Immediately After Surgery

• You can start rehabilitation exercises for knee replacement surgery in the recovery room after surgery. While the process may cause discomfort, immediate exercise will help reduce future pain and speed up the recovery process. According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), one exercise you can perform after surgery is quadriceps tightening. You simply need tighten your thigh muscle and try to straighten the affected knee, holding it for five to 10 seconds. The AAOS recommends repeating this exercise about 10 times in a span of two minutes, taking a one-minute break, and then continuing the process until your leg muscles become fatigued. Leg raises are another exercise option and can be performed according to the same routine as the quad tightening. The only difference is that after you tighten your thigh muscle and straighten your knee, you must hold your leg in the air for five to ten seconds. The AAOS also recommends that you perform ankle pumps two or three times an hour after surgery, for two to three minutes at time. You simply need to repeatedly move your foot up and down by expanding and contracting your shin and calf muscles.
  
  Knee bends are another important post-surgery rehabilitation exercise. You should start out on your back and slide your foot along the bed toward your body, slowly bending the affected knee. Once you can bend it no farther, hold it in the maximum bent position for five or 10 seconds and then release. You can then move on to performing sitting knee bends, where it is advised that use your healthy leg as a support system.
  
  

More Advanced Exercises

• Once the knee is able to bend relatively freely, it is time to walk. According to the AAOS, walking is one of the best methods for helping knees recover. You may need to use crutches or a walker at first, but no matter the case, it is important to walk heel to toe, making sure that you straighten the leg that was operated on as you take a step. According to the AAOS, it is important to try to walk smoothly and rhythmically (even if this requires going slow) in order to retrain muscles properly. Once you have mastered walking, going up and down stairs is a good next step in the rehabilitation process. Do not be discouraged if you have to hold on to or lean on the railing at first.