Physiotherapy is a key part of your recovery from a knee replacement operation. The main purpose of physiotherapy after a knee replacement is to improve the range of motion in your knee, strengthen your muscles and allow independence. While you are in hospital, you will be given some exercises by your physiotherapist which you will be required to continue once you get home. Physiotherapy can help you move better and reduce your pain. It also makes daily tasks and activities easier, like walking, going up stairs, getting in and out of bed and on and off the toilet. You’ll get much more out of your knee replacement surgery if you do your physiotherapy as recommended.

Physiotherapy starts immediately after surgery. Simple exercises like pumping your ankles while in bed will help improve your circulation and reduce the risks of blood clots forming.

The physiotherapists will assess you as a whole individually so make sure you inform them of any pain or disability in any of your or other joints as these may affect on how you use the walking aids. They will initially teach you how to get on and off the bed and measure you for some walking aids and teach you how to use them.

Initially you will start off with a frame as this will give you more stability until you feel confident enough to put weight into your knee. The physiotherapist will then progress you to crutches and again teach you how to use them effectively. Some patients may find the crutches difficult to use if they have shoulder or arm problems so discuss your concerns with your therapist.

If you have stairs at home, a stair assessment will be carried out to ensure you can do so safely. Even if you do not have stairs at home, it is good to have a practice just in case you go out to a place with a step or stairs.

Your physiotherapist or surgeon may recommend you use a continuous passive motion machine (also know as a CPM) as part of you immediate recovery and in some case after discharge from hospital. A CPM is an electronic machine that slowly and gently helps your knee to bend after surgery when it feels tight and stiff. A CPM can help your knee to bend when you are finding it too difficult to bend it yourself. After knee surgery it is important to get your knee bending as soon as possible. Your physiotherapist will guide you as to how long to use the CPM for, based on your individual need. Using the CPM can be painful at first, but over time you will find that it works to greatly reduce you pain and will help you get back to normal after surgery.

Current recommendation for CPM is only in special situation.