Knee surgery rehabilitation is a long and complicated process. Edward Laskowski, M.D., Mayo Clinic specialist in physical medicine and rehabilitation, advises that full recovery can take up to nine months, and that reducing swelling and regaining range of motion are the primary rehabilitation goals. Laskowski suggests dedicating 30 minutes to one hour every day to a home rehabilitation exercise program. Don't let knee pain keep you from performing your exercises. Doing so may permanently diminish your range of motion, impeding athletic performance and daily functional movement. Ice your knee to reduce swelling, and take your pain medication prior to exercise.
Patella Mobilizations
Your physical therapist may have started each therapy session with manual kneecap mobilization. These simple movements may facilitate increased range of motion during rehabilitation exercises, and possibly make the exercises less painful. Sit on your bed and extend your injured leg. Place one hand on each side of your knee. Keep the front of your thigh relaxed as you move your kneecap from side to side.
Quad Sets
After surgery, you may find that limited knee extension makes it impossible to press the back of your injured knee into the floor or bed. Herbert D. Huddleston, M.D. orthopedic surgeon at the Hip and Knee Institute in Los Angeles advises his patients to perform quad sets after knee surgery. Lie face up with your legs extended. Inhale to prepare. Exhale, tighten your frontal thigh muscles and press the back of your knee into the bed or exercise mat. Hold the contraction for 10 seconds. Relax for five seconds and repeat. Perform two sets of 10 repetitions.
Quad Push Down and Leg Lift
Some post-knee surgery patients find it difficult to isolate their quadriceps muscle. Placing a full roll of toilet paper under your heel may provide tactile assistance. The push down and leg lift combine two important post surgery home exercises: the quad set and the leg lift. Lie supine and place the toilet paper roll under the ankle of your injured leg. Press your heel against the roll, as if you were trying to crush it. Then, keep your quadriceps contracted and raise your leg as high as it will go. Lower to the roll and repeat for two sets of 10 repetitions.
Prone Hangs
Prone hangs use gravitational forces to facilitate leg extension. Lie face-down on your bed, with your legs extended. Keep your knees, calves feet and ankles off the bed, and rest your head in whatever position is comfortable. Allow your legs to hang in the position for as long as possible. Read a book, watch television or ask a friend to massage your back to distract you from the pain.
Assisted Heel Slides
Regaining leg flexion is as important as regaining flexion. The assisted heel slide uses a towel to help you bend your knee. Sit in an upright position on an exercise mat, placing a long towel around the foot of your injured knee. Hold each end of the towel with each hand. Pull on the towel ends as you slide your heel along the mat, bending your knee and drawing your heel toward your body.
Assisted Prone Leg Extension
Your physical therapist may have performed manual leg flexion on your injured leg, but you can also use your non-injured leg for assistance. Lie on your stomach with your legs extended. Place the ankle of your non-injured leg under the ankle of the injured leg. Use your good leg to help you bend the injured injured leg. Go to the point of pain, take a few breaths, and then bend a little bit more. Perform two sets of 10 repetitions. When your doctor or therapist tells you that you are ready for strength exercises, place the good ankle on top, and use it to apply resistance as you attempt to bend your knee.
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