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Pre-Hab Before Knee Replacement

By: Shelley on Feb 23, 2011

For years, hospitals and skilled nursing/rehab centers have been trying to sell patients on the idea of “pre-hab”. Meaning a patient would complete a special  rehab program in preparation for knee replacement surgery. The pre-hab would be a combination of resistance training, flexibility and other light exercises. Pre-hab has met with various levels of interest on the part of patients. For many, it might come down to the fact that they have put off surgery and are now living with constant pain. The idea of exercise an already painful knee isn’t very appealing.

A University of Louisville study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research might give patients the encouragement they need. What their research found was that patients who participated in a pre-hab program had less pain during functional tests, as well as a 10% increase in extension strength postoperative. Patients who didn’t take advantage of a pre-hab program saw a 10% decrease in extension strength.