Knee Surgery: The Essential Guide to Total Knee Recovery »

Daniel Fulham O’Neill, M.D., Ed.D. is in private practice in New Hampshire with The Alpine Clinic, and for over twenty years, has been caring for knees of all activity levels, from professional athletes to people who just want to walk the dog without pain. When not caring for his patients, he can be found riding his bike, hiking, and skiing in the White Mountains.

Millions of people have knee surgery each year, and in the years to come millions more will head to the O.R. Chances are, you or someone you know has had or will undergo knee surgery. Busy doctors, therapists, and athletic trainers have limited time to spend on quality physical and mental rehabilitation education, yet this is the key to full recovery.

Written by renowned knee surgeon and Sport Psychologist Daniel F. O’Neill, M.D., Ed.D., this comprehensive and accessible guide presents what you’ll want and need the most after knee surgery: a scientifically-based recovery program you can understand that will get you back to work and sports as quickly as possible.

In this age of same-day surgery and do-it-yourself health, KNEE SURGERY presents an easy-to-do, well-illustrated program of movement for knee rehabilitation - with a special focus on the mind/body connection - and describes the physical and mental rehabilitation process in complete detail, providing all the guidance you need to decrease pain and increase fitness after knee surgery.

Elizabeth J. Eastwood - Library Journal

O'Neill, a well-respected knee surgeon and sports psychologist who has been practicing for over 20 years, here covers different types of knee surgery, from arthroscopy to total knee replacement (TKR). His recovery program is a three-prong approach: exercise, movement patterns/sport, and aerobic training. All three prongs have levels A, B, and C of exercises, and readers must judge when they are ready to progress up a level; there is no set schedule. The prongs and levels are illustrated with clear photographs and descriptions of workout movements. This is a patient-centered approach, and O'Neill is passionate about how much the patient has to contribute to the preparation for and rehabilitation from knee surgery. Some notable sections specifically cover the mind-body connection, e.g., facing and coping with negative self-talk. O'Neill writes in a style welcoming and accessible to laypeople. His down-to-earth tone, optimistic outlook, and expert advice make this like a "portable knee doctor," as he intends. Recommended for public library and specialist orthopedic/rehabilitation collections.

List of Illustrations xi

Acknowledgments xiii

Introduction 1

Part 1 Journey into Surgery

1 The Road to Knee Surgery: The Anatomy and Pathology You Need to Know Before Starting Your Journey 7

2 Getting Your Knee Ready for Surgery: Decreasing Inflammation plus Eight Range-of-Motion Stretches for Before and After Surgery 19

3 Ten Essential Exercises for Before and After Surgery: Prong 1 of the Three-Pronged Attack 39

4 Getting Your Life Ready for Surgery: Pre-op Checklists and Tips-Sweating the Small Stuff 59

5 The Surgery Itself: What to Expect 71

Part 2 The Knee Doctor's After-Surgery Program

6 The Critical First Week: Prong 2 of the Three-Pronged Attack: Movement Patterns for Your Return to Life 79

7 Understanding Muscles: Negative Talk, and Breaking Through Roadblocks 101

8 Aerobic Training: Prong 3 of the Three-Pronged Attack 111

9 Testing the Waters: The Ultimate Soft Workout 125

10 Prong 1, Level B: Four New Exercises and Noise Reduction 137

Part 3 Total Recovery and Beyond

11 Prong 1, Level C: Six More Exercises for Life After Knee Surgery 155

12 Return to Sports and Competition: For the Athlete in All of Us 171

13 Frequently Asked Questions: Sunbathing, Supplements, Getting Back to Work, and More 197

Epilogue 209

Resources 211

Glossary 219