Total Knee Replacement Rehabilitation


Total knee replacement, or total knee arthroplasty (TKA), is commonly performed for the purpose of pain reduction and improved function in a severely arthritic knee joint. Following this procedure you will begin putting weight on your leg, and working to restore your range of motion (ROM) as early as the day of surgery.

The primary objective following this procedure is to control your pain, and restore your range of motion (ROM). There are two basic motions of the knee: 1) flexion, or the ability to bend your knee, and 2) extension, or the ability to straighten your knee. Restoring the ability to extend the knee typically takes precedence in this process for reasons your therapist can explain. As your ROM and soft tissue improve, exercises are added to restore your ability to walk and perform basic daily tasks similar to how you were able to do so prior to surgery and the onset of pain. This is typically a seamless process whereby one is involved in activities to accomplish all these objectives simultaneously.

The ultimate goal of outpatient physical therapy following total joint replacement is to return you to close to your prior level of function. Any information you can provide at the initial evaluation, and subsequent visits, as to what your activity is like after surgery, and what it needs to be for you to return to your life as before, is extremely valuable to us and helps us defend to your insurance provider why you require skilled physical therapy.