Weight Training Exercises to Perform Following a Knee Replacement

After having a knee replaced there are a series of exercises that you start from day one. They are for the most part very gentle geared toward developing muscle facilitation and muscle re-education. These involve several isometric exercises and range of motion activities. Later on in your rehabilitation generally in the two to three week range, light weights may be introduced by your physical therapist. This also may depend on your surgeons exercise protocol as well.

The exercises after surgery where weight training becomes involved is usually the straight leg raise, seated long arc quads, hamstring curls, abduction and adduction and the short arc quadricep exercises. If you are not familiar with the terms of these exercises you will be once your rehabilitation starts.

After eight to ten weeks out from surgery, you will with your surgeons approval and medical clearance, get more involved with further weight training and strengthening of the knee replacement and the entire leg in general. The knee replacement will not properly perform unless the entire leg is strengthened which will in turn prevent muscle imbalances that can present problems in regards to further pain and loosening of the knee components over time.

Some of the more popular and recommended weight training exercises will be the leg extension using both one and two legs with this exercise. You will need to concentrate on the surgical leg by implementing unilateral exercises so the stronger of the two legs does not do the majority of the work.

Hamstrings curls both standing and lying prone or seated should be included. The hamstrings are naturally weaker than the quadriceps so getting them involved is vitally important for balanced strength.

Calve raises is an excellent exercise for building lower leg development and promoting balance as well with your walking. Again it is recommended that you involve not only both legs but also complete the exercise with the surgical leg by itself.

Weight training not only for the gluteals but also your hip muscles with either standing or seated abduction and adduction should be included.

Weight training after surgery will not be for everyone. It will of course depend on your age, prior level of function and medical condition.

In today's world of joint replacement surgery more adults are younger than ever. It will be important for them to get back into the game of life as soon as possible. But make no mistake about it unless you are bed bound some sort of weight training for your replacement should be strongly considered.