What can I expect in an outpatient rehabilitation after knee prosthesis?
After the operation, the patient will stay in the clinic for about 8-10 days until he is discharged into outpatient rehabilitation. Already during the time the patient is in rehab, the mobilization and exercise of the knee is started. Every day that the knee is not moved is a lost day.
Therefore, the stay in the clinic can be prolonged even if a complete transition to rehab cannot be arranged. If there is also the problem that the patient is not yet able to take care of himself/herself independently, then a follow-up treatment (AHB) can be applied for, which runs until the patient can be discharged into rehab. During the ambulant rehab the patient lives and sleeps at home.
In the morning he is picked up by a driving service or cab and the Reha mechanism is transported. Depending on the rehab center, patients may have a room for the day where they can rest. Otherwise the same treatments take place in the outpatient rehab as in the inpatient rehab.
In the afternoon or as agreed upon, the patient is transported back home in the course of the afternoon. In general, the focus of rehabilitation is on mobilization and strengthening of the knee. At the beginning, the knee is usually only allowed to be fully loaded in a pain-adapted manner and only bent to a maximum of 110°.
Adapted to this, the physiotherapist does strength, mobilization, movement and coordination exercises with the patient. Further components are lymph drainage, massages and occupational therapy (coping with everyday life). Depending on the therapy center, aqua gymnastics is also offered.
The further the rehabilitation progresses, the more strength training is added. At the beginning, only exercises in the closed chain are performed, such as squats. Sports that involve physical contact, rapid changes of direction, risk of falling and great strain on the knee are not only discouraged during rehab, but generally also for the time after rehab. Otherwise, it applies that after 3-6 months, full weight-bearing and sports can be performed again without pain.
