How long do you do physical therapy after knee replacement

Q: How many times a week should I do physical therapy after knee replacement?

Most people spend 1 to 3 nights in the hospital. After youre discharged, you might check into a rehab facility. There, youll usually get physical therapy 6 days a week for a couple of weeks. One advantage of a rehab clinic is that you will have help and youre sure to do your exercises every day.

Q: Can you overdo physical therapy after knee replacement?

Dont Overdo It Although exercise is the key to healing, you could be backpedaling progress by overworking your knee. Signs of over-exercising include swelling of the entire leg and lingering pain that stretches into the evening or into the next day.

The American Physical Therapy Association believes that consumers should have access to information that could help them make health care decisions and also prepare them for their visit with their health care provider.

Índice Show

Before Surgery
Directly Following Surgery
When to Start Therapy
Exercises to Perform and What to Expect
Time to Recovery
How many times a week should I do physical therapy after knee replacement?
Can you overdo physical therapy after knee replacement?
How long does pain and stiffness last after knee replacement?
How long does it take to walk normally after knee replacement?

The following articles provide some of the best scientific evidence about physical therapist treatment of total knee replacement. The articles report recent research and give an overview of the standards of practice for treatment both in the United States and internationally. The article titles are linked either to a PubMed abstract (summary) of the article or to free access of the entire article, so that you can read it or print out a copy to bring with you when you see your health care provider.

Harmelink KE, Zeegers AV, Hullegie W, et al. Are there prognostic factors for one-year outcome after total knee arthroplasty: a systematic review. J Arthroplasty. 2017 August 1 [Epub ahead of print]. Article Summary in PubMed.

Pua YH, Seah FJ, Poon CL, et al. Age- and sex-based recovery curves to track functional outcomes in older adults with total knee arthroplasty. Age Ageing. 2017 August 30 [Epub ahead of print]. Article Summary in PubMed.

Sobh AH, Siljander MP, Mells AJ, et al. Cost analysis, complications, and discharge disposition associated with simultaneous vs staged bilateral total knee arthroplasty. J Arthroplasty. 2017 September 13 [Epub ahead of print]. Article Summary in PubMed.

Bistolfi A, Zanovello J, Ferracini R, et al. Evaluation of the effectiveness of neuromuscular electrical stimulation after total knee arthroplasty: a meta-analysis. Am J Phys Med Rehabil. 2017 October 7 [Epub ahead of print]. Article Summary in PubMed.

Otero-López A, Beaton-Comulada D. Clinical considerations for the use lower extremity arthroplasty in the elderly. Phys Med Rehabil Clin N Am. 2017;28(4):795–810. Article Summary in PubMed.

Loyd BJ, Jennings JM, Judd DL, et al. Influence of hip abductor strength on functional outcomes before and after total knee arthroplasty: post hoc analysis of a randomized controlled trial. Phys Ther. 2017;97(9):896–903. Article Summary in PubMed.

Piva SR, Teixeira PE, Almeida GJ, et al. Contribution of hip abductor strength to physical function in patients with total knee arthroplasty. Phys Ther. 2011;91:225–233. Free Article.

Dowsey MM, Liew D, Choong PF. The economic burden of obesity in primary total knee arthroplasty. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2011;63(10):1375–1381. Article Summary on PubMed.

Piva SR, Gil AB, Almeida GJ, et al. A balance exercise program appears to improve function for patients with total knee arthroplasty: a randomized clinical trial. Phys Ther. 2010;90:880–894. Article Summary in PubMed.

Bade MJ, Kohrt WM, Stevens-Lapsley JE. Outcomes before and after total knee arthroplasty compared to healthy adults. J Ortho Sports Phys Ther. 2010;40:559–567. Free Article.

Walls RJ, McHugh G, O’Gorman DJ, et al. Effects of preoperative neuromuscular electrical stimulation on quadriceps strength and functional recovery in total knee arthroplasty: a pilot study. BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2010;11:119. Free Article.

Topp R, Swank AM, Quesada PM, et al. The effect of prehabilitation exercise on strength and functioning after total knee arthroplasty. PM R. 2009;1:729–735. Article Summary on PubMed.

Kirkley A, Birmingham TB, Litchfield RB, et al. A randomized trial of arthroscopic surgery for osteoarthritis of the knee [published correction appears in: N Engl J Med. 2009;361:2004]. N Engl J Med. 2008;359:1097–1107. Free Article.

Minns Lowe CJ, Barker KL, Dewey M, Sackley CM. Effectiveness of physiotherapy exercise after knee arthroplasty for osteoarthritis: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. BMJ. 2007;335:812. Free Article.

Moffet H, Collet JP, Shapiro SH, et al. Effectiveness of intensive rehabilitation on functional ability and quality of life after first total knee arthroplasty: a single-blind randomized controlled trial. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2004;85:546–556. Free Article.

