Total Knee Replacement and Rehabilitation: The Knee Owner's Manual [Paperback]

M.D. Daniel J. Brugioni (Author), Jeff Falkel Ph.D. P.T. (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 26, 2004

Complete with 145 exercises and nearly 200 illustrations and photos, this comprehensive guide helps readers navigate through the entire process of having one or both knees replaced. It explains what to consider when deciding on knee replacement, details the procedure, and provides extensive suggestions for the crucial postoperative rehabilitation. Patients will learn how to prepare their homes for rehab, and what to do, week-by-week, on the road to recovery.

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Hunter House; 1 edition (July 26, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0897934393
• ISBN-13: 978-0897934398
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 7.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (60 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #54,956 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

60 of 60 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A very useful companion to a total knee replacement, November 23, 2004

By 

Shimmy Books "Shimmy" (UK) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Total Knee Replacement and Rehabilitation: The Knee Owner's Manual (Paperback)

Total Knee Replacement & Rehabilitation is written by a surgeon (Daniel Brugioni) and a physiotherapist (Jeff Falkel), both well-qualified and specialists in this topic. Dr Falkel's own bilateral knee replacement - both knees at the same time - was an eye-opener to him and changed his own approach to managing knee replacement patients.

The number of people having total knee replacement is due to massively increase as post-war baby boomers start to hit their sixties, but this is unfortunately occurring at a time when health insurance companies around the world are tightening up on cost containment. The authors recognise that rehabilitation after total knee replacement is long, and insurance companies already do not fund adequate physiotherapy time. This book was written to support the knee replacement patient with practical advice for a full year after surgery.

The first two chapters give an overview of arthritis and current approaches to slowing its progression and improving quality of life. Knee replacement is discussed in some detail - basic design considerations, bilateral knee replacement and how to go about finding a competent surgeon. Question and answer sessions complete each chapter.

There is a useful pre-surgery chapter, advising on getting your home ready for your return from hospital and giving useful exercise regimes for building up strength to facilitate the use of crutches or a walker after surgery. What to expect once you arrive at the hospital and on the day of your operation are covered in some detail, but detail of the surgical process itself has been deliberately minimised. Potential complications are, however, covered in an appendix.

From this point on the book really fleshes out, and focuses on rehabilitation, taking the reader day by day through carefully chosen exercise regimes, all explained and fully illustrated. Through the early days on the ward, then home, and beyond are all covered in significant detail, using for the greater part readily available household items as rehabilitation aids.

There are several sections on scar management. Bathroom aids are discussed. Range-of-motion exercises, strengthening exercises, balance exercises, endurance exercises - all are discussed and illustrated, and carefully graduated as time progresses, right the way to a full return to normal activities. Question and answer sessions accompany each chapter, and an index of the exercises is available in its own appendix for ready reference.

This book will be extremely useful to anyone contemplating total knee replacement.

Dr Sheila Strover
http://www.kneeguru.co.uk

41 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must for those considering TKR, December 23, 2004

By 

L Caine (Utah) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Total Knee Replacement and Rehabilitation: The Knee Owner's Manual (Paperback)

This is an excellent book for anyone thinking of having TKR. I would suggest that you read it prior having your surgery and keep it next to you during rehab. The information contained in this book answered many of the questions my husband has had. He refers to it on a daily basis for exercises and scar management. Now he is 9 weeks post surgical and he walks with no pain, no canes or braces and he is 83. The exercises in this book have been much more advanced than he received in Physical Therapy. It is great having a P. Therapist who has been through the surgery write about his experience.

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Full of useful information!, July 27, 2005

By 

gary P. "woodchuck" (Austin, TX) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Total Knee Replacement and Rehabilitation: The Knee Owner's Manual (Paperback)

My wife had total knee replacement surgery on one leg last June. When a friend and co-worker who had had both knees done (at the same time!) visited her in the hospital, she raved about this book and said it had helped her recovery greatly... even offered to give my wife her copy! Since the friend was doing so well only 6 weeks after her operation, I was very impressed and immediately ordered it. My wife, who is a registered nurse, has found it full of useful information and helpful exercises. Although she knew a lot about the process of knee replacement, she felt that this book clearly explains the process for the lay person. The authors stress the importance of strengthening your leg muscles before surgery. The post surgery exercises are intended to guide you through your first year of post-op healing. Lots of clear photos take the mystery out of this medical miracle and help you take charge of your own rehabilitation. If you are considering knee replacement, this book will improve your chances of returning to pain-free walking again!