Knee Exercise #2
Instructions:
- HOW FAST AND HOW WELL YOU REGAIN KNEE MOTION IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO YOUR MOTIVATION AND PERSEVERANCE. STRONG DETERMINATION AND TOLERANCE FOR TEMPORARY DISCOMFORT WILL HASTEN YOUR RETURN TO NORMAL ACTIVITIES.
- FOLLOW THE EXERCISE ROUTINE PRESCRIBED BY YOUR DOCTOR. GRADUALLY INCREASE THE FREQUENCY OF THE EXERCISES AS YOUR KNEE BECOMES STRONGER. INITIALLY YOU MAY REQUIRE ASSISTANCE, BUT YOU SHOULD SOON BE ABLE TO PERFORM THESE EXERCISES AND STRETCHING MANEUVERS ON YOUR OWN.
- SWIMMING IS A GOOD FORM OF EXERCISE; MANY OF THE FOLLOWING EXERCISES CAN BE MORE EFFECTIVELY PERFORMED WITH THE AID OF THE WATER’S BUOYANCY.
- YOU MAY WISH TO ESTABLISH THE EXERCISE PATTERN WITH YOUR GOOD KNEE, THEN SWITCH TO THE INJURED ONE.
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1. Quadriceps Setting:
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Sit on a flat surface with legs out straight. Tighten the knee without moving the leg out of position. (To get the idea of this exercise, have someone place his hand behind your knee and push against the hand, attempting to flatten your knee.) Relax and repeat slowly, holding the knee in the tightened position approximately two seconds each time. Repeat this exercise at least 25 times every hour. It can also be performed at odd moments, such as in the car while watching for a traffic light, sitting in a chair, etc.
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2. Straight Leg
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Raising: Lie on your back with your legs out straight, knees unbent. Holding onto the be frame, lift your heel slowly off the bed. Raise the leg as high as possible. Slowly lower the leg to the bed, keeping the knee straight. Repeat.
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3. Knee Flexion Exercises:
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a. Immediately after surgery, raise the leg straight upward as in the last exercise above. Support the lower thigh just above the knee with hands clasped in back of the knee. Relax the knee muscles and let the weight of the leg bend the knee; then, with no additional aid, straighten the knee to its previous position. Repeat, each time permitting the leg to bend further.
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b. Sit on side of bed with pillow under knees and legs dangling. Straighten injured leg, using foot of good leg for support if necessary; let it drop by gravity, then force it to bend, using other foot to exert pressure on top of the ankle to limits of pain tolerance; repeat.
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c. For restoration of knee movement in convalescent period: Sit on high table, let leg dangle with minimal or no support, and tighten hamstring muscles. Use opposite foot to gradually bend the injured leg by exerting pressure on top of the ankle.
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