What is the Best Exercise

[MaxineMarieM]

Hi all

It has been awhile since I posted although I have been lurking:evil:
I had bilateral surgery 7/6/10 and am doing quite well. Both knees still get pretty stiff but I am confident with time it will get better. My question is---- Is there a particular exercise you would recommend I could do to get one of my knees to be able to lay flat when I am lying down? Before surgery this knee was -8 and it still is a - something. I need to find an exercise that will stretch all the muscles, tendons and whatever else is back there lol Thanks everyone!

 

[Josephine]

I take it that you mean it is 8 degrees away from being flat? That would be +8 not minus. Flat is 0 so anything with the knee a little bit bent is plus (red flag), anything with it bending backwards is minus (blue flag).

Like so

Anyway, semantics apart, there are a few things you can do to get more extension

1. put your heel on a footstool and let the knee be suspended in mid air. Gravity should do the trick

2. you could hang a weight over your knees when you do 1, either lay a scarf over your knee with something of 8-16 ozs fasted into the hanging parts, something like that

3. you could lie on the bed face down with your knees at the edge of the mattress and let the lower leg hang in mid air.

4. add some light weight to your ankle to increase the drag

 

[kneesrus]

I would agree with everything Josephine has outlined. Well done. I would only add, when you are walking, make sure you stike your heel first on the ground. Try to increase your stride length always hitting the heel first. Hope you have good luck.

David

 

[WillK]

If you have access to a treadmill and you're capable enough on it, walking backwards on a treadmill is a great way to help straighten the knee. I would also recommend riding a stationary bike. It does great for strengthening and the knee, which will help with straightening it.
When you can, always sit/lay with your leg straight.
Good luck to you!

 

[deany]

It is kind of funny but my PT always talks about me being -1 or -2. I thought that it would be + as well but maybe in Canada...

Anyhow, I do exercises throughout the day where I lie on my back with my legs straight out and press the back of my knee into the bed. It seems to work for me.

 

[Josephine]

Most extensions are around -1 to -5. Mine is zero! But it works for me!

 

[Tykey]

If you have access to a treadmill and you're capable enough on it, walking backwards on a treadmill is a great way to help straighten the knee.

That's a great idea, but if you try it in a public gym, and the supervisor sees you, you may well be in trouble:D. There's no barrier in front of you grab hold of if you stumble. Plus the controls (especially the emergency stop button) are behind you, where you can't reach them

ie it's a bit dangerous. I did the heeling on a normal forward walk, and it worked just fine

 

[Josephine]

Which is why, as I understand it, people are advised to only do this under the direct supervision of a PT.