The knee is the most commonly replaced joint in the body. Total knee replacement surgery is needed when there is damage from bone diseases or a fracture that doesn’t heal properly, or when knee pain or alignment problems cause difficulty walking or performing daily activities. The rehabilitation process after surgery is crucial for maximizing mobility restoring functionality. Physical therapy after knee replacement surgery will ensure that you gain the full benefits of the surgery.

Benefits of physical therapy after knee replacement

Regaining strength and range-of-motion after knee replacement surgery is crucial to recovery. Gentle exercises will help you bear weight on your new knee joint, and performing range-of-motion exercises prevents scar tissue from limiting the new joint’s flexibility. Other benefits of physical therapy after knee replacement include:

• Enhanced mobility

• Improved blood circulation

• Reduced or eliminated pain

• Improved muscle function

• Improved balance

• Strengthened core

For the first two weeks after surgery, your recovery goal will focus on healing the incision, decreasing swelling, and managing pain, but afterward you can begin physical therapy, which usually lasts between four and eight weeks.

Physical therapy treatments after knee replacement

After an initial evaluation, your physical therapist will create a customized treatment program based on your needs and abilities. While the specific exercises and recovery time may vary, treatment plans generally include a similar slate of exercises.

Range of motion: To improve your new joint’s range of motion, the physical therapist will employ equipment such as stationary bikes in addition to assistive exercises that move your joints in a specific, targeted way.

Strength: The muscles around your knee tend to decrease in strength following surgery, so your physical therapist will prescribe strengthening exercises for your quadriceps, hamstrings, and hip muscles. The therapist might also use neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) to contract your quadriceps muscle in order to build strength.

Balance: Decreased strength and range-of-motion in your knee can also severely affect your balance, which is why physical therapists use BAPS boards (flat discs with a hemisphere screwed to the bottom) and single-leg standing exercises to help regain normal balance.

Gait training: As most knee replacement patients start physical therapy using a walker or cane, gait training exercises can help you restore your normal gait without the use of an assistive device.

Scar tissue management: The scar on the front of the knee after surgery tends to feel tight and can limit mobility.  Physical therapists use techniques such as scar tissue massage and mobilization to ensure the scar and skin around it move normally.

Functional and activity-specific training: When you can walk freely without pain, your physical therapist will introduce activities that were common before surgery, such as crossing a busy street or getting on and off an escalator. Therapists can also help you with specific physical activities necessary for your job or hobbies, including climbing a ladder or swinging a golf club.

Length of physical therapy for knee replacement

Everyone heals at different rates. Pre-existing health conditions and other factors can lead to longer recovery times from knee replacement surgery. While the average length of physical therapy for knee replacement is four to eight weeks, the duration of your therapy could be shorter or longer. It’s also important to remember that many patients do not feel completely healed and mobilized when therapy comes to an end. Most physical therapists teach their patients a variety of at-home exercises so they can continue making further gains in recovery.

Physical therapy after knee replacement surgery in San Diego

If you are scheduled for knee replacement surgery and you’re looking for physical therapists who specialize in joint replacement recovery, come see us! Bella Vista Health Center in San Diego offers customized therapy plans and a team of compassionate medical professionals who will strive to get you back to independent living. For more information about our orthopedic rehabilitation options or to schedule a tour of our 5-Star Skilled Nursing Facility, call us at (619) 644-1000.