| So, you are finally home after your total knee | | | | as you feel ready. It may be at this point you can |
| replacement. Your leg is swollen, you are in pain, and | | | | introduce weight training in your recovery plan. |
| you may even have a slight post-operative | | | | However, you must avoid any exercise that will put |
| temperature. You are having trouble just getting to | | | | too much pressure on your new joint. |
| your feet with the help of a walker. Weight training | | | | Even if you are feeling well, you need to seek the |
| as part of your rehabilitation plan seems like an | | | | approval of your physician and your physical therapist |
| impossibility. And, in fact, at this stage of your | | | | before you undertake any new exercise following a |
| recovery, you should be concentrating on simple | | | | total knee replacement. Just like your natural knee, |
| movements and giving your body the rest it needs | | | | an artificial joint can show signs of wear. You want |
| to heal. Most doctors will advise against the use of | | | | your knee to last as long as possible, so stick to the |
| any weight lifting exercises for quite an extended | | | | advice of your doctor to keep your knee at its |
| period of time after your surgery. | | | | healthiest. Your goal is to have a pain-free joint, not |
| In the initial weeks following your knee replacement | | | | to be a marathon runner. If the activities you once |
| surgery, you will be asked to slowly perform various | | | | loved are on the list of things to avoid, work with |
| exercises to ease into using your new joint. At first, | | | | your physical therapist to find ways to participate |
| you will likely try stretching exercises that you can do | | | | safely. |
| while you are in bed. As soon as you are able, you | | | | While there have been great advances in medical |
| should be doing sitting exercises to increase the | | | | technology, a successful outcome is determined by |
| flexibility of the knee. Later you can move on to | | | | the patient's attitude and willingness to do the |
| exercising with your walker. This is a natural | | | | necessary therapy. It is up to you the patient to find |
| progression to improve your mobility without | | | | and follow an exercise program that has already |
| overdoing it and causing damage to your knee. While | | | | shown proven results. Equally important is finding a |
| you might not be doing formal weight training, you | | | | trainer or mentor who has a positive attitude toward |
| are working with the weight resistance of your own | | | | recovery from knee surgery and who can teach |
| body. | | | | anyone the same mindset. Believing it can be done |
| As you move further into the rehabilitation process, | | | | and working with someone who has already achieved |
| you will be encouraged to participate in more | | | | the desired results is the key to returning to normal |
| activities that work the knee. You should try to get | | | | activities and remaining free from pain. |
| back into your normal routines and household chores | | | | |