These exercises are crucial to your rehabilitation and the following is a general guide for the rehabilitation following knee surgery. Physical Therapy Programs are individualized for each patient by a doctor or physical therapist and a successful outcome is dependent on adequate communication between the patient, therapist and surgeon. Considering those points, these are just guidelines.
 Elevate your affected leg, it must be elevated above heart level, usually requiring 4 or 5 pillows. under your leg. Just propping it on the couch, or recliner is not enough, and the more you can elevate and ice, the less pain and swelling you will have. |
 Squeeze & tighten this muscle tight for 2 seconds, twenty times, and try to do 10 or more sessions each day. Monitor your progress by comparing your muscle contraction to your unaffected leg, and it is wise to do these exercises for both legs. |
 The Heel Prop is The Most Important Exercise You Will Do. Prop your heel as shown in the photo above. Relax your leg (when you are relaxed, your leg and foot will rotate out slightly and this is good). Allow your knee to straighten as much as possible. This can also be achieved by propping your heel on a chair facing you or on the arm of a couch. as long as nothing is under your knee. Do this every hour for 3-10 minutes. |
