Day of Surgery

Knee Replacement Rehab

Do each exercise 4 times per day focusing on getting your knee completely straight and completely bent. Exercise sessions should be done every 4 hours.

Click the link below for a printable daily diary to help you keep track of your daily exercise sessions.

Daily-Diary.pdf 67.82 KB

While in a seated position, place the strap (such as the one in our Knee Kit) around your arch or midfoot. Be careful not to put it too high toward your toes or you will stretch your calf instead of focusing on your knee. Place one hand on your thigh just above your affected knee, and with your other hand grab both ends of the strap. Push down with your hand above the knee while you pull the strap with your other hand. The goal is to keep your thigh on the surface you are sitting on and get your heel to go up in the air as far as your non-affected heel would go. Hold the stretch for 3-5 seconds and repeat for 10 repetitions. Again, you may feel discomfort/stretch in your knee, and that is very normal.

Heel Props

Place your heel on the bolster (such as one in our Knee Kit). You can be either lying or sitting; lying is a good starting place, but progress until you have done this successfully in a seated position. The goal is to completely relax your leg muscles to allow your knee to go as straight as possible. You may feel a pull in the back or even in the front of your knee. As with all of these knee stretches, that is okay, nothing bad is happening.

While you are stretching try to tighten or contract your thigh muscles and attempt to press your knee further down. Avoid using other muscles, such as, your hamstring muscles (muscles in the back of your thigh) or your gluteal muscles (Buttock muscles). This takes a fair amount of practice but everyone can and will be able to do it. Progress to hold the contraction for 3-5 seconds and repeat for 10 repetitions. On your last repetition hold the stretch for 30 seconds. If both knees are affected, repeat with other leg.

Short-Arc Quads

Place a bolster under your knee (such as the one in our knee kit). Make your top thigh muscle (quadricep muscles) tighten and attempt to straighten your knee. Once you get your knee straight, hold your quadricep muscles tight for 3-5 seconds; relax and let your knee bend to the starting position;  repeat for 10 repetitions.

Start by getting your knee in full extension (straight) and making your quadriceps tight (referred to as a quad set). Try to focus on just making the quadriceps muscle (muscles in the front thigh) tight. Tightening these muscles will make your kneecap move. That is the goal. It is common to initially recruit other muscles, such as, your gluteal muscles (buttocks) or hamstring muscles (muscles in the back of your thigh). Practice being able to perform this exercise with only your quadriceps muscles. It takes practice but you can do it. Once your quadricep muscles are tight and your knee is in full extension, then lift your leg up several inches. It is important to keep your knee in full extension the entire time you are lifting your leg.  Repeat 10 times.

This exercise is easier to perform while laying down, but the goal is to perform them while seated with your other knee bent. When some people first start performing this exercise, they may have cramps or spasms in their quadriceps muscles. If this occurs, let the quadriceps relax, and then resume. As you continue to perform the exercise, the spasms will stop. See example above, right. Repeat 10 times.

Wrap a strap (such as one in our Knee Kit) around the bottom middle of your foot and cross over in front of the ankle.  Grab the strap ends, one in each hand, and slide your heel toward your buttocks by pulling on the straps. Bend your knee as far as you are able, expecting discomfort to maximize the exercise’s benefit, and then straighten your knee.

Complete the exercise by tightening your quad/thigh muscle and pressing the back of your knee into the surface you are laying on. Repeat this process for the first 9 repetitions. On the tenth repetition, hold knee bent for 30 seconds, then try to bend a little further before returning your knee back to the straight position.

It is highly recommended to take the time to ice your knee after your exercises. Prop your heel on a bolster from your Knee Kit, or the LRU Pillow, and wrap the ice wrap from your Knee Kit. Rest for 20 minutes.

If you need guidance with walking, please refer to the

“Gait Training” lecture in this program.