Regarding the physical recovery. I am 99% sure the mantras are the way to recover. They make sense. Intuition and my education told me that to exercise a huge surgical wound that rebelled with increased pain, swelling and heat didn't sound like a healing process.
I had amazing home care PT's they checked in on me, massaged my stiff, tight and sore muscles and assessed the incisions. We walked a bit and they coached on my gait. They encouraged me to progress as I felt safe from a walker to a rolling walker to trekking poles to a cane. They helped me to find and re-find my balance. Never once did they push or pull on my legs. Never once did they hurt me. Never did they threaten me. They were emotionally supportive. They helped me understand the progression of recovery. They had a few exercises they suggested I do "if I felt up to it" heel slides, quad sets and straight leg lifts.
I regularly did heel slides still do. My quads didn't fire for a long time and when they came back I liked being able to fire them again. Leg lifts also took awhile, once I could do them I quickly didn't do any more
Then came OP PT. The first session, I just kind of went along with things and I paid for it dearly I was in incredible pain for three or four days. I had so much pain I canceled the second session The third session when I told PT that I had had so much pain and that there were exercises I was not going to do anymore she said "you will do what I tell you to do". She absolutely would not enter into a conversation with me about this being my recovery and my body so I turned around and walked out the door never went back.
I am not an exerciser I have never been an exerciser I believe that my active life is exercise enough. I do practice yoga and I do ride my horse on a regular basis. At this point in time my knees and legs are more functional than they've been for the last 10 years. Both knees bend at least 135° and are completely straight. I have a feeling that my prosthetic can't hyper extend because I have never been able to get to a positive extension.
I will tell you that I do have to discipline myself as far as not allowing myself to backslid. By this I mean once I was able to rise without my hands - committing to never using my hands again. Once I was able to go up and down the stairs like a regular person foot after foot - not allowing myself to go down the old way.
If driving to therapy and then being tortured in therapy is difficult for you you might want to consider trying your recovery following the BoneSmart mantras In case you're wondering, my orthopedic surgeon had no issue with my quitting physical therapy as long as I promised to keep moving around.
Whatever route you choose to go just please be gentle patient and kind to yourself and your new knees!
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