Jan 20, 2025

Health & Wellness

Harry, not his real name, opted for a total knee replacement in his early 70s. He had been struggling with severe pain and limited mobility from knee osteoarthritis for the last several years, and he wanted to enjoy his golden years. He was fully prepared to put in the rehab work after his procedure, but he also wanted to get a head start with pre-hab for knee replacement.

Pre-hab is short for pre-surgical rehabilitation, a type of physiotherapy that gets you started on your rehab work before you head to the hospital for your procedure. Most pre-hab programs run for about six weeks, which was how long Harry’s program was.

Harry scheduled an initial consultation with the team at Monarch Physiotherapy Clinic to learn more about his pre-hab options. There, we worked with him and his surgeon to develop a personalized program to help him maximize his surgical outcomes.

Today, we want to share Harry’s experiences with pre-hab for knee replacement. Think you might benefit, too? Schedule an appointment at our Calgary clinic today!

Exploring Harry’s Pre-Hab Program

We designed Harry’s program around his specific recovery goals. His main concern was being able to play with his grandkids (he had six, all under the age of ten). However, he was also eager to experience great independence at home.

With this in mind, we created  a personalized program that used the following physiotherapy interventions:

Pain Management

• For Harry to get the most out of his pre-hab program, he needed to control his pain levels. We offered drug-free options, including manual therapy techniques to mobilize his knee and manipulate the surrounding soft tissue (this also helped with mobility restrictions). If his levels were especially high, we incorporated modalities such as heat therapy.

Therapeutic Exercise

• As with post-surgical rehabilitation, Harry’s pre-hab program was based on a tailored exercise program. We wanted to help him strengthen his knee and improve his balance and mobility before he underwent surgery. We guided him through exercises appropriate to his current ability, ensuring he was in good shape for his procedure.

What To Expect

• A big part of Harry’s pre-hab for knee replacement involved letting him know what to expect from his rehabilitation afterward. He showed him how to use the mobility aids he’d need in the first few weeks of his surgery, and many of the exercises we did together showed back up in rehab, too.

Did Pre-Hab for Knee Replacement Work for Harry?

Harry had a great experience with his pre-hab program at Monarch Physiotherapy Clinic! He was a dedicated patient during the six weeks he worked with us, and he was pleased to see some slight improvements in his range of motion–a sign of good things to come.

Harry’s surgery went off without a hitch, and when he returned to our clinic to begin outpatient rehabilitation, he was excited to get to work. Because he already knew the exercises and had a good idea of what to expect, he could dive right into rehab (within reason, of course).

Rehabilitation for a knee replacement can take several months. But thanks to pre-hab, Harry began maximizing that time even before his surgery. Before he knew it, he was having a blast with his grandkids!

If you’re scheduled for a knee replacement and want to optimize your recovery as Harry did, pre-surgical rehabilitation can make a significant difference. Schedule an appointment to get started today.