What about wet heat to loosen up?

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bionicman

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Jun 12, 2011
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New Jersey, USA
I know ice is prevalent for total knee replacement but what about wet heat to loosen up before exercising? I feel that this helps me and makes my knee and quad feel better. My physical therapist usually starts me off with wet heat during a prolonged stretch off the side of table for 10 minutes. I have been taking a warm whirlpool bath every morning which seems to help. The warm water running on my knee feels good. What is everyone else doing out thereI ? I ice between 5-10 times a day for 20 minutes but the heat feels so much better.
 
It's kind of a toss-up as to whether heat or ice works. For some, either one or the other is better. Then some folks seem to be able to successfully blend the two. Whatever works is what you should do! The only thing you would need to watch is putting ice directly on your skin so it over chills (use a towel in between) or using heat to the point that it causes swelling. Anything in between is fair game if it works.....go for it!!!
 
I used a heating pad with a moist towel---not really wet---to heat up my quads before stretching and doing m exercises. As Jamie stated, for some, ice works; for others, heat helps.
 
I use a heated gel pack with a damp cloth around it to heat up my quad/knee area before exercising, and my PT does the same each and every time I go. It really helps to get me stretched out so I can gain more ROM. Once all the work is done...I finish up with ice.

Bonnie
RTKR 3/28/11
 
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