TKR/THR Care

Knee Pain Relief after Surgery: How Orthopedic Rehabilitation Helps

What causes Knee Pain after Surgery?

• Inadequate rehabilitation
• Infection
• Complications like spontaneous Osteonecrosis
• Joint Arthritis
• Inflammation and swelling

Pre- Rehabilitation for Knee Pain Relief

Orthopedic Rehabilitation for Knee Pain Relief & Empowered Recovery

Key Components of Orthopedic Rehabilitation programmes are listed below:

• Base assessment– An analysis is done to understand the existing condition, chart the risk profiling and come to a predicting prognosis
• Goal setting-–Confirm realistic rehabilitation objectives by reaching mutually agreeable goals, family could also closely interact with the physician to drive the care plan
• Therapy– A multidisciplinary approach should be incorporated to the rehabilitation procedure by involving different specialities in therapy including physiotherapy, occupational therapy, skilled nursing, medical nutrition, emotional coaching etc.
• Knee Pain Relief– Design and implement a patient-centric care plan involving pain management techniques to ensure the patient is completely at ease throughout the rehabilitation procedure
• Assistive Devices– The recovering patient will need the support of assistive devices to aid in the accelerated restoration of movement, for safety and improvement of independence and performance. Orthosis and prosthesis are two such rehabilitation equipment used to support the limb or the spine to prevent or assist relative movement
• Activities of Daily Life (ADLs) management– Being able to perform the basic day to day activities independently, goes a long way in emotionally supporting the overall recovery of the patient. Therefore, sufficient emphasis should be given to training fundamental skills typically needed to manage activities like personal grooming, toileting, ambulating and eating
• Preventions (education and risk factor management)- The overall care plan needs to be constantly monitored for continuous evaluation of performance indicators and adjusting the programme as per the individual requirements and conditions
• Multidisciplinary coordination (amongst the rehab team)- Since a 360 degree holistic recovery can’t be achieved with individual doctors working in silos, a multidisciplinary team is desirable in driving the rehabilitation procedure for a complete recovery
• Empowerment (motivation & sustenance)- The impairment of functional abilities can significantly inflict trauma in an individual. Therefore the active involvement of the family members and an emotional counsellor will help in providing the required support for the patient to have an accelerated and empowered recovery

Ten Reasons Why One Should Opt for Rehabilitation After Hip or Knee Replacement Surgeries

• Rehabilitation service providers have trained and expert therapists to ensure proactive and quality care for all the patients that have undergone hip or knee replacement surgeries. Family members are often unprepared to give the care that is needed by the patient.
• People who have undergone hip or knee replacement surgery must initiate weight bearing in a systematic way during the recuperating period. This can be guided by therapists in a simplified way.
• Post Hip or Knee replacement surgeries, there is a chance of postoperative complications. Hence the patient must be under constant supervision to check for fluid retention, inflammation, reddening or skin irritation near the region of the surgery.
• After Hip or knee replacement surgery, significant therapy is needed to ease the pain of the surgery itself as well as to train the muscles of the leg that bear the weight. Often muscles can stiffen due to the trauma of the surgery and must be conditioned back to normal life.
• After the surgery, simple activities like standing must be re-learnt by the body. This might require the assistance of mechanical aids like walkers or crutches, which typically is facilitated by qualified physiotherapist.
• Any joint replacement surgery must be followed by a range of motion therapy that emphasizes the flexibility of the newly reconstructed joint. Flexibility takes time to return. The angle to which the hip or knee can be bent is increased under the supervision of a trained physiotherapist.
• Simple constrained exercises like the use of traction must be done to rebuild muscle tone and strength. This, however, must be done under constant supervision of a trained physiotherapist.
• After completion of the surgery, the patient must be retrained in the skills to climb stairs, move on-ramps, dress or use the toilet. These activities do require therapy and assistance in the beginning before self-sufficiency is achieved.
• Regaining proper technique is as important as regaining the ability to walk. Starting to walk improperly after surgery can have across-the-board outcomes in the future. It is imperative to assume proper gait when you learn to walk.
• A special diet is often necessary for the optimum recovery following a hip or knee replacement. A trained dietitian at a rehabilitation facility teaches the patients about the importance of healthy and nutritious foods.