Treatment after your intensive knee surgery is as important as the procedure itself. How you care for your knees and body during rehab either promotes your wellness or slows down the healing process. Use these tips to initiate and maintain a successful knee surgery rehabilitation campaign.
Commit to Rehabbing
Don’t slide during your rehab. It’s easy to give into temptations when you feel lazy or comfortable and fear uncomfortable, sometimes outright painful rehab, but fighting through rehab accelerates your recovery. Take knee rehabilitation seriously if you want to see optimal results. Attend each follow up visit with your surgeon to keep he or she abreast of any issues encountered during your rehab. Take medications regularly.
Bend and Flex Your Knee
Improve knee flexion and extension by bending your knee as much as possible during your rehabilitation phase. Place a rolled towel under your ankle while lying down. Keep your leg as aligned as humanly possible to strengthen your knee joints. Bend your knees back while sitting on a chair to hit your knees from a different angle. You can discuss other options with your physical therapist for improving knee extension and flexion.
No Heavy Lifting
Duck any heavy lifting to avoid placing serious stress on your knee joints. Placing too much tension on your artificial knee can damage it. Don’t twist your knees when turning. Instead, turn your entire body to ensure that you don’t place any undue stress on your knees. Sitting, kneeling and bending down properly will require practice and instruction from your physical therapist. You’ve likely picked up bad habits that need to be released and replaced to keep your knees safe and to prevent injuries.
Use Compression Stockings to Reduce the Risk of Blood Clots
Using compression stockings can reduce the risk of clotting in the knee area. Your physician may instruct you to wear compression stocking when you’re lying down or resting. Wear these until your doctor gives you the OK to remove them. Listen to your doctor before you ditch your compression stockings for good.
Apply Ice and Heat to Reduce Pain and Swelling
Minimize knee pain and inflammation by icing your knees. Use icing during any annoying flare up periods or up to several days after the surgical procedure. Ease stiffness and relax your muscles by alternating ice and heat applications to the knee area. Hitting your knee joints with this effective 1-2 punch can significantly reduce pain and suffering in this region.
No Smoking or Alcohol
Kick your bad habits while reducing suffering. Stop smoking and/or drinking alcohol during your knee rehab. Alcohol can interfere with blood thinners and smoking closes up blood vessels which hampers healing. Having healthy, effectively-function lungs helps you to take in more oxygen and accelerate your healing. Get rid of your vices and heal your knee more quickly.
Keep Your Weight in Check
Being overweight places undue stress on your knees. Exercise regularly, eat healthy foods and drink ample water to keep your weight in check and promote healing.