I've been on my feet too long.

I'm sure your exercises are the same as the rest of us had to do. They are pretty universal.

Leg raises flat on bed. Knee extensions and flexes tense and relax quads. That's about the base of it. But I have been doing 4x5 mins on the pedal exerciser, swam today. Lots of walking. 

Hello Mary

my exercises consist of (on the bed)

1 moving my op leg sideways at the hip and back.

2 squeezing quads and pushing knee down into bed

3 towel under knee and raising foot up to straighten leg which i couldnt do for ages so physio modified it to somone holding my foot up then lowering it while i tried to hold it up by myself.

4 lying on bed pulling up my knee to bend it as far as i can then back down.

5 resting my foot on a rolled up towel to passively stretch back of leg. These are pretty basic but i havent mastered them yet by any means! My physio emphasised the quad exercises as much as possible to build strength.

Hope this helps

I have  book given to me by my physio before I left hospital, and it is brilliant.  I did exercises one to eight for two weeks and then moved on to 8 to 15 and furter ones to follow from week 6, I am at week 5 now, driving, no pain killers, no walking aids and walked a mile on the beach with the dogs today, despite a set back last week when I fell down the stairs.  The exercises do work and I have photocopied them and already sent them to Christine.  If anyone else would like them please private message me with your email and I will send them through to you.  Most of them are ball based so you do need a balance ball.

Hi Mary good physio and pain relief are the key for steady improvement. However we are all diferrent and our physio needs are person specific and this is where your physio person will assess you and give you instructions and diagrams to assist your needs. I find it strange that your physio didn't start until 10 weeks as mine physio guidance started immediately in the hospital at home for 3 weeks after and at the hospital physio clinic at 4 weeks post op. With hard work, pain and frustration I was signed off today after 8 weeks 5 days, I can walk 3 kilometers my bend is now 120 degrees (130 degrees is the usual max after TKR said the physio) and use stairs. I know this sounds like boasting on my behalf but with the help of a good surgeon, excellent hospital ward staff (how do they put up with us?) and an attentive physio to work with and doing what I was told it was a team effort. I hope that all your physio efforts will be rewarded as mine were.

Regards Paul ( in Australia, ex Pom)