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Rheumatoid Arthritis and Aerobic Exercise

Total Knee Replacement

Jody joined the Health Connection, a community-based exercise center, in 1995. She continued her self-directed exercise in a setting comfortable for her. By 1997 she was having a great deal of pain and difficulty walking.

At the beginning of 1998, Jody had a total knee replacement on her right leg. Through the use of orthotics and a right knee arthroscopy in 1993, she had been able to stave off surgery for five years. However, by 1998, the pain was so unbearable she decided to have the surgery.

While in the hospital, Jody received physical therapy consisting of typical total knee replacement rehabilitation. After discharge from the hospital, she received three weeks of home health physical therapy including therapeutic exercise. Five weeks after surgery, she knew it was time to get back into the swing of things.

Despite muscle spasms due to the realignment of her leg during the total knee replacement, she was anxious to get back into exercise. She didn't like feeling she could not do anything for herself. Prior to the replacement, she had had tremendous difficulty walking so she knew she had a long road ahead of her.

Five weeks after surgery, Jody returned to the Health Connection, a community-based exercise center. She started by riding a stationary bicycle, slowly turning the pedals clockwise then counter-clockwise to the point where she first felt pain. Eventually she could turn the pedals all the way around and knew she was riding the road to recovery.

It is now six months after surgery and she rides the stationary bicycle for 15 minutes, and walks on a treadmill for 1.5 miles three days a week. Jody still has some difficulty but believes she will be free of pain in another six months.