Pre-operative tips for knee replacement by Dr. Amanda Patt 

1. Consider pre-operative physical therapy to help maximize flexibility and strength of joint and surrounding areas to help facilitate improved outcomes

• Helps develop “muscle memory” for some of the exercises that will be essential to perform following surgery, and makes it easier during the early phases of recovery/rehabilitation
• Therapist is also able to determine if there may be another body region that should have a couple exercises addressed to minimize these areas becoming pain generators post-operatively
  • Such as some stretches for the back/neck
    
    

2. Scan home and frequently accessed community environments (i.e. workplace) and consider making short-term adjustments to improve safety and accessibility of environment

• Remove any rugs that could be trip hazards
• Add grab bars to any stairs that do not have a pre-exisiting grab bar or railing even if just a couple of steps
• Consider raised toilet seat
• Look into pillows/wedges available to use for elevating legs to decrease swelling

3. Be sure to appropriately manage your pain to be able to get around your home, get to and from PT sessions, and consistently do your home exercises

• Includes taking prescribed pain medication in a regimented manner for at least a couple weeks post-operatively with few exceptions
• Icing frequently, and ideally with an ice machine
• Elevating legs frequently, and ideally above level of heart pending no personal history of cardiovascular conditions

4. Do number of repetitions, sets, and sessions of home exercises as prescribed by physical therapist and do not add any additional exercises that may impact the knee or leg prior to discussion with physical therapist

• Each exercise prescribed by the therapist is given for a specific purpose, and it is important to not be doing exercises that are not prescribed by the physical therapist or surgeon, as this could potentially unnecessarily increase inflammation and may even limit overall activity

5. Work with family and friends to have transportation arranged, and/or assistance with household IADLs

• a.Similar to above, it is important to pace activity and the most important thing in the early phase of recovery (first 2-4 weeks) is to straighten the knee, bend the knee, ice, elevate, and get appropriate sleep and nutrition
  • Therapists often like to refer to the first month post-operatively as taking care of yourself and the replacement as a full-time job