Exercise Program After Knee Surgery

To optimize your recovery and functional ability after knee surgery, it is essential that you perform key exercises to strengthen the muscles around your knee and lower extremity. These exercises are the foundation for restoring the strength and flexibility that will assist you in walking well and returning to an active lifestyle.

Perform each exercise 10 times, twice daily. Increase to a total of 3 sets of 10, twice a day.

Ankle Pumps Pull your foot up toward you, then point your foot downward. Move through full range of motion.
Quadriceps Set Tighten your muscles on the top of your thighs by pushing your knees downward. Hold for 5 seconds. The towel roll under your ankle will allow your knee to straighten.
Gluteal Set Squeeze your buttock muscles together tightly. Hold for 5 seconds.
Heel Slide Slide heel toward buttocks to bend knee then slowly lower.
Terminal Knee Extension Place knee over a rolled towel. Lift your heel up by tightening the muscles on top of your thigh. Hold your knee as straight as possible for 5 seconds.
Hip Abduction While keeping your toes and knee pointed toward the ceiling, bring your leg slowly out to the side and return slowly to the midline.
Straight Leg Raise Tighten the muscles on top of the tight, keep your knee as straight as possible and lift your entire leg so that your heel is about 8 inches from the surface. Hold for 5 seconds. Bend the opposite knee to protect your back. *If you had a total hip replacement on the affected side, do not perform this exercise.
Sitting Knee Extension Gradually straighten out your knee while sitting up straight in a chair. Pull your foot toward you and hold for 5 seconds. Gradually lower your leg.