The knee is a very complex joint that has to withstand great forces. One of the most common signs of wear and tear due to age is found in the knee joint. Diseases such as knee arthrosis can make everyday life difficult for many people.
If the cartilage damage or pain becomes too severe and the pain situation does not improve, the joint is often replaced by a total knee endoprosthesis (knee tep). This is intended to restore the function of the knee and, ideally, to enable it to resume its function without pain. Since an operation always involves cutting through the muscles and other structures, pain may follow.
These include pain, restrictions in movement and strength. In order to restore mobility, movement therapy is important. In this way, structures can be adapted to the necessary load again. In addition, strengthening exercises should restore stability in the knee joint.
Exercises from physiotherapy
1. exercise – “cycling” 2. exercise – “bridging” 3. exercise – “one-legged bridging” 4. exercise – “hyperextension” 5. exercise – “apple picking” 6. exercise – “heel lifting” 7. exercise – “climbing stairs” 8. exercise – “wiggling” 9. exercise – “hamstring stretching “In most cases, strengthening exercises can be started a few days after the operation. The degree of resistance and number of repetitions is adapted to the patient’s pain situation. There may also be cases in which the leg must not be loaded for the time being after the operation.
Therefore, light exercises should be started first. If the pain and healing situation and the doctor’s permission allow it, exercises can be done as early as the second day after the surgery. It is important not to start too late.
Knee tep exercises are performed in 15 – 20 repetitions and 3-5 series. Perform the exercises slowly and stay in the pain-free area. The following exercises are suitable for people in the rehabilitation phase.
Although many of these exercises can also be performed in the acute phase, the pain situation and mobility of the operated knee joint often do not allow this at the beginning. 1. exercise While lying down, you start to pedal with both legs as if you were on a bicycle. To increase this exercise you can sit.
Kick with the operated leg first and then with the other. 2nd exercise You lie on your back and have both legs bent. They are hip-width apart.
Raise your pelvis and make sure that the pelvis is in line with your thighs. The pelvis must not sink during the exercise. Hold this position for 15-20 seconds.
To increase this exercise, you can also stretch your arms upwards and make quick, small chopping movements with your arms. 3rd exercise If the exercise in number 2 is too easy for you, you can add an increase. Lift your buttocks again and have your arms lying loosely on the floor.
This time one leg remains bent and the other is now stretched upwards into the air. Keep the leg up and then after 15-20 seconds change sides and stretch the other leg out. 4th Exercise Lie on your stomach and bend your arms next to your upper body.
The legs remain stretched out. During the exercise look down on the floor. Now lift the angled arms and the stretched legs upwards and hold the position.
Maintain this position for about 15 seconds. 5. exercise Stand on both legs and then stretch both arms upwards. Now stand on your tiptoes and alternately stretch both arms towards the ceiling.
Stand on your tiptoes. 6th Exercise Stand on one level with your forefoot. Now push yourself up with your forefoot and then go down again with your heel.
For safety reasons you can hold on to something to keep your balance. Further exercises after knee surgery can be found in the article Exercises for knee injuries. 7th Exercise For this exercise you need a step and a railing again.
Hold on to the railing to keep your balance. Place one leg on a step and the other leg remains on the floor. Now shift your weight to the leg on the step and let the back leg float in the air.
Then put your weight back on the back leg and put it back on the floor. 8th Exercise Besides strengthening exercises, coordination exercises are also very important. In this way the muscle can get used to different and also unfamiliar conditions in everyday life.
In this exercise, however, the balance of the patient must be good. Also, the operation must have taken place several weeks ago.Stand on one leg and bend the knee slightly. It remains behind the tips of your feet.
Now try to swing your arms alternately forwards and backwards. You must try to keep your balance and the floating leg must not touch the ground. 9th Exercise Stretching exercises can also help you to loosen your muscles.
Just lie on your back and put both legs down. Now lift one leg up to the ceiling as far as possible and keep it up. You can hold the lifted leg with both hands.
Pull the heel towards the ceiling and the tips of your toes towards your nose. Then hold the stretch for 15-20 seconds. More exercises for the knee joint can be found in the articles
- Exercises with a knee TEP
- Physiotherapy for knee arthrosis
- Physiotherapy exercises knee.
