3. Rehab Exercises

 

Surgery through Second Week, Continued
Exercises for Rehab: Stage I, #12–#19

 
 
 

#12

Extension Leg Stretch with Gravity

1. Sit with your legs extended straight on bed.

2. Slightly raise operated leg and place support under
ankle to keep knee off bed.

3. Place weight (some form of resistance) on knee
and allow gravity to pull knee down.

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#13

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Flexion Leg Hang

1. Lie on your back and raise both legs.

2. Bend knees and allow legs to hang down.

3. Hold for a count of 15.

 
 
 

#14

 

Leg Slides To Side

1. Keeping your kneecap pointed towards the ceiling, slide the operated leg out to the side.

2. Slide leg back to starting position.

Note – a plastic bag under the heel will help leg to slide.

3. Repeat 15 times.

 
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#15

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Knee Bends On Bed

1. Sit with operated leg bent with foot pointed up. Other leg is straight.

2. Loop towel over foot of bent leg, holding one end of towel in each hand.

3. Pull back on towel and try to bend knee further.

4. Hold for 5–10 seconds.

5. Relax.

Repeat 10 times.

 
 
 

#16

Knee Bend on Stomach

This exercise may be challenging for patients with back problems.

1. Lie on stomach on bed.

2. Bend operated knee towards buttocks.

3. Use good leg to assist with additional pressure.

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#17

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Sitting Knee Bend

1. Sit in a sturdy chair. Do not arch your back and keep your thighs parallel to the ground.

2. Put a plastic bag under your foot and slowly slide your operated leg back and forth 5–10 times as a warm-up.

3. Using your hands or the foot of your good leg for pressure, move the foot back, bending the knee as much as possible. Your heel can lift up off the floor.

4. Hold for 30 seconds.

5. Return to starting position and relax.

Repeat 3 times.

 
 
 

#18

 

Sitting Knee Bend Slide

1. Assume end position of Sitting Knee Bend above.

2. When knee is bent as fully as possible, hold the foot in place and slide body forward.

 
_12D_wS1SitKneeBend.jpg
 
 

#19

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Foot on Lacrosse Ball in Hot Bath

Since patients cannot take hot baths until their stitches are removed, I filled a container (the bathtub would also work if you could sit on the edge) with about 6 inches of hot water and soaked my sore foot for 5 minutes.

I then took a lacrosse ball, placed it on the bottom of the container and pressed the arch of my foot on the ball, rolling it back and forth. In the beginning, I could barely tolerate the pressure. Within a week, however, I was feeling much better as the hard, rubber ball massaged the tight muscles of my foot.