How to use this program
- Perform 2–3 sessions daily unless instructed otherwise
- Move smoothly — no bouncing, no breath-holding
- Mild muscle fatigue and stretching discomfort are normal; sharp pain is not
- Your physical therapist’s instructions override this sheet
1. Ankle pumps
Lying down, pump your feet up and down at the ankles. 10–20 repetitions each hour while awake. Helps circulation and reduces clot risk — the most important exercise on this page.
2. Quad sets
Lying with your leg straight, tighten the muscle on top of your thigh, pressing the back of your knee toward the bed. Hold 5 seconds. 10 repetitions, 2–3 times daily.
3. Glute sets
Squeeze your buttock muscles together and hold 5 seconds. 10 repetitions, 2–3 times daily.
4. Heel slides
Lying down, slide your heel toward your buttock, bending the knee as far as comfortable, then slide back out. 10 repetitions, 2–3 times daily. After knee replacement, this is how motion returns — steady, not forced.
5. Seated knee flexion & extension
Sitting in a chair, slowly bend your knee back under the seat, then straighten it out in front of you as far as comfortable. 10 repetitions, 2–3 times daily.
6. Walking
Your best exercise. Short, frequent walks — a few minutes every hour — beat one long march. Use the walker or cane exactly as instructed, and progress as the care team directs.