Building strength after knee surgery is the other half of recovery. An often profound loss of strength leading up to surgery and in the days and weeks afterwards can leave you in a highly compromised position even if you have regained your range of motion.
Strength has only recently begun to receive critical study despite being a persistent problem since the beginning of knee replacement surgery. “Current practice of total knee replacement had minimal effects on quality of life.”*
*Impact of total knee replacement practice: cost effectiveness analysis of data from the Osteoarthritis Initiative (MARCH 28, 2017)
Regaining range of motion is the first half of recovery; regaining lost strength is second half of knee replacement surgery. The years of declining strength have left you weaker and compromised. Surgery greatly accelerates this decline. On average traditional recovery methods leave you with a 50% strength deficit at 30 days post surgery.
“Quadriceps weakness is a common and persistent impairment after TKA and has been correlated with poor functional performance in older adults. Weakness is often pronounced even years after knee replacement surgery with deficits ranging from 30% to 40% when compared to age-matched comparison groups.”
Journal of Orthopedic Research (January 8, 2005)
X10 patients have a totally different experience and outcome. The average X10 patient, at one month, shows a 20-30% strength surplus compared to their pre-surgical strength. The X10 made building strength after knee surgery significantly easier.
Above are preliminary results on quadriceps strength for patients who used the X10 prior to and after surgery. The important points to understand from this graph are:
1: A few weeks of pre-surgical strengthening makes a marked improvement in the strength you go into surgery with;
2: Use of the X10 after surgery enables you to quickly surpass your pre-surgical strength, thereby improving your quality of life following surgery.
The average knee replacement patient has 60-70% of their pre-surgical strength at one year after surgery. The graph above shows that X10 patients achieved 60-70% of their pre-surgical strength in one week following surgery. The average X10 patient achieved, in one month, nearly double the strength that non-X10 patients achieved in one year.*
The X10 lets you get back in the game, not just relieve the pain.
*These results will be updated as we complete formal studies.
In contrast to the X10 experience, published literature shows the following dramatically different outcomes:
“Evidence suggests that patients lose approximately half of their preoperative quadriceps strength in the first month after surgery.” Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery America (May 2005)
“TKA [knee replacement surgery] reduces knee pain (but) has not been shown to lead to comparable improvements in functional performance. Reductions of about 20% walking speed and 50% in stair walking speed compare[d] (to) age matched groups have been reported a year after surgery.” Journal of Orthopedic Research, published by Elsevier Ltd. (January 28, 2005)
“A large proportion of these individuals (knee replacement patients) must walk at a faster pace than they normally use in order to successfully clear the intersection before the light changes. Indeed, even at the fast walking pace, 17% of these individuals would not be able to cross safely at a typical city intersection.”
“Approximately three quarters of patients with a knee replacement report difficulty negotiating stairs and the average stair-climbing speed is only half as fast compared to healthy counterparts. Furthermore, following a peak in functional recovery to 3 years after TKA, there is an accelerated decline in function relative to typical age-related decrements.” Physical Therapy- Volume 78- Number 3 (March 1998)
Our Strength Coaches work with patients before and after knee surgery to optimized patient strength and get them back to normal life in record time. To learn about our exciting Pre-hab strength program click here.
The X10 is available through your insurance (in some cases) and as a short-term rental. Most patients do not need the X10 for more than 17 days. Our clinical team is ready to help you at any time with your knee surgery recovery. You can reach us with a phone call at 1-855-910-5633 or an email at info@x10therapy.com. To schedule a 15 minute call with us click on the Want to Learn More? image on this page.