Several (4 is “several”, right?) people I know have had a knee replacement surgery.  All together, 5 knees have been replaced and, for NONE of the surgeries, has any of them done any pre-op physical therapy.  Interesting.

The hospital that I’ll be in has a “Joint Care Program” that focuses on knee, hip, ankle and other joint replacement surgeries and, in doing so, provides the patient with a spiral bound “Patient Guide” for preparation up to and including surgery.  This book contains pre- and post-op guidelines and recommendations, not the least of which is physical therapy.  I’ve been doing it for two weeks now and will continue to do it up until my surgery day.  Then, of course, the physical therapy will start in the hospital.

After discharge, instead of having home physical therapy, I’ll have therapy at a regular physical therapy office– going outpatient.  The hospital wants no one “sitting around” waiting on a therapist to come to them.  My days are to be spent doing therapeutic exercise while I wait on the appointment every-other-day.  What fun!

Getting back to the pre-op physical therapy though . . . mine now also includes physical therapy concentrating on my left hip as that is my weak hip.  I’ll be getting a replacement there eventually but, in the meantime, I have some exercises that I can do to strengthen the muscles around it.  That way, hopefully, it won’t give out on me while I’m recuperating with my knee.

All of this is progressing interestingly.  Hmm, interesting.