15 MIN KNEE EXERCISES WEEK 4-6 AFTER TOTAL KNEE REPLACEMENT OR ACCIDENT | Dr. Amy and Ashley

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- Welcome to weeks 4-6 after your total knee replacement surgery. People vary in the speed at which they progress. Some people may feel ready to move on in week 4, others in week 5. We left some overlap in the videos to account for these differences. The first 12 weeks after surgery are critical to ensuring you get the best function possible with your new knee. This video series will take you through the activities and exercises you need to do to make that happen.

First, a little reminder. Your surgery was done in a minimally invasive fashion to help you make a rapid recovery. In addition, robotic guidance with artificial intelligence was used to create a model of your knee joint that was used to pick the perfect implants to give you the best possible range of motion. In the bad old days when legacy surgeons took down muscles and the implants were not the perfect fit recovery required extensive physical therapy and strengthening for six to twelve months. Times have changed. You may choose to engage in physical therapy; but many of our patients have achieved excellent recoveries without it. You should expect to make a complete recovery from surgery in 1-2 weeks, and fully strengthen and “on board” your new knee within 8-12 weeks after the day of surgery.

This video series is led by Dr. Amy Cannatta, DC and Ashley Baratko. Dr. Amy received her Bachelor of Science and Doctor of Chiropractic degrees at the University of Bridgeport College of Chiropractic in 2005. She was specialty certified in Neurodiagnostics at the Palmer College of Chiropractics in Port Orange, Florida in 2018. Dr. Amy has practiced chiropractic medicine in Connecticut as well as Arizona. She joined Phoenix Spine and Joint in 2017. Ashley Baratko has worked for five years as a physical therapy assistant and is applying to enter physical therapy college to study for her doctorate.

Your first three goals for this period are the same as the last one: increase your range of motion, hamstring and quadriceps strength, and daily function. A new goal of this period is to become aware of your proprioception, your sense of where your knee is in space. Proprioception is key to normal use of your knee, a full recovery, and walking in particular.

Please note that these exercises are added to the ones you learned in the previous videos. Keep doing all of the exercises from week 1 as well as weeks 2-4.

The first additional exercise for this period is standing on one foot. Take off your show on the side of your operated knee so that you are barefoot or wearing only a sock. Stand somewhere you can support yourself with your arm and raise your unoperated leg with your operated knee slightly bent.

The second exercise for your total knee recovery is a step up. The purpose of this exercise is to practice so you are confident going up and down stairs. Just take a step up, rest, and repeat. Make sure you have a rail to hold onto for stability.

The third exercise is a squat. At this point you should be able to do some form of a squat. Follow the cues in the video to be sure you are using proper form.

The fourth exercise is a resisted march. Place a wide elastic band around your feet and march in place. Try to keep your torso still. Do ten on each side and repeat the ten twice for three set of ten reps of the marches. The first exercise is a lateral band walk. Place the band on your legs above your ankles and walk to the side.

Note that you should be walking unassisted -- without a walker or cane -- at the very latest by week 4. If you still require a walker or cane, please contact your surgeon.

Complications such as blood clots, infection (urinary tract, pneumonia, surgical site), heart problems or dislocation almost never happen; however, we are always on the lookout for them. It is always better to be safe than sorry. Let your surgeon know if you experience any of the following:

bleeding or drainage from your incision site

Skin redness around the incision that is getting larger

Painful urination

Cough

Chest pain

Shortness of breath

Swelling that does not respond to elevation and compression

Temperature greater than 100.4 sustained over 24 hours

In addition, let your surgeon know if you are unable to do the exercises shown in the video.

At Phoenix Spine and Joint we’ve seen how minimally invasive robotic assisted total knee replacement changes lives. We’re excited for you as you begin your journey.