06.05.2013 23:16:44

smessineo

The following post was written by All-Access Physical Therapy Staff PT - Tom Romano, DPT.  Total knee replacements are an unfortunate consequence of severely arthritic knees.  At the same time, when properly rehabilitated, many people who receive them are able to return to normal activities that they were not able to do prior to surgery due to the severity of the arthritis in their knees.  In fact, one of my past patients was even able to return to playing pick-up hockey with his friends. 

Here are Tom's insights on total knee replacements:

Total knee joint replacement (TKR) is a common surgery that has been used since the 1950’s to replace the weight-bearing surfaces of the knee joint in order to relieve pain and/or disability. According to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons over 4.5 million Americans are living with at least one total knee replacement, which comes out to roughly 5% of the population 50 and over.

As a whole, this number has actually doubled over the past ten years. In this time there have been numerous surgical advances with the procedure, including robot-assisted surgeries and the use of advanced imaging prior to surgery to make specific, customized replacements. All of these advancements have led to accelerated rehabilitation times and improved outcomes, however one thing remains: the rehab after a total knee replacement is still a lot of work!

During the rehabilitation process after a TKR it is common to undergo a few days to several weeks of in-home therapy followed by one to two months of outpatient physical therapy in order to re-gain knee range of motion, strength, and overall function.

Once a patient has completed this therapy the work is not done though: the healing process of a TKR and the range of recovery extends up to a full year after surgery and maintenance of function is a lifelong process! With this in mind, here are several key exercises that may be used 2-3 times a week to maintain knee flexibility and strength.

Heel slides: In order to maintain your hard-earned knee range of motion, this exercise can be performed laying on your back and using either a towel or belt to pull your foot towards you, stretching the knee. 10 times for 10 second holds is a great way to start!

Glute Bridges: Laying on your back with your knees bent, lift your hips up in the air and hold for three to five seconds. 1-2 sets of 10 of this exercise will help to keep your glute muscles strong!

Squats: Standing next to a secure surface, pretend you’re sitting into a chair behind you. Go halfway down and hold for several seconds. Once again, 1-2 sets of 10 of this exercise will suffice to keep your quads (the front of your thighs) strong. Helpful hint: when you look down, your knees shouldn’t go over your toes!
 

06.05.2013 22:51:29

smessineo

The following post was written by fitness enthusiast, Michael Manning who recently asked me to post this helpful information about exercising when traveling on our page.  You can see more of Mike's work at .T   ..  Thanks . http://mikemanningmusings.blogspot.com.  Thanks Mike!

Despite the fact that we all have heard how important exercise and fitness are to our overall health, those who travel frequently tend to have a high obesity rate and lower overall fitness levels. This isn’t particularly surprising. Whether for business or pleasure, the stress of travel can minimize a person’s ability and will to get proper exercise. Fortunately, getting exercise while traveling doesn’t have to be a big challenge.

Take time to prepare before you leave for your trip. Plan times for exercise, and pack for it as well. If you have the opportunity to select your own accommodations, try to choose a hotel with good fitness amenities. On a vacation to Maui I booked a hotel with great fitness accommodations by doing some due diligence beforehand. I scrolled through a list of Maui hotels and was able to see what hotel had the right amenities for my needs.

Also, research the area to which you will be traveling. Locate any local running trails or tracks that you might be able to use. If you belong to a gym or health club, find out if your membership provides you access to a fitness center where you will be traveling.

You can set the tone for your trip by doing a little exercise while en route. Every hour make sure to move through basic chair exercises and stretches in your seat. Do shoulder rolls, side bends, leg lifts, ankle rolls and so on to help minimize joint pain, cramping or swelling that can often accompany long flights or drives.

While you likely will not be able to keep up the pace of physical exercise that you get at home, take advantage of the time you do have. Rising early to get a quick run or short workout in the hotel fitness center completed before breakfast works great. If you have a packed schedule with little down time, try getting short spurts of exercise during breaks or between meetings.

You might do a series of crunches, pushups, lunges and jumping jacks in the restroom or another secluded spot. If your hotel has a pool, enjoy relaxing there in the evening, but don’t simply float or relax poolside. Jump right in and splash around a little. Do whatever it takes to keep yourself moving. When you return home, you’ll find yourself less exhausted and more able to return to your usual routine.