Although a knee replacement procedure can greatly decrease pain levels and improve overall knee function, sometimes patients find that their new knee feels a little stiffer than expected. This stiffness is less bothersome than pre-injury pain levels, but at the same time, we want our patients to experience the strongest recovery possible, and stiffness is something that can be targeted during your recovery period. In today’s blog, we explore some of the ways Dr. Botero and his team will help you avoid and manage knee stiffness after a joint replacement procedure.
Preventing Stiffness During Knee Replacement Recovery
Your doctor will develop an individualized recovery plan to help you manage pain and stiffness during your recovery period after joint replacement, but don’t be surprised if they recommend one or more of these treatments, as they can help to increase knee mobility and overall function.
- Physical Therapy – Physical therapy is essential during your recovery after joint replacement surgery. PT will help to restore function in your knee in a lot of different ways. It will help the joint and its supportive structures regain strength, it will improve joint stabilization and it will be key for restoring lost flexibility. Expect to perform weeks of PT exercises during your recovery, slowly taking on harder tasks to push yourself out of your comfort zone and improve knee function. Physical therapy will be the single best rehab treatment to pursue for preventing joint stiffness after a replacement operation.
- Early Movement – Dr. Botero and his team are also huge proponents of early mobilization after knee replacement surgery. You can expect to be up and moving as soon as the day of surgery. The sooner you’re up and moving, the earlier your soft tissues are getting used to normal stress patterns and expanding comfortable flexibility. Early movement will be closely monitored and controlled, but know that you won’t establish the most mobility in your knee by lying in bed for weeks after your procedure.
- Stretching – Knee stretching exercises can also help you restore mobility in your new knee. Stretching is a form of physical therapy, but you can do these from the comfort of your home a couple times a day between in-clinic PT sessions. A few simple stretches can slowly help you build more flexibility in your new knee.
- Ice/Heat Therapy – Harnessing the power of ice and heat during your recovery can help you restore mobility in your knee. Ice can help to limit inflammation and swelling that can be counterintuitive to flexibility, while heat can draw healthy blood to the site, ensuring key structures have access to oxygen-rich blood that fuels recovery. Using these techniques before and after PT or your stretching exercises can make these activities a little more comfortable.
- Pain Management – Being smart about how you manage pain can also have an impact on other aspects of your new knee, including its mobility. For example, patients with worse pain control may be less likely to get moving or partake in physical therapy, and that can have a negative influence on your knee stiffness. Many of the above tips will also help with pain management, but also be sure to take your medications as recommended by your doctor and care for your wound site to reduce the risk of a surgical site infection.
- See Your Rehab Through To The End – Finally, make sure that you see your rehab through to the end. Many people stop pursuing physical therapy when pain is manageable or non-existent, but this pain reduction doesn’t mean that your body is fully recovered after surgery. Oftentimes there are other factors like knee stability, knee flexibility and knee strength that still could be improved even when pain is gone, so make sure you don’t end your rehab early because you assume you’ve made a complete recovery. Working with a PT can ensure that you make the strongest recovery possible.
If you keep these tips in mind and trust your care to a specialist like Dr. Botero, we’re confident you’ll be able to greatly reduce knee stiffness after a joint replacement procedure. For more information, or for help with a different aspect of your recovery after knee surgery, reach out to Dr. Botero’s office today at (865) 558-4444.
