Hip And Knee Replacement Surgery Recovery

Although it can be a life-changing event by offering relief from chronic pain and restoring mobility, surgical outcomes are highly dependent on the quality and consistency of your post-surgical rehabilitation which is where the “real magic” happens.

A well-structured rehabilitation program guided by your Burnaby physiotherapist, is essential for regaining your strength, flexibility, and function that is necessary for daily activities.

A Closer Look At Total Knee And Hip Replacement Surgeries

Total knee replacement (TKR)

This surgery is commonly recommended for patients with severe arthritis of the knee or patients who have had a history of significant knee injuries that cause persistent pain and functional limitations.

Tissue around your knee joint such as cartilage or bone is often replaced with some form of artificial material such as metal or plastic.

Total hip replacement (THR)

Similarly, this procedure is often recommended for patients with:

1. Hip fractures
2. Impaired mobility such as interfering with walking or navigating stairs
3. Severe arthritis
4. Other conditions that result in chronic hip pain

For the THR, the damaged sections of your hip joint are replaced with prosthetic components that are also made of artificial materials.

Why Is It Important To Do Rehab After A Total Hip Or Knee Replacement?

1. Restore mobility

Post-operative stiffness is something that can be quickly addressed by your physiotherapist. Restoring normal range of motion in your affected joint is one of the first goals of your treatment plan. This is because all movements require joints to move and having normal range of motion enables you to perform your daily activities.

2. Strengthen muscles

Prior to the surgery, patients are often avoiding the use of their hip or knee due to pain. This inactivity consequently leads to weakening of the muscles around your joint.

Following surgery, strengthening the muscles around your new joint is vital for providing support and stability. In addition to improving daily function and promoting physical activity, strengthening can further reduce the risk of future injuries.

3. Pain management

Pain after surgery is an expected side effect. To help ease and better manage pain, controlled movements and exercises are incorporated into your post-surgical rehab programs.

4. Prevent postoperative complications

Prolonged inactivity immediately after surgery can increase the likelihood of having blood clots in your lower limb. By doing simple exercises such as ankle pumps (moving your ankle up and down), this can drastically reduce blood clotting issues. This can:

• Decrease muscle and joint stiffness
• Enhance your overall recovery
• Increase range of motion

5. Improving overall function

The ultimate goal of your physiotherapy rehab is to improve your overall function and quality of life. Post-surgical rehabilitation is no different – it should be focused on enabling you to return to your normal activities that you were doing before the surgery and potentially even more now you have had a joint replaced.

Hip And Knee Replacement Rehab Timeline

Rehabilitation following total knee and hip replacement can be divided into 5 phases, each with specific goals and activities.

Phase 1: Immediate post-surgery (Days 1-7)

Goals:

• Manage pain and swelling
• Initiate gentle movements to prevent stiffness
• Begin weight-bearing activities as tolerated

Activities:

• Managing pain and swelling: Use of ice packs, elevation, and prescribed pain medications
• Mobility exercises: Simple exercises to promote blood circulation and prevent blood clots include:
  
  • ankle pumps
  • gluteal squeezes
  • quadriceps sets
• Weight-bearing activities: With the assistance and guidance of your physiotherapist in Burnaby, begin weight-bearing as tolerated using necessary gait aids such as a wheeled walker

Phase 2: Early rehabilitation (Weeks 1-4)

During the early stages of rehab, your surgeon may have specific postoperative protocols which limits moving in certain directions, therefore only do exercises that are prescribed by your orthopaedic surgeon or physiotherapist.

Goals:

• Increase range of motion
• Improve muscle strength
• Enhance functional mobility

Activities:

• Range of motion exercises: After surgery, it is common to feel stiff in your joint. Gentle bending and straightening exercises for your knee or hip to improve flexibility and reduce swelling in the area which may inhibit moving to full range. For TKRs, this may include heel slides and seated knee bends. For THRs, it might involve gentle hip movements in a limited range that abides by your post-surgical protocols
• Strengthening exercises: When appropriate, your North Burnaby physiotherapist will begin with low-resistance exercises such as hip abductions and seated knee extensions as well as incorporating strengthening of uninvolved muscles as it is just as important to maintain their strength during your rehab journey
• Functional training: Practice basic functional activities with the help of your therapist like:
  
  • sitting
  • standing
  • using stairs
  • walking short distances

As a result of the post-surgical protocols, modifications may need to be made to these activities and your physiotherapist will advise you of this

Phase 3: Intermediate rehabilitation (Weeks 4-12)

Goals:

• Achieve near-normal range of motion
• Increase muscle strength and endurance
• Enhanced balance and coordination

Activities:

• Advanced strengthening: After achieving certain strength milestones, your Burnaby Heights physiotherapist will progress to more challenging exercises involving resistance or increasing range of movement. This can include functional exercises such as mini squats, step-ups, or adding resistance bands to previous exercises
• Balance training and falls prevention: Incorporating balance exercises such as:
  
  • performing tandem walking
  • standing on one leg
  • using a balance board
  is not only functional for tasks such as walking but it can also reduce one’s falls risk. Falling can be detrimental especially with increased age due to the injuries that can follow. By performing balance training, the likelihood of falls can be greatly reduced in older adults
• Functional activities: To get back to independent daily activities, your physiotherapist will start to increase the complexity of functional tasks, including walking longer distances, navigating stairs independently, and engaging in light household chores

Phase 4: Advanced rehabilitation (Months 3-6)

Goals:

• Restore full function and strength
• Return to normal activities and hobbies
• Prevent re-injury

Activities:

• High-level strengthening: To further improve overall well-being and health, your physiotherapy program will begin to Incorporate weight training and more demanding exercises like lunges, leg presses, and hamstring curls
• Cardiovascular conditioning: To improve endurance and your general cardiovascular health, exercises such as:
  
  • cycling
  • swimming
  • using an elliptical machine
  can be incorporated into the final stage of post-operative rehab as they are a safer and less impactful alternative following TKR or THR
• Sport-specific training: Once all therapeutic milestones are cleared, tailored exercises and drills are used to prepare for sport-specific demands if you are looking to return to sport as part of your rehab goal

Wondering If Life Can Be Normal After Hip Or Knee Replacement?

Having your hip or knee surgically replaced can seem like a daunting life event. Get help from your physiotherapist in navigating your rehab and recovery after surgery and start your recovery today.

Consult With Your Physiotherapist

Phone 604-738-1168

FAQ

Q: How long should I do exercise after hip or knee replacement?

A: Although the general phases of recovery outlined above can give you an idea of the recovery timeline, every individual who goes through TKR or THR is different.

The duration of rehabilitation varies depending on several factors, including the type of surgery, your overall health prior to surgery, and your progress during recovery. Typically, formal rehabilitation programs last several weeks to months, with different phases focusing on achieving specific goals.

Your physical therapist will guide you through each phase and adjust the program based on your progress.

Q: What else can I do to help a total hip or knee replacement surgery?

A: Aside from what was listed above, research has shown that better general health of the patient prior to surgery is associated with better surgical outcomes.

For that reason, some health professionals may suggest pre-surgical exercises. It is best to speak with your physiotherapist who can assess current functions of a patient and prescribe appropriate exercises before surgery.

Q: What are some hip or knee replacement exercises to avoid?

A: Unless there are specific contraindication protocols from your surgeon, exercises should start days after the surgery. The type of exercises should be appropriate for the phase of healing as you are still recovering from the TKR or THR. This will be guided by your presentation and your physiotherapist