subject: How to Gain Speedy Recovery after Total Knee Replacement [print this page] How to Gain Speedy Recovery after Total Knee Replacement
Arthritis patients suffer from pain in the knees and adjacent areas but when it comes to visiting an orthopedic surgeon, they dilly-dally a lot. Only when the pain becomes severe and knees start swelling, the patients feel urgency to consult a physician. Medication and some free-hand exercises are able to cure the ailment if the problem is in preliminary stage. But if the problem persists or the patients experience excruciating pain, only total knee replacement surgery can provide them with a balmy relief. Now, the majority of the patients have a feel of stiffness in their post-operative stage. So, prior to undergoing the operation, the patients must have the sufficient hang of the sequential steps of recovery.
Total Knee Replacement : First Stage of Rehabilitation
The eminent surgeons always inform their patients about the actual healing process. The entire process of rehabilitation can be divided into three distinct stages. Obviously, there are some guidelines that you should follow to ensure a rapid recovery. The first stage of total knee replacement is the most crucial one for the patients. Many of them experience frustration as they experience swelling, pain and stiffness even after the surgery. They start thinking that the operation has gone futile instead of being fruitful for them. Free movement is not possible at this early stage of rehabilitation and uncomfortable stiffness adds to uneasiness. The doctors recommend the patients to pump the knee back and forth to mitigate the problem. The patients should practice pumping for five to ten minutes. The problem will not vanish instantly but the duration of stiffness will surely be shortened.
Total Knee Replacement : Second Stage of Rehabilitation
In the next phase of rehabilitation after the total knee replacement surgery, you may feel over confident. All the nagging problems have evaporated. You think your knee is in the perfect condition and it is able to perform all the tasks it used to do before. But, your notion is far from reality. Your knee is still under the recovery process. Though you are allowed to walk with a walker at this stage, but take extreme care not to overdo it. Putting excessive pressure on your knee at this stage may be detrimental to it.
Total Knee Replacement : Third Stage of Rehabilitation
The final stage of healing lasts longer as compared to the other two phases. Though the final phase of recovery after the total knee replacement rolls on for one year, still you will be capable of doing several high-impact activities without feeling any sort of stiffness. With the last phase advancing to the end, you can surely experience the highest range of motion from the artificial knee and lead a normal life. The sportsmen have to take additional precautions in sports after total joints surgery.
The sooner you will be able to eradicate the problem of stiffness, the shorter will be the process of rehabilitation. For speedy healing process, you must follow some rules day in and day out. You should practice certain exercises after the total knee replacement to decrease the stiffness and increase the mobility of the knee-joints. Also take care to keep your weight under control as too much weight will put pressure on the knees and hampers the healing process.
