Physical therapy after knee replacement

Therapy commonly begins with safe bed mobility, standing, walking practice, and exercises for bending and straightening the knee. Your therapist may assess swelling, balance, muscle control, and how you use a walking aid. Early discomfort and stiffness can occur, but exercises should be adjusted when pain is sharp, escalating, or accompanied by a concerning change in the wound. Progress is measured by useful activities such as getting into a chair, using stairs, and walking with better control rather than by forcing a particular range of motion.

Follow the home programme provided for your operation and practise little and often. Use ice or elevation only as advised by your clinical team, keep the incision protected, and use your walking aid until your therapist says your balance and strength support a change. Avoid twisting on the operated leg and do not add vigorous exercises without checking first. A useful session includes a warm-up, the prescribed movements, short walking practice, and a calm recovery period. Keep track of swelling, pain, sleep, and walking ability so your next appointment can be tailored.

Contact your surgical team promptly for increasing redness or drainage at the incision, fever, worsening swelling, or pain that is not settling with the agreed plan. Seek urgent help for sudden chest pain, difficulty breathing, fainting, or a new painful swollen calf. A sudden loss of movement, a fall, or a new inability to put weight through the leg also deserves prompt assessment. Do not use exercise to test a worrying symptom.

Ask when outpatient therapy should start, which movements are expected to feel tight, how to manage swelling after exercise, and when to progress from a walker or crutches. Clarify which wound changes are expected, how stairs should be negotiated, and who to contact outside clinic hours.