Deyle GD, Henderson NE, Matekel RL, et al. Effectiveness of manual physical therapy and exercise in osteoarthritis of the knee: a randomized, controlled trial. Ann Intern Med. 2000;132:173–181. Free Article.

*PubMed is a free online resource developed by the National Center for Biotechnology Information. PubMed contains millions of citations to biomedical literature, including citations in the National Library of Medicine’s MEDLINE database.

You are tired of dealing with the stiffness, swelling, and pain associated with knee arthritis and have finally decided to schedule your partial or total knee replacement surgery. Your friends and family have told you all about how much better you’ll feel and how much more mobile you will be after surgery, but you also know that recovery from a knee replacement takes a lot of work. While it is true that recovery from a partial or total knee replacement takes time, with the proper preparations you will be back to doing the things you enjoy in no time.

Before Surgery

Before your surgery, you may be given exercises to do to strengthen your legs. Your doctor may suggest attending physical therapy prior to surgery to receive instruction in exercises and walking after surgery. If requested it is important to attend these sessions. You may also discuss things that you may need after your surgery, such as a walker, a shower chair, or other helpful items.

Directly Following Surgery

After your surgery, you may go home the same day or you may stay overnight in the hospital for one or two nights. How long you stay depends on your doctor’s protocol and on your overall health. Before going home, you will likely be evaluated by a physical therapist. The physical therapist will assess how you move, including how well you are able to get into and out of bed, go up and down stairs, and get out of a chair. What the therapist decides to evaluate depends on whether you have stairs in your home, where your bedroom and bathroom are in your home, and other similar factors.

The physical therapist in the hospital will also give you a set of exercises to start immediately. These exercises will focus on gaining mobility (ability to move) in your knee and getting strength back in your leg.

When to Start Therapy

Some people start physical therapy in the clinic right away, while others will start working with a physical therapist who comes to their home. Where you start physical therapy depends on how well you can move around and if you are able to leave your home safely. Normally, therapy begins between two days and one week following your surgery. If you begin therapy in your home, expect to transition to an outpatient clinic within two to three weeks following your surgery.

Exercises to Perform and What to Expect

Immediately following surgery, you will likely experience significant swelling in the leg that had the surgery. The swelling may be in the knee and in the lower leg. You may notice bruising in your knee and lower leg as well. The best way to manage swelling is by icing your knee in an elevated position.

Outside of swelling, you may also notice that your leg feels temporarily weaker. Many times, the quadriceps, the thigh muscle that straightens your knee, will be difficult to “turn on”. This weakness is normal. As soon after surgery as you are able, practice trying to turn on this muscle and holding tension in the muscle for a few seconds. With your leg in a straightened position, tighten the thigh muscle by pushing the back of your knee into the surface below. This will help your leg to become stronger and improve your ability to walk. Other exercises your therapist may assign are:

Long arc quad: sit in a chair and straighten your knee
Heel slides: lay on your back or sit in a chair and drag your foot backwards to bend your knee as much as possible
Heel raises: standing on both legs, lift your heels off the ground and lower them back down
Hamstring stretches
Calf stretches

Follow the directions of your physical therapist and do the exercises he or she tells you to do.

Time to Recovery

With help from your physical therapist and guidance from your doctor you will regain the flexibility and strength in your knee and will be able to return to most or all the activities you enjoy. It is normal to continue to have swelling for several months. Recovery times vary based on the person, but most people return to their full activity in 10 to 16 weeks after a total knee replacement. If you had a partial knee replacement, recovery time is usually a bit shorter. By six months to one year your knee should feel nearly normal.

How many times a week should I do physical therapy after knee replacement?

Most people spend 1 to 3 nights in the hospital. After you're discharged, you might check into a rehab facility. There, you'll usually get physical therapy 6 days a week for a couple of weeks. One advantage of a rehab clinic is that you will have help and you're sure to do your exercises every day.

Can you overdo physical therapy after knee replacement?

Don't Overdo It Although exercise is the key to healing, you could be backpedaling progress by overworking your knee. Signs of over-exercising include swelling of the entire leg and lingering pain that stretches into the evening or into the next day.

How long does pain and stiffness last after knee replacement?

A total knee replacement patient is typically looking at a one year recovery period for things to fully settle down. I should stress that doesn't mean you'll be living with constant pain for a year. But the occasional twinge or moment of discomfort could well last 12 months. Occasionally it could be two years.

How long does it take to walk normally after knee replacement?

Most patients can start walking while still in the hospital. Walking helps deliver important nutrients to your knee to help you heal and recover. You can expect to use a walker for the first couple of weeks. Most patients can walk on their own roughly four to eight weeks after knee replacement.