Before Surgery
Set Up Sucess
Calm the knee, restore motion, and wake up the quadriceps so recovery starts from a better place.
What Is Happening Inside Your Knee?
The injury has irritated the joint, and swelling inside the knee can temporarily switch down the quadriceps — the large muscle on the front of your thigh. That’s why the leg may feel weak or hard to control even before surgery. Swelling and guarding also limit motion, especially full straightening. Surgery doesn’t erase any of that, so calming it now gives recovery a stronger starting point.
What You May Notice
- Swelling that comes and goes with activity
- A leg that feels weak or disconnected
- Difficulty getting the knee completely straight
- Walking that doesn’t feel or look normal yet
Your Job Right Now
- Get the knee completely straight. Full extension is the first priority.
- Work toward bending around 120 degrees.
- Bring the swelling down and keep it down.
- Wake the quadriceps up, and lift the leg without the knee sagging.
- Normalize your walking and build basic leg strength.
- Learn what the first weeks after surgery will look like.
You’re Progressing When
- The knee gets completely straight and bends to around 120 degrees.
- Swelling is minimal.
- The quadriceps turns on clearly and the leg lifts without sagging.
- Walking looks normal and stairs are manageable.
These are goals, not requirements. There are some circumstances in which we need to proceed with surgery before these goals are met. Discuss the specifics of your timeline with your surgeon.
Common Trap
Waiting for surgery instead of treating the knee now. Prehab is not passive waiting. It is preparation, and the work you do now shows up on the other side.
What Comes Next
We'll reassess your motion, swelling, quadriceps control, and walking before surgery — prehab should improve the knee efficiently, not become an open-ended delay. After surgery, expect a reset: the swelling returns and the quadriceps switches down again. That's normal, and the better your starting point, the faster that ground comes back.