My surgeon and his clinical services manager are OBSESSIVE about exercises. I originally saw my surgeon as a second opinion thing, and he knew that; he still had the CSM come in and give me a whole packet of exercises to be doing, and cleared me to use this little therapy pedal machine I have at home (sort of the pedals only of an exercise bike). Then, when I went with him for the actual care and treatment, they stepped up my PT to strengthen all the muscles in my leg - the theory is that if you have superhuman musculature going in, you'll atrophy down to normal instead of weak.
I got my exercise chart at my pre-op appointment, with instructions to begin ankle pumps as soon as I regained consciousness, and quad sets, too, if I could manage it (theory: nerve block in in place, you won't feel a thing, start working it now). I added flexion/extension on the second day after the surgery, and I was SUPPOSED to add hamstring sets on Sunday or so, but I stiffened way up and feel like crap, so I've been slacking.
I'm really shocked that they didn't give you at least a chart to start exercising right after the surgery, along with your post-op care sheet! I'm glad your post-op is tomorrow so you can get it; otherwise I'd offer to scan mine and send it to you.
You mentioned that you're having trouble straightening your knee - try doing quad sets. I've been doing them CONSTANTLY since Friday, because my clinical services god, Mike, told me that scar tissue in the knee forms almost impossibly fast - if you don't focus on full extension, your knee can actually set slightly bent.
A quad set: Prop your affected ankle up on a cushion or folled up towel while you're lying down. Bend your unaffected leg at the knee and put your foot flat on the floor around where your affected knee is. Flex the ankle of the affected leg, and let gravity pull your affected knee straight. Then use the quad muscles at the top of your thigh to push the knee down as straight as you can possibly get it. Hold for thirty seconds or so, then release. Repeat ten times every hour, as possible.
I mostly keep my leg out, ankle propped and knee as straight as possible, if not quad-set down, as much as I humanly can. I've got REALLY good extension that way now, and can almost do a leg lift. My flexion, on the other hand, sucks balls. And don't even ASK me to put weight on it, let alone do anything even vaguely resembling the word "torsion"
My surgeon and his clinical services manager are OBSESSIVE about exercises. I originally saw my surgeon as a second opinion thing, and he knew that; he still had the CSM come in and give me a whole packet of exercises to be doing, and cleared me to use this little therapy pedal machine I have at home (sort of the pedals only of an exercise bike). Then, when I went with him for the actual care and treatment, they stepped up my PT to strengthen all the muscles in my leg - the theory is that if you have superhuman musculature going in, you'll atrophy down to normal instead of weak.
I got my exercise chart at my pre-op appointment, with instructions to begin ankle pumps as soon as I regained consciousness, and quad sets, too, if I could manage it (theory: nerve block in in place, you won't feel a thing, start working it now). I added flexion/extension on the second day after the surgery, and I was SUPPOSED to add hamstring sets on Sunday or so, but I stiffened way up and feel like crap, so I've been slacking.
I'm really shocked that they didn't give you at least a chart to start exercising right after the surgery, along with your post-op care sheet! I'm glad your post-op is tomorrow so you can get it; otherwise I'd offer to scan mine and send it to you.
You mentioned that you're having trouble straightening your knee - try doing quad sets. I've been doing them CONSTANTLY since Friday, because my clinical services god, Mike, told me that scar tissue in the knee forms almost impossibly fast - if you don't focus on full extension, your knee can actually set slightly bent.
A quad set: Prop your affected ankle up on a cushion or folled up towel while you're lying down. Bend your unaffected leg at the knee and put your foot flat on the floor around where your affected knee is. Flex the ankle of the affected leg, and let gravity pull your affected knee straight. Then use the quad muscles at the top of your thigh to push the knee down as straight as you can possibly get it. Hold for thirty seconds or so, then release. Repeat ten times every hour, as possible.
I mostly keep my leg out, ankle propped and knee as straight as possible, if not quad-set down, as much as I humanly can. I've got REALLY good extension that way now, and can almost do a leg lift. My flexion, on the other hand, sucks balls. And don't even ASK me to put weight on it, let alone do anything even vaguely resembling the word "torsion"
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