After knee replacement surgery, you will have to be careful while sitting and getting up off the floor, especially during the first few weeks.
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You may have doubts about the movement of your new knee. Those who had difficulty squatting or bending knees before surgery may be anxious about the results after surgery. There may be concerns about pain or damage to the new knee implant.
In this article, we will share some techniques for sitting down and getting up from the floor after knee replacement surgery.
But first, let us understand how safe is it to sit on the floor after knee replacement surgery?
- As per orthopedic surgeons, it is safe to sit on the floor after knee surgery. There should be no issue sitting on the floor after surgery as long as the correct technique is followed. Initially, there may be some difficulty due to decreased range of motion. However, one can sit safely following precautions.
- You have to ensure that you don’t kneel directly on the incision line. You also have to avoid putting any weight on the knee or perform any sudden jerky movements.
- Most of the mild activities are allowed after knee replacement surgery except for squatting and sitting cross-legged.
With an improving range of motion post-surgery, sitting on the floor and getting up becomes comparatively easier.
Consult your doctor, and take guidance when it is safe for you to start sitting down on the floor. The following steps will guide you through the process of doing it correctly.
You might also like to read how you can prevent damage to your knee replacement implant if you fall on it.
Sitting on the Ground From a Sofa Couch
Step 1 For starters, you can first try sitting on the couch and getting up from it. Do not attempt sitting on the floor directly if uncomfortable. Try sitting on the couch a few times till you are confident.
Step 2 Sit comfortably on the couch. Leave some space on the side of your non-surgery leg i.e. if the right knee is the surgical knee, sit on the right side of the couch, leaving some space towards the left side.
Step 3 Lie down on the couch sideways towards the left, taking support of your elbow and arm.
Step 4 Now roll over on the couch, turning your body inwards, so that you are now facing the couch. At this time, your body weight is on both elbows and arms.
Now put your non-surgical knee down on the ground for support. Your body weight is now on the arms on the couch and the non-surgical knee on the ground.
Step 5 Rollover further, placing the right hand on the ground. Roll towards the left side.
Complete the rollover and sit straight slowly on the ground, taking support from the couch on the back.
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Getting up From the Ground With the Help of a Couch
Getting up from the ground with the help of a couch is the reverse of the steps of sitting down.
Step 1 Roll sideways back to the non-surgical knee and kneel it on the ground.
Step 2 Place the arm of that side on the couch first, followed by the other arm, and rollover till you face the couch. Now, at this point, you are facing the couch. You will have both your arms on the couch, the non-surgical knee bent on the floor, and the surgical one off it.
Step 3 Now pull yourself up, back on the couch with the help of your arms and hands to a seated position. You can now sit back comfortably as before.
The video below can give you an idea:
Sitting on the Floor Without Any External Help or Support
You can try this technique when you are comfortable doing so without any external help.
Step 1 From the standing position, spread out both hands in front of you.
Step 2 Now bend down slowly without losing balance and touch both hands on the floor.
Step 3 Now, move your hands forward (as if walking with hands) and take them at a little comfortable distance apart from the body.
Step 4 Shift your weight towards the non-operated knee and hand of the same side, turn sideways, place your hips on the floor, and sit down slowly.
Step 5 Straighten your body and sit upright, releasing both your hands from the ground. Sit comfortably straight with both legs extended in front.
Getting up From the Floor Without Any External Support
Getting up from the floor follows the same steps in reverse order.
Step 1 From the sitting position, turn sideways towards the non-operated side.
Step 2 Put your hand on the floor on the non-surgical (normal) side and shift weight onto it.
Step 3 Turn the body sideways further, placing the other hand on the floor and shifting body weight on it.
Step 4 Now, kneel the non-operated knee on the floor while keeping the operated leg straight and turn. At this point, you are on both hands facing the floor. The non-operated knee is on the floor. Here, only the toes of the operated foot touch the ground.
Step 5 Walk your hands backward till they are close to your legs.
Step 6 Now, slowly pull yourself up to a standing position. It will take some effort initially and will use your upper body strength.
The video below is a good example of how to go about it.
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Bonus Tips
- Take your time to sit down and stand up from the floor. Do not rush.
- Keep the floor clear where you are sitting.
- If the floor is hard, put a carpet or a mat to avoid any hard impact.
- When sitting down, do so very slowly. Avoid fast jerky movements that may cause you to lose balance or hit knees on the floor.
- When standing up, do so very slowly.
- If you feel dizzy at any point, do not try to turn around or walk suddenly. Keep standing in the same position. It takes a few seconds to get to normal, after which you can sit somewhere.
Please remember that you have undergone knee replacement surgery which, as the name suggests, is a surgical procedure. You cannot expect yourself to sit or stand in an instant initially.
Healing will take time, so will getting back to your normal daily activities. Stay patient, and follow the above steps diligently to get back to your more active self soon.
Below is the list for more precautions and tips after replacement surgery.