Total Knee Replacement Recovery Program (Week 1 Post Op)

In this video I share several of my favorite home exercises for the first week after total knee replacement surgery. Be sure to ask your therapist if any of these are right for you!
💚 Recommended Amazon Products 💚:
✔️Best Cold Gel Pack: amzn.to/3eM3Ojl
✔️Calf Stretch Wedges: amzn.to/2XSuWX0
✔️Frozen Massage Roller: amzn.to/3csN6nw
✔️Seated Pedal Bike: amzn.to/3dNLqG3
✔️PCP Pedal Exercise Bike: amzn.to/2ZOHzVl
*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
About the author:
Hi, my name is Anthony (Tony) Maritato, PT. I am a licensed physical therapist and owner of Total Therapy Solutions. I have specialized in helping clients recover from total knee replacement surgery since 2002 and have created this video to help YOU.
Total Therapy Solutions
5900 Long Meadow Dr
Middletown, OH 45005
[phone]

[@gillyboy1566]

your patients in your country are so lucky. I am 58 years old, I am registered blind, and I have a significant neurological disorder called multisystem atrophy type c, and I had a left total knee replacement in July 2017. I never saw a physio outside of the Hospital on my discharge. They gave me a sheet of A4 paper with a couple of exercises on it, and that was it. I am still in pain, and by the way, I was treated by the world-renowned NHS in the United Kingdom

[@totaltherapysolutions]

Wow! Everyone is so different. Yes, we are very fortunate. I wish you the best!

[@colleenbaker2310]

My husband, who's 80, will be 1 week post-op tomorrow, Friday, Sept. 3rd. He doesn't see a physical therapist until Sept. 7th. He's been almost pain free and only takes Tylenol 2x a day. The worse thing so far has been constipation. He knew from past experience that opioids caused that problem so he hasn't taken anything and, actually, he hasn't needed it. My husband would disagree with Ryan Lamp. My husband's knee was totally gone...bone-on-bone...and having a TKR was well worth the temporary inconvenience (and a little discomfort) to be able to walk again without the horrible pain he was already in. These exercises are very doable for him and I definitely have a rolling pin he can use. Very clever :) Thanks for all the great videos. We've watched many of them.

[@totaltherapysolutions]

Glad to hear he had such a smooth recovery!

[@donnar9864]

Hi Colleen... I'm 2 and a half weeks out of my TKR and I made sure I had magnesium citrate on hand for after surgery.... can't be in pain and constipated at the same time 🤣🤣🤣

[@bevliechty1161]

I had both knees done 4 months apart. After the first week it got better fast. My doctor says because I exercise several times a week years before that helps so much. I’m 83 n water walk or bike mildly not hard but keep moving.

[@jorgeroman979]

best advise with compassion that I have found after researching this for myself

[@totaltherapysolutions]

Thanks so much Jorge!

[@debkraynick9005]

Tony I can’t tell you how grateful I am for your videos. I had my first total knee replacement March 1st, on my right knee and have just had the left knee done on August 10. Pain in my ankle and calf have been almost unbearable. Thank you so much for this video, I’m going to start with the rolling pin ASAP!

[@totaltherapysolutions]

Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@isabelmarin9165]

I’m so glad I found your video. I don’t have a rolling pin but a thin sport roller. I’ll get a half wedge from Amazon looks like something I’d be using quite a bit.

[@happyami102619]

Thank you I’m into the 12 week of recovery and I’m still in pain also in my back and my hips I will be using the roller pen and the foot thing then I’ll let you know how it goes. God bless.

[@smiddlyrabone8900]

3rd day home still pain im trying to do the excersize but for a short while i felt better, and not as scared, it is sorta scary im 63

[@lindaeads7536]

Tony, thank you so much for this any your other videos. So helpful! And big stress relievers, for me. I'll be having my left knee replaced in just over 2 weeks. I hadn't thought about working with the sore muscles attached to the replaced knee. Wow. Working with a rolling pin sounds like a great plan. My 1st PT session is the day after my surgery, so I'll be getting to work quickly. The PA for my doctor says all his patients hate him the first two weeks after the surgery.

[@totaltherapysolutions]

You will do AMAZING!!!

[@patredman3733]

Thank you Tony so much for your generous sharing of your experience. This helps to put things in perspective for getting back home, some useful ideas to build on.

[@ritasharp5676]

I am so happy for the ones that after a couple of weeks improved in leaps and bounds. Unfortunately for a few of us, the improvements come bit by bit. 7 months on and I am still only at 105 flexion, I am very grateful that I can extend it to 0 degrees, which I understand is the one of the most important aspects. I am getting on with life now, and all in all the knee is better than before the surgery and I can walk further. Just wish I had a few more degrees of bend.

[@pumpkinheadghoul]

Week 1 post op, you're going to be questioning you life decisions. Week two is far worse, so you have that to look forward to. However, after the third week it starts to get much better by leaps and bounds.

[@marysimmons9502]

I'm still waiting on my leaps and bounds. TKR 3/16/2021😞

[@totaltherapysolutions]

Sounds about right! Thanks for sharing.

[@totaltherapysolutions]

Oh no Mary! Sorry to hear that.

[@alamocolleges]

P

[@SkyandMoon909]

Week one I swore I would never do my right leg. By the end of week two I was starting to make plans.

[@debbiereid4562]

Can you use a small spikey ball for massage ?

[@stephdaniels5587]

Brilliant! Very helpful, thank you Tony👍

[@bethberger4577]

I am 2 weeks out from a partial knee replacement - a patellofemoral arthroplasty. Unfortunately there aren't a lot of resources available to me online about it so maybe you could talk about the differences between a total and a partial, specific exercises/stretches, recovery process, etc. Any information you could give me would make a world of difference for me. Thanks.

[@totaltherapysolutions]

You are right, there aren't a lot of resources. It isn't as popular. I would say everything you find for a total knee replacement would apply to a partial knee replacement. Hopefully you have a quicker recovery.

[@cindih13]

I’m in week 3/post-op

[@edvhollywood4544]

I must have had a. Not perfect surgery. I was in severe pain, and had an infection as well. Ha you HAVE TO GO TO go to care home rest home. I will be here in recover home for4 months at least. Septic was the infection I can nor remember much but watch out if you break out in a sweat you have infection. This was done in ajijic mexico. Good luck. Still on a walker but lots of pool therapy now.

[@saintexupery8406]

The calf wedge link goes to an automotive product!

[@carenbeattie5625]

Thanks. Kinda scared. I’m by myself. Where can I get the styrofoam helper in the video

[@mareneaufrance5096]

I'd like to know, what is an "angry knee?"

[@Bridget82267]

Sometimes PT pushes me and I can do it, but then the next day .. I'm in so much pain and discomfort that I can't do nothing... Ugghhhhh

[@anitawebstar4033]

I truly understand my pain is unbearable.

[@SkyandMoon909]

Thank God for hydromorphone. Week 2: manageable.

[@edvhollywood4544]

I must have had a. Not perfect surgery. I was in severe pain, and had an infection as well. Ha you HAVE TO GO TO go to care home rest home. I will be here in recover home for4 months at least. Septic was the infection I can nor remember much but watch out if you break out in a sweat you have infection. This was done in ajijic mexico. Good luck. Still on a walker but lots of pool therapy now.