Can a simple rocking exercise performed with just a chair dramatically improve walking ability after knee replacement surgery? This innovative case report explores the “church pew exercise” (CPE)—a cost-effective therapeutic technique that may revolutionize post-surgical rehabilitation for total knee arthroplasty patients. A 51-year-old woman who underwent left knee replacement presented with severe functional limitations just four days post-surgery: her knee active range of motion was only 15 to 76 degrees (compared to normal 0-130 degrees), her quadriceps and hamstrings strength tested at only 3-/5, and her Timed Up and Go test results exceeded 30 seconds, indicating significant functional impairment. After eight sessions of conventional physical therapy focusing on range of motion and strengthening, the patient had improved enough to attempt the CPE—a standing exercise where patients rock forward onto their toes and backward until their calves contact a chair edge, creating sudden torques that facilitate rapid quadriceps activation and mimic the critical weight-bearing phase of walking. During each of the final three therapy sessions when CPE was incorporated, the patient’s walking speed improved immediately after performing the exercise (average TUG time decreased from 13.2 seconds pre-CPE to 11.2 seconds post-CPE), her stance time on the affected leg increased, her step length improved, and she reported feeling significantly more stable and confident. This technique requires no expensive equipment—just a sturdy chair—making it an accessible alternative to costly neuromuscular electrical stimulation while providing similar functional benefits for patients recovering from knee replacement surgery.
Alumni News
Church Pew Exercise Integrated With Conventional Physical Therapy Following Total Knee Arthroplasty (TKA): Case Report
