Knee Replacement: Learning About Rehab

After your knee replacement surgery, your doctor will give you specific instructions about how active you can be.

But here are some general guidelines.

For the first 1 to 2 weeks after surgery, it's easy to overdo it.

So try to balance rest and activity.

This will help reduce pain and swelling and promote healing and range of motion.

The time you spend up and about is called "up time."

Limit it to 20 minutes at a time.

Anything that involves sitting or standing counts as "up time."

That includes eating at the table, answering the door, getting the mail, even going to the bathroom.

Balance your 20 minutes of "up time" with 1 to 2 hours of "down time,"

which includes icing your knee for 20 minutes and elevating your leg.

You'll probably be given different exercises to do during "up time,"

things like walking and chair push-ups.

And you'll get others you can do during "down time," like ankle pumps and quad sets.

These exercises may seem simple, but they're really important for your recovery.

Three to four weeks after surgery, you'll start to walk more.

And you'll likely get new exercises to add to your routine-- to continue to build strength and range of motion.