Rehabilitation: Walking After Total Knee Replacement
Rehabilitation: Walking After Total Knee Replacement
Rehabilitation: Walking After Total Knee Replacement
Rehabilitation
As you gain strength and endurance, you will advance to a two-point gait pattern. This means you will move the crutches and operated leg at the same time, and then move your good leg beyond the crutches. In this gait pattern, you should distribute one third of the weight to each hand and one third on the operated leg. Early on it may be more comfortable to take more weight on the hands, particularly the hand opposite the operated side. It is important to remember that while standing, the crutches should always be kept in front of you and slightly out to the side. If the crutches are even with your body when you are standing still, they will not keep you from falling. Also, do not carry your weight on the armpits when using crutches. This can be painful and can cause permanent nerve damage. The weight should be taken on your hands and good leg.
Rehabilitation
Getting into Bed
Sit on the edge of the bed with both feet on ground Scoot your hips backwards as you keep your weight on your hands Lower yourself onto your forearms Slide your legs onto the bed; keep your operated leg straight Once in bed, keep your toes pointed up
Rehabilitation
Getting out of Bed
Slide your legs toward the edge of the bed; keep your operated leg straight Push yourself up to your forearms and onto your hands Slide your legs so that your heels are over the edge of the bed Scoot your hips forward until both feet are on the ground
Rehabilitation
Sitting in a Chair:
To sit down in a chair*: Stand in front of the chair. Turn around and back-up until the back of your legs touch the chair Place your operated leg far out in front of you Place your crutches in the hand opposite of your operated side, and place your free arm on the arm of the chair Gently ease down into the chair Once you are seated, you may bring your operated leg back so your foot is under your knee When sitting, always keep your knees lower than your hips. In the early stages, avoid sitting for long periods of time. Get up every 20-30 minutes to stretch up and down on your toes or take a walk before sitting again.
Rehabilitation
Rising from a Chair:
To rise up from the chair: Place the foot of your operated leg far in front of you Bring your hips forward to the edge of the seat Again, place the operated leg far in front of you Push up on the arms of the chair and rise on your good leg Do not try to use your operated leg in standing up Place the crutches in the hand on the good side and finish standing Once standing, place one crutch under each arm
Do not try to get up with your hips at the back of the chair. Always first bring your hips to the front of the seat before getting up.
*As your pain subsides and you regain range of motion, you will be able to sit down and stand up from a chair without modifying.
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Rehabilitation
Beginning to Walk after Surgery
At first, you will use a walker as you begin to walk. Once you are steady on your feet, you will progress to crutches.
Rehabilitation
Stair Climbing
You will begin to walk stairs with a physical therapist before you are discharged from MGH. In the following photos, the model has a right hip replacement.
Using a walker: Place the walker one step ahead of you Lean into it and pick up the operated leg, bend the knee and step forward, planting the heel down first Bring your good leg up to the front of the operated leg Repeat the process
Going Upstairs: Put one hand on the banister and carry the crutch under the other arm Put your weight through your arms and step up with your good leg Then step up with your operated leg Then the crutch
Using crutches: Place the crutches one step ahead Place weight on your good leg and bring the operated leg up between the crutches Bring your good leg up beyond the crutches
Coming Downstairs: Place the crutch under one arm and the opposite hand on the banister Start down the stairs with the crutches first Then your operated leg Then your good leg
A way to remember this is: Up with the good leg and down with the operated leg.
Rehabilitation
Bathing
Use a stall shower if you have one. It is okay to use a tub shower, but follow the directions given. Use a stable shower chair in both a stall shower and tub shower. Never sit in the bottom of the tub. Have someone help you the first time you shower at home. Place a non-skid mat outside the shower for your safety. Getting in a stall shower with a chair: Walk to the shower with your walker and back up to the shower stall Reach back with one hand for the chair while leaving the other hand on walker Sit down on the chair and lift your legs over threshold of the shower Turn to sit facing the faucet
Rehabilitation
Bathing Continued
Getting into a tub shower with a chair: Walk to the tub with your walker and back up to the tub until you can feel the tub at the back of your legs. Reach back with one hand for the chair; leave other hand on the walker Sit down on the chair with your operated leg out straight Lift your legs into the tub, helping your operated leg with your hands Keep your operated leg out straight
Getting into a tub shower without a chair: If you are strong enough to stand in the stall shower: Walk up to the shower with your walker or crutches Step over the threshold with good leg followed by the operated leg Walk to the tub with your walker or crutches Facing sideways, have your good leg against the tub Bend your good leg at the knee and side step over the tub Repeat with your operated leg, bending your knee to clear the tub
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Rehabilitation
Bathing Continued
Getting out of a tub shower with a chair: Place a robe or towel securely around your body after drying off Turn on the seat and lift your legs out of tub keeping your operated leg out straight Push off the back of the chair and keep one hand on the walker Stand up straight
Rehabilitation
Getting in and out of Cars
Front seat: Open the front door and back up to the seat Put one hand on the dashboard and other on back of the front seat Sit down and slide back as far as possible in a semi-reclining position Bring legs into the car, helping the operated leg with your hands Swing your operated leg into the car without bending your knee above your hip Reverse the procedure to get out of the car
Back seat: Assistive Devices for Bathing: A shower chair (pictured above) or a tub bench (pictured to the right) can make showering easier following your joint replacement surgery. Enter the car from the side that allows your operated leg to be supported by the seat of the car Slide back into the seat as explained above Reverse the procedure to get out of the car If you had a left total knee replacement, you would enter from the drivers side. If you had a right total knee replacement, you would enter from the passenger side.
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Lie on your back with your legs extended in bed Tighten the quad muscle on the front of your leg Push the back of your knee into the bed Hold for 5 seconds Perform one set of 10 repetitions 3 times a day
Lie on your back with your legs extended Support your operated leg with a folded towel or pillow under your ankle Engage your calf muscles, and move your ankle towards your shin Hold for five seconds Move your ankle away from your shin Hold for 5 seconds Perform one set of 10 repetitions 3 times a day
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Lie on your back with your legs extended in bed Support your operated leg with a pillow to keep your knee bent at 45 Straighten operated leg at the knee by lifting only your heel off the bed Hold for 5 seconds Lower leg back to resting position Perform one set of 10 repetitions 3 times a day
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Lie on your back with your legs extended Slide the heel of your operated leg toward your buttock so that your knee and hip bend Hold for 10 seconds Slide your heel back so that your leg is flat Keep the opposite leg flat Perform one set of 10 repetitions 3 times a day
Total Knee Replacement, Rehabilitation & Physical Therapy Protocols
Sit upright in a firm chair Raise your heel forward until the knee is straight Hold for 5 seconds Slowly lower and bend your knee as far you can Perform one set of 10 repetitions 3 times a day
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Lie on your back with your non-operated knee bent and foot flat. Lift your operated leg one foot off the ground. Keep your knee straight and toes pointed up. Hold for 5 seconds, then relax. Perform one set of 10 repetitions 3 times a day.
Total Knee Replacement, Rehabilitation & Physical Therapy Protocols