How do I elevate and compress my knee properly after surgery or an injury?

Elevating the leg, step by step

• 1. Lie on your back on a bed or sofa
• 2. Stack two or three pillows lengthwise under the calf and heel so the foot is the highest point
• 3. Leave a small gap under the back of the knee so it can rest straight
• 4. Aim for the ankle to be above the level of your heart, which usually means lying rather than sitting
• 5. Stay there for 20 to 30 minutes, several times a day, especially in the first two weeks
• 6. Pump your ankles up and down 10 to 20 times every so often to help circulation

Why not a pillow under the knee

A pillow under the knee feels comfortable, which is exactly the problem. Hours spent with the knee slightly bent can make it stiff and hard to straighten again, and full straightening is one of the most important early goals after almost every knee operation. Sitting in a reclining chair with the foot on a low stool is not true elevation either, because the ankle stays below the heart.

Using compression safely

• Use the bandage, stocking or sleeve your surgeon or physiotherapist provides, or a simple elastic tubular bandage after a minor sprain
• Wrap or pull it on from below the knee to above it, evenly, without wrinkles
• It should feel snug but never throbbing; you should be able to slide a finger underneath
• Take it off and reapply if your foot becomes cold, pale, blue, tingling or numb
• Do not sleep in a tight bandage unless you have been told to

Combining with ice and movement, and when to call

Elevation and compression work well alongside short bouts of ice wrapped in a cloth and gentle exercises such as quad sets and ankle pumps. They do not replace movement.

Call your surgeon or seek urgent care if swelling keeps increasing despite elevation, the calf becomes painful, hot and swollen, the wound turns red or leaks, you develop a fever, or you feel short of breath or have chest pain, as this can signal a blood clot.