Abstract
Rehabilitation following a knee replacement surgery is relatively simple for standard procedures and indications for gonarthrosis of 3rd and 4th degree. A good range of motion, sufficient pain reduction and minimum disruption to the muscle tissues are conditions allowing the patients to perform individualised muscle strengthening exercises and to exercise the newly gained mobility, following simple practice sessions during the early postoperative period still in hospital.
Only in cases of significant deformities, dysfunctions of the muscular apparatus or the knee joint being chronically out of position with limited movement, the patient is qualified for subsequent placement in an in-patient rehabilitation facility or a spa. The indication is up to the surgeon performing the replacement surgery or the rehabilitation physician, on a strictly individual basis.
The article describes the basic rehabilitation exercises suited for immediate postoperative rehabilitation and possible causes of failures of the knee replacement surgery are discussed.