Skip this one unless it is marked on the home program your physician gave you. Unless your instructions say otherwise, do your marked exercises twice a day, every day, and tick off each session in your log.

Step by step: the heel slide

1. Set up: Lie face up, legs out long.
2. Move: Keep the heel on the surface and slide it toward you, bending the knee to the point of a gentle stretch. Slide it back out.
3. Count and hold: Slow and steady. Repeat 10 times. Twice a day.

Why the heel slide matters after a procedure

A knee that will not bend past a certain point turns daily life into a series of workarounds. Fluid and guarding both limit the bend, and a joint that is not moved stiffens further. Gentle, repeated sliding restores range without loading the joint, which is why it pairs well with image-guided joint injections that have already calmed the inflammation.

Which mistakes undo it?

• Forcing the bend past a mild stretch.
• Lifting the heel off the surface.
• Rushing the return.

When to stop for the day

Expect a mild stretch, some effort, and maybe a little soreness the next morning. Quit for the day and phone (314) 886-5620 if you get:

• Numbness, tingling or weakness that was not there before
• A sharp, stabbing pain
• Pain that rises 2 points or more above your starting number and does not settle within an hour
• Lightheadedness, or your vision changing

Fainting, chest pain or a struggle to breathe: dial 911, not our office.

Why bring your exercise log?

The log is how we tell the difference between an exercise that is not working and an exercise that is not being done. At each visit your technician counts the sessions you checked off, notes your daily pain number, and watches you do one exercise to correct your form before small errors become habits.

Related reading

• The painstl.com physiotherapy program, every station and test
• Thigh squeeze (quad set), another knee exercise
• Straight leg raise, another knee exercise
• Sit to stand, another knee exercise