Knee range of motion can become impaired following surgery or injury. Passive range of motion exercises can be done with or without the use of a machine. The last few degrees of flexibility are the most difficult to regain and may require more intense stretches. If these are painful for you, have a medical professional, such as a physical therapist, check your technique to ensure safety.
Constant Passive Motion
Constant passive motion devices, or CPMs, are usually used immediately after surgery. In 2003 a review in the Chochrane Database suggested that the use of a CPM along with physical therapy is better than receiving therapy alone following total knee replacement.
Stationary Bicycle
Ride on a stationary bike set to a low resistance. Ideally, the pedals would have straps or clips to keep feet stabilized. Use the healthy leg to do all of the pedal work. The stiff side should be doing no work. As range of motion improves, lower the seat to increase intensity.
Knee Flexion I
Lying on your stomach, reach behind and grasp the ankle on the stiff side. If you are unable to reach the ankle due to stiffness, use a towel looped around the lower leg to extend your reach. Pull the knee toward the buttocks until you feel a stretch..
Knee Flexion II
Sit in a firm chair with the spine in contact with the back of the chair. Pull the ankle on the injured side under the chair as far as possible. Next, scoot forward in the chair without moving your foot until a stretch is felt on the injured side.
Knee Extension
In order to stretch the knee into full extension, or a straightened position, sit in a chair with the heel propped up on a stool. Place a 5-lb. ankle weight or hefty ice pack on top of the knee and let it stretch into the straightened position. If this is uncomfortable, start with one minute and as tolerance improves, work to five minutes.
References
- Milne S, Brosseau L, Robinson V, et al. Continuous passive motion following total knee arthroplasty. Cochran Database Syst Rev 2003; (2)
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