Recovery and Rehabilitation
How long could the patient walk normally after knee arthroplasty? The time needed for patients to recover and regain their strength is variable according to their age and health condition. After the surgery, patients should stay in the hospital for post-operative assessment and care. The process of recovery is as crucial as surgery because it contributes to getting the best outcome of the surgery. Patients get discharged from the hospital a few days after the surgery and they will be referred to a physiotherapist.
The physical therapist will set a rehabilitation program that the patient will follow for at least a month. During this month, patients are usually asked to use walking aids like crutches and canes to avoid recumbency and muscle wasting. Mostly, patients could walk on their own after 6 weeks of the surgery. The rehab program will also include home exercises and functional goals to help patients get clued in their progress. Doubtlessly, it is essential to schedule your follow-up visits with your physical therapist and to follow his instructions and precautions.
At the rehabilitation center, patients perform specific muscle-targeting exercises under the supervision of a physical therapist to help patients adapt to their prostheses. First, the therapist will ask the patient to use CPM (continuous passive motion) machine that moves his knee passively. Then patients will be asked to perform simple balance exercises that will gradually increase in their intensity. Finally, after one-two months patients could resume their daily activities normally.
