Heel slides (facilitated) are early knee rehabilitation exercises to rebuild range of motion when the knee has been stiff after trauma or surgery.

Page updated January 2024 by Dr Sheila Strover (Clinical Editor)

facilitated heel slides
facilitated heel slides

 

Maintaining range of motion

When the knee is swollen and painful, the muscles may become inhibited and it may be difficult to bend and straighten the knee. This exercise helps to get the knee moving and overcome the muscle inhibition and also helps to reduce swelling.

Back