Q: I met with an accident and got a fracture in the right knee cap. After putting a cylinder on the whole leg for three months, now there is a problem in knee bending, although it is bending very slowly. Please suggest the right type of exercises. I am doing wax exercise but improvement is slow. My age is 55 years. Please advise.

A:Bending your knee after patellar surgery can be very painful. It is always better to work with your physical therapist as swelling and pain will limit your movements. Taking ultrasound will help you to ease pain. I can suggest you some exercises, but it will be advisable to do it with your therapist, at least twice a week till you can bend your knee fully. 1. Sit against a wall. Slowly bend your knee in till you can hold. When the pain eases, hold your ankle and try to pull it in. This is where your therapist can help you better. Relax. Straighten it. Repeat the counts till you are comfortable. 2. Lie on your stomach. Bend your knee till you can. Cross the other leg under the operated leg and push. Repeat till you are comfortable. 3. Sit at the edge of the bed. Slowly raise your operated leg till it is straight. Hold and relax. Repeat for 10 counts. For quadriceps: 1. With a chair positioned a few inches behind you, bend your knee and rest your foot on the chair. 2. Sink down until you feel a stretch in the front of your thigh. For inside thigh muscles: 1. While sitting with your back straight grasp your ankles with your hands so that the bottoms of your feet are together. 2. Gently bring your feet closer towards you and push your legs down. 3. Static Cycling. You can also use a CPM machine at a clinic if you cannot bear the pain, but see to it that your knee repairs the strength and mobility. Having your leg in a POP cast can reduce your muscle strength considerably and it does take a long time to regain the strength. I hope these tips help improve your condition.