What should I expect during my rehabilitation?
When you begin your One Wellness rehabilitation program, our physiotherapist may use heat, ice, or electrical stimulation to reduce any remaining swelling or pain.
You should continue to use your walker or crutches as instructed. If you had a cemented procedure, you'll advance the weight you place through your sore leg as much as you feel comfortable. If yours was a noncemented procedure, place only the toes down until you've had a follow-up X-ray and your physiotherapist directs you to put more weight through your leg (usually by the fifth or sixth week postoperatively).
Our physiotherapist may use hands-on stretches for improving range of motion. Then strength exercises are added to address key muscle groups including the buttock, hip, thigh, and calf muscles. Endurance can be achieved through stationary biking, lap swimming, and using an upper body ergometer (upper cycle).
One Wellness physiotherapists sometimes treat patients in a pool. Exercising in a swimming pool puts less stress on the knee joint, and the buoyancy lets you move and exercise easier. Once you've gotten your pool exercises down and the other parts of your rehab program advance, we may instruct you in an independent program.
When you are safe in putting full weight through the leg, our physiotherapist will choose several types of balance exercises to further stabilize and control the knee.
Finally, we will use a select group of exercises to simulate day-to-day activities, such as going up and down steps, squatting, rising on your toes, and bending down. Specific exercises may then be chosen to simulate work or hobby demands.
Many patients have less pain and better mobility after having knee replacement surgery. Our physiotherapist will work with you to help keep your knee joint healthy for as long as possible. This may require that you adjust your activity choices to keep from putting too much strain on your new knee joint. Heavy sports that require running, jumping, quick stopping or starting, and cutting are discouraged. Cycling, swimming, and level walking are encouraged, as are low impact sports like golfing or bowling.
One Wellness provides services for physiotherapy in Canmore.
At One Wellness, our goal is to help you improve knee range of motion, maximize strength, and improve your ability to do your activities. When your recovery is well under way, regular visits to our office will end. Although we will continue to be a resource, you will be in charge of doing your exercises as part of an ongoing home program.
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