Physiotherapy for patient guides for patients needing knee and hip surgery

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Physiotherapy instruction sheet

Physiotherapy is recommended after most types of orthopaedic surgery and in the knee, it is essential to achieving recovery. This section will show some basic rehabilitation exercises that can be used after most surgical procedures performed on the knee. Download the PDF file and print it out to make things easier

Aims

Physiotherapy is vital to make the most of your surgery and ensure a good outcome. It is important that you do your exercises regularly as indicated in the following instructions.

In hospital.

You should see a physiotherapist before your surgery, as their advice is more likely to be retained than after you have had an operation. They will speak to you about your operation and discuss how best to manage pain and swelling when you go home. You will be taught the correct way to do exercises and how to follow the instructions in this document.

The main aims of physiotherapy after surgery are as follows:-

1. You need to be able to fully straighten your knee

2. You need to be able to reach a right angle bend at your knee

3. Crutches are not often needed but you may be measured for them and shown how to use them.

4. Except for unusual circumstances, it is nearly always beneficial to be weight-bearing through your operated leg as much as you can tolerate. There are some circumstances following the surgery where non-weight-bearing is required. This will be explained to you and the physiotherapist will teach you how to do this safely.

5. if you have stairs at home and you need crutches you will be taught how to use these appropriately

Except for unusual circumstances, it is nearly always beneficial to be weight-bearing through your operated leg as much as you can tolerate. There are some circumstances following the surgery where non-weight-bearing is required. This will be explained to you and the physiotherapist will teach you how to do this safely.

5. if you have stairs at home and you need crutches you will be taught how to use these appropriately

Stairs

This is the order you should go up and down stairs;

Going up:

Non-operated

Operated leg

Crutch/stick

Coming down:

Crutch/stick

Operated leg

Non-operated leg

Exercises in hospital:

In the initial period after your operation, the circulation can be quite slow and in order to prevent clots it is vital that you maintain your circulation by doing two simple exercises while lying in bed:

1. Draw a circle with your ankle

Repeat X 10 on each leg

2. Tighten your buttock muscles

hold for five second hand then release. Repeat X 10

Repeat these in the position show until you are properly back on your feet

Home exercises:

Perform two sets of 10 repetitions, three times every day

A) Ankle circles

draw circles with each of your ankles

B) Knee straightening

Sit upright with your operated leg in front of you. Bring your toes towards you and press your knee down into the bed by tightening your thigh muscles. Hold for five seconds. Relax and repeat.

C) Knee hangs

Lying down, rest your heel on a thick rolled up towel. Allow your knee to hang. Tighten your fine muscles hold for five seconds relax and repeat

D) Knee bends sitting

Sit on a chair with a sock on the foot of your operated foot. Slide the foot towards the chair. Bring it underneath the chair if possible. You need to achieve a knee bend of greater than 90. Relax and repeat

E) Knee bends in laying

Bend your operated leg, ensuring your knee faces upwards and straighten. Relax and repeat

F) knee bends lying on your front

Laying on your front, bend your knee, bringing your heel towards your buttocks. Straight in the knee slowly lowering the foot onto the bed, relax and repeat

G) Straight leg raise

Keeping your knee straight, lift your operated leg a few inches off the bed. Hold for five seconds relax and repeat

H) Quads strengthening

Place a rolled up towel under the knee. Straight in your knee by tightening the muscles at the front of your thigh. Hold for a few seconds and release. Repeat 10 times

I) Wall squats

Stand leaning back against the wall and slide down the wall as far as comfortable. Hold for five seconds slide back up the wall to the starting position and then repeat.