Should I do physiotherapy before my knee surgery?

What prehab aims to achieve

• Swelling settled, so the knee is not inflamed on the day of surgery
• Full straightening and as much bending as the injury allows
• Thigh, hip and calf strength, which shapes how quickly you walk well afterwards
• Practice with crutches and the first post-operative exercises, so they feel familiar
• General fitness, and where relevant weight management and stopping smoking

After an ACL injury in particular, operating on a stiff, swollen knee raises the risk of stiffness afterwards. Many surgeons, including Dr. Gelber, prefer to wait until the knee moves well and walks normally, which often takes a few weeks.

Before knee replacement or osteotomy

For people waiting for joint replacement or an osteotomy, prehab focuses on strength, walking tolerance and preparing the home: a chair with arms, a raised seat where needed, and clear walkways. Learning the exercises beforehand makes the first days after surgery less daunting. In many patients the thigh is already weak from years of arthritis, so even a few weeks of work helps.

When surgery should not wait

Some problems are better treated promptly rather than after a long prehab period:

• A knee locked by a displaced meniscus tear or loose body
• Some meniscus root tears and bucket-handle tears where repair is time-sensitive
• Tendon ruptures, where the knee cannot be straightened actively
• Fractures and knee dislocations

In these situations a short period of focused exercises may still help, but the timing of surgery is set by the injury.

Planning prehab in Doha

If surgery is planned, Dr. Gelber will tell you which goals to reach before the date, and your physiotherapist can work on them, at Aman Hospital or near home. In the summer months, plan sessions indoors or in the cooler hours.