Recovering From Knee Surgery - What You Can and Can't Do

After your knee surgery you will be advised by your orthopedic surgeon what you can physically do and what you have to refrain from. You will also be advised of your weight bearing status on the affected knee.

There are several things that most patients that have knee surgery can do. First of all walking and staying mobile will be important to keep your conditioning intact while you are recovering. What you have been given to walk with such as a cane or walker, will be either determined by your surgeon or rehabilitation professional.

Another important area that will instituted by your doctor will be your exercise program. The exercises of course will depend again on the type of surgical procedure you have undergone. For instance if you have had ACL surgery exercises that place force on these ligaments such as forced extension will have to be avoided.

Flexion exercises however are encouraged with the help of a physical therapist to monitor them.

Staying disciplined with your exercise program will determine your overall success in your recovery. This is something you can do and must work on.

You can also use pain modalities such as heat or ice. Ice generally is used to relieve pain and swelling after exercise or several days after the surgical procedure. Heat can be used prior to exercise to loosen the soft tissue surrounding your knee allowing your knee to move freely and to help relieve muscle spasms.

What you cannot do after knee surgery is to begin walking too soon without using some sort of assistive device to lessen the amount of force you place through it. By not using your walker or cane as instructed you can cause an increase in pain and swelling which will delay your rehabilitation and, slow the healing process.

You cannot speed up the recovery process. Your knee and the type of procedure you have gone through will have its own time line for a full recovery. By pushing the recovery too fast and cutting corners you set yourself up for a possible chronic pain issue and permanent disability.

You also want to avoid the temptation of stopping your pain medication before you are well into the healing process. Many people get caught in the trap of not taking their pain medication as prescribed due to constipation or fear of getting addicted. By reducing your pain medication too soon you allow the pain to get out of control affecting your rehabilitation and, your ability to rest and recover comfortably.

Following these simple recommendations above will allow you to recover in a successful manner assuring you a complete recovery.