Doing exercises before your knee replacement can help speed your recovery. These exercises build upper body strength. This can help you when you’re using a walker or crutches to get around after surgery. Your physical therapist (PT) or surgeon may advise you to use weights to make the exercises more effective. Follow your healthcare provider’s instructions.

*Stop any exercise that causes sharp or increased knee pain, dizziness, shortness of breath, or chest pain.

Bicep curls

• Sit up straight. Keep your elbow close to your body and your wrist straight.
• Bend your arm, moving your hand up to your shoulder, then lower slowly.
• Do a set with each arm.

Tricep curls

• Sit, leaning forward from the waist.
• Bend your elbow so that your forearm is parallel to the floor. Then straighten your elbow as you extend your arm behind you.
• Do a set with each arm.

Seated press-ups

• Sit in a sturdy chair with armrests.
• With palms flat on the armrests, press down to lift your buttocks from the chair. Hold for 3 to 5 seconds.
• Bend your elbows to slowly ease back down.

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© 2000-2016 The StayWell Company, LLC. 780 Township Line Road, Yardley, PA 19067. All rights reserved. This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical care. Always follow your healthcare professional’s instructions.

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About the Author

Medcor Inc., provides clinical interventions and management services to help companies reduce their health-care costs and improve health outcomes. Medcor provides its services with staff and systems located on-site in large client locations or telephonically for smaller locations. Business entities can also integrate Medcor’s clinical interventions into their own systems to establish branded clinics.