Total Knee Replacement

Hi, I’m Kylie from My Mobile Physio. I just want to talk to you today about something really important, and something we are coming across more and more with the aging population. We have been working with a large number of both men and women having total knee replacements, and by using our concept; it has made a huge difference in their recovery. There are three things that are really important and must happen during the physiotherapy process of having a knee replacement that ensures a smoother recovery… But, often it doesn’t happen, so I am going to share that with you today.

If this process isn’t followed, there are a lot of things that can go wrong post operatively, which is really awful for our patients. Stiffness, patients really find it difficult to overcome and return to normal activities. Often pain isn’t managed well, which impacts sleep at night and ultimately leads to a slower recovery.

On the other hand, if you get this right, and incorporate the three things I will talk to you today about, patients will inevitably get full ROM sooner and return to their premorbid level of mobility faster with pain under control, and in some instances, pain free, which is excellent!

Now, this is how we get them back to that happy place. We use three important points at My Mobile Physio to make a big difference in the recovery of those patients having a TKR, and we are very passionate about this!

Firstly, pre-op management is our key point. This is how we get great results. We start off by working with strengthening ex’s early, prior to the operation. This is extremely important and allows quads strength to return faster post surgery than if exercises were not completed prior. We teach our patients how to master walking aids to allow a smoother postoperative journey; we find it is less daunting and increases our patient’s confidence. We are very particular in providing our patients with education, support and a plan. We address patients’ fears and get them physically and mentally ready to face the operation so that they are not stressed or worried about it.

The second very important thing in the process of knee replacements is getting full ROM back after surgery. There are three core elements in getting range of movement back: Firstly, ice and compression, introducing these quickly.! This is important in reducing swelling to enable optimal knee movement. Secondly, introducing specific exercises early. This is of a huge benefit in that it helps our patients regain their full ROM into flexion and extension faster. And finally, we introduce manual therapy and passive stretches, which a lot of people miss. We feel this further improves knee ROM and ultimately assists with maximising pain relief.

The third vital ingredient in ensuring a smooth recovery after a TKR is incorporating functional mobility into our patients programs. At My Mobile Physio, we are very proud and passionate about this one as we actually go to our patient’s houses. We incorporate exercises in the patients home environment which is really important in giving our patients confidence with completing exercises in their own home. Secondly, because we are able to go to their home, we can address specifically outdoor mobility. This ultimately ensures the patients are safer outdoors and again gives them that confidence. Finally, we actually teach our patients how to tackle stairs, uneven surfaces and how to get on and off public transport so that they can get back to life faster and take control.

So, that is what I wanted to share with you today! It makes a big difference for our patients and we want to be able to continue to make that recovery phase as smooth as possible for all those having TKR. I’d love to hear from you with any thoughts you may have, or think you have a patient that would benefit from our services. Please call us on 0420986336 or email us at admin@ydnnprm7au.wpdns.site and we would be very happy to have a chat about how we can best help.

That’s all for today, thanks for watching!