HELP!!! Good extension exercises please!!

[hess]

I am about 12 weeks out, and I had finished with outpatient PT a couple of weeks ago. Since then, I have noticed that I am not really able to straighten my leg very well. I am getting really stiff and sore. The swelling has gotten bad, so I called my OS, and his assistant said I should go back to PT.

I went back today, and my flexion is 118, which is okay, but my extension is an 8!!! I was horrified considering that I was at 0!!!! She worked me REALLY hard, and sent me home pretty sore, but I have to get back to 0. Our goal is to get me back by next Wednesday(OUCH)!!!

Does anyone know of any really good exercises to help me with this? I'll try anything because I really want to get back to where I was.

Thanks,
Hess

 

[JenniferG]

same thing you were doing in pt. I some times ask my husband to gently push down on my bent leg while I lay on my back to stretch things like the PT did. Hurts some but feels good after.

 

[Gretchendz]

"Prone hangs"

You lie on your tummy on the bed with your leg hanging off the edge. Read or something. You let gravity do the work of flattening out your leg.

Once you can do that for awhile, put an ankle weight on your ankle when you do it.

To see it, go to the bottom of this page:

broken link removed: https://www.nismat.org/orthocor/acl_postop

 

[Josephine]

An excellent site there, Gretchen. Most excellent.

 

[hess]

"Prone hangs"

You lie on your tummy on the bed with your leg hanging off the edge. Read or something. You let gravity do the work of flattening out your leg.

Once you can do that for awhile, put an ankle weight on your ankle when you do it.

To see it, go to the bottom of this page:

broken link removed: https://www.nismat.org/orthocor/acl_postop

I just went to the site, and I'll definately try this exercise.

Thanks,
Hess

 

[JenniferG]

Josephine, are the patellar moves (Wiggle the knee cap) only for those who had a artificial knee cap put in? I was nnever told to do that but I also have my own. Rowdy got told to move hers around, are yours real or fake rowdy?

 

[JenniferG]

oooopppss read it wrong,! thought you were struggling with staightening. sorry hess

 

[1jt@atime]

I have two plastic kneecaps and my therapists always told me to move'm around.

 

[Simon]

With the prone hang, when you add weights start with them just below the knee and as you get comfortable move it slowly down to the ankle.

Here is another one from my therapist.

Stand against the wall and have in front of you something you can hang on to, ie. a chair or the walker. Use your good leg to push the bad one back towards the wall. Hold it for 1 to 3 minutes and repeat a few times.

If you have someone else in the house they can push down on the leg as you sit on lay on the bed.

If your quads are tight (mine sure are) lie prone on the bed, bend your leg and bring it up to your backside. If you have someone to help you push it this is best. If you are alone, you can use a sheet (or the leg lifter/laesh) around the foot to help. If it is to hard to do lying down (I can't do it lying down by my self). Stand up and to the same thing (bend the knee and pull the lower leg up. Use a sheet or the leash to help you.

I have been at it for almost 12 weeks and have gone from -15 to about -7 and keep trying.

Simon

 

[ship4]

Josephine, are the patellar moves (Wiggle the knee cap) only for those who had a artificial knee cap put in? I was nnever told to do that but I also have my own. Rowdy got told to move hers around, are yours real or fake rowdy?

Jennifer,
This is an exercise that normal people need to do as well as those with new knees. I have 1/2 of my patella and the underside is plastic to roll along the groove in the replacement ends. It is a good exercise to move your knee cap forward & backward in a relaxed straight leg position. Also move it side to side gently.
Best,
Crystal

 

[JenniferG]

What is the reason for doing it? my OS or PT never advised to.

 

[Josephine]

Just stops the quads/patellar tendon getting stiff and fixed is all, and reduces the (slight) possibility of adhesions forming around the front of the knee.