Exercises

Exercises which can be performed at the beginning of the therapy after an operation on the knee joint are e.g. the heel swing or the hammer. Both are exercises from the field of FBL (Functional Movement Theory). 1) With the heel swing, the heel of the long leg becomes the fixed point.

It does not move on the surface during the exercise. Now the toes and the foot are to be tightened. The angle between the foot and the lower leg becomes smaller.

Now the foot is stretched out again and the knee is also stretched towards the support. The hollow of the knee can be supported by a cushion or a towel roll, so that the hollow of the knee can be pressed into the resistance during the stretching. The exercise is designed to improve the extension of the knee joint and to gently activate the muscles.

The flexion is slightly trained as well. 2) The hammer is also an exercise for improving the extension. Here, too, it can be useful to lower the back of the knee.

The leg is stretched, the foot is tightened, the heel is resting on the floor. Now the hollow of the knee is stretched and the knee is pushed through. The thigh remains flat on the pad.

By stretching the knee joint, the heel lifts slightly off the floor. After a short period of tension, the heel falls back onto the support. This is done in quick succession, i.e. the heel “hammers” on the surface.

3) For bending, exercises in the seat can be helpful. The foot can be placed on a ball or a cloth to make it easier to pull the foot and thus to bend the knee. There is a variety of exercises that can be worked out with the therapist.

In the later course of therapy, when the knee is fully resilient again, knee bends and lungeing steps are integrated into the training after knee surgery. 4) In the knee bend, the patient stands with his legs about hip-wide apart, his feet point forward, his back is straight and remains so throughout the exercise. Now the patient goes down to his knees as if he wanted to sit on a stool standing far behind him.

The straight upper body leans forward a little bit. The knees remain behind the tips of the feet and never go forward. The lower leg remains vertical in the room.

It is better to make the movement smaller, but pay attention to its quality. The lowest possible position can be held briefly before the patient straightens up again. The knees should remain slightly bent in the starting position and not be overstretched!

The correct posture and execution during the exercises should be worked out urgently with the therapist beforehand in order to avoid incorrect loading of the knee joint. Later on, aids such as the leg press or even a wiggle board, the therapy circle or a trampoline can be used in physiotherapy after a knee operation. Further exercises can be found in the articles

Exercises for a meniscus lesion
Exercises for a cruciate ligament rupture
Exercises for cartilage damage
Torn meniscus – Physiotherapy
Exercises with a knee TEP
Physiotherapy after meniscus surgery