Wellness Programming Before and After a Joint Replacement

Sep 16, 2020 by Danielle Andersen



A single truth we can all agree on is no one actually wants to undergo a joint replacement. In fact, if your knee or hip could heal on its own without surgery, you’d probably go that route instead! As frustrating as your joint replacement may be, though, it can significantly improve your quality of life and help you get back to doing what you enjoy.

Of course, your joint replacement is only part of the journey. It takes a full continuum of therapy to get you back on your feet, starting and ending with wellness programming.

What is a Wellness Program?

Wellness programs offer a variety of different health benefits and educational resources to help seniors live longer, healthier lives. In a wellness program like the one offered at Knute Nelson, you can participate in exercise classes and wellness activities and work with personal trainers.

In general, wellness programming promotes healthy aging by building on your current physical condition to improve balance, add variety to your current exercise regimen or achieve whatever your specific goals are.

For a joint replacement, specifically, wellness programming helps you regain strength and mobility in your joint and develop new exercise habits and behaviors that can improve your quality of life long after your surgery.

Wellness Programming as Part of Knute Nelson’s Therapy Continuum

At Knute Nelson, you can find the services and care you need for a joint replacement all under one roof through a full therapy continuum of care, so you don’t have to seek additional resources during your recovery. Wellness programming oftentimes bookends the healing process, taking place before your surgery and as the final step in your recovery.

What Wellness Programming is Like at Knute Nelson

If you’re scheduled to undergo a joint replacement, wellness programming at Knute Nelson is a good step to prepare your body for surgery. Wellness activities that strengthen your joint before surgery can help you better handle the procedure in the moment and give you a head start in your recovery after surgery.

Once your joint replacement is scheduled, you can come to Knute Nelson to participate in various wellness programming. One of the very best ways to get your body ready for surgery is through our Total Knee and Hip class. It takes place in our state-of-the-art, 89-degree pool where you’ll be able to move with less pain.

“On the pre-op side, as soon as they schedule their surgery, they can come to class and build their strength in the water,” Alice Schmitz, Wellness Manager at Knute Nelson, explained. “The buoyancy of the water helps them to move better with less pain, and the hydrostatic pressure makes more muscle groups kick into action.”

Once you’ve worked your way through short-term rehab, home care therapy and outpatient therapy and are cleared to get back into the water, you can return to our Total Knee and Hip water class for 16 weeks to continue your recovery.

If your goal is to recover as efficiently as possible from a joint replacement, it’s crucial for you to participate in wellness programming before and after surgery because of the significant recovery benefits.

“I’ve had people come on the pre-op and post-op side, and I’ve had people just come on the post-op side,” Alice said. “Those that come pre-operatively have a little bit easier recovery time because they are a little bit stronger.”

Your post-operative recovery can also include additional wellness programming at our Nelson Wellness Center once you’ve completed outpatient therapy.

Our state-of-the-art facilities include:

• A cardio strength room with 16 pieces of cardio equipment to use, including treadmills, ascent trainers, NuStep machines, bikes and weight machines, and


• A spin room with 10 bikes that you can use during classes to improve your strength, mobility and endurance.

Our warm water pool offers wellness classes of its own, including a gentle wave class certified by the Arthritis Foundation, an AqauFit moderate intensity class and higher intensity classes in both the deep and shallow ends of the pool. Our 13 hydrorider bikes are available by appointment, where you can ride one of the bikes in the water to complete a full arm, core and leg workout as you recover from your joint replacement and return to full strength.

As you continue your recovery, personal trainers at our wellness center can put together exercise plans designed to meet your specific recovery needs and goals. No matter if you just want to move around your house more easily or train for a marathon, our wellness programming can get you to where you want to be and improve your quality of life.

Discover Personalized Wellness Programming at Knute Nelson

At Knute Nelson, your health and wellness are our top priority. Through our Wellness Center services, fitness classes and various activities, you will have no problem living a healthy, active lifestyle when you join our community.

To learn more about our Wellness Center or any of our classes and services, please contact us today at 320-759-4613 and one of our friendly staff members will be happy to assist you.