So often folks seem to go off track---remember that not all PT's are well trained---some have ideas of their own that might not be the mainstream thinking.
I am also not a medical professional, here is what I think about rehab. The first two or three weeks you need to rest, elevate and ice---if you want to walk around to the kitchen or bathroom, great. But, that is the time to address the swelling of the knee. If you try to work or sit through a restaurant meal or a movie, you knee will react with swelling and pain.
By three weeks, my swelling was down quite a bit and I began gentle exercises in the gym--heel slides, leg lifts. But, I never did anything 15 times. Since the inflammation is getting under control then, it is important now to stretch and exercise the soft tissue without inflamming the joint. Since your muscles are not strong at this time, more pressure is put on the joint itself to hold you upright. So, if you do too much, the joint itself gets sore and cranky. By the way, I never had a pt push on my leg to get more flex---that is just asinine in my opinion. It causes the knee to swell more---so no more rom no matter what.
Finally at 8 weeks, I was feeling pretty good and began to do gentle exercises. I might do six leg lifts. Then, 8, then 10. But I did not do 15 of anything until well past the 12 week mark.
So many things can push the rehab of the knee back a few steps---maybe you need to return to work , or you are bored and so decided to go out anyway, maybe you have kids in your house and you need to care for them. They do not totally derail the rehab, but they do make it longer. Also, it is unrealistic to try to do all of the above and exercise too.
Most of all, you look like a sensible person---what is your body telling you that it needs? Not what the PT needs or what the doctor wants or what you husband expects, but what do you think?
New Zealand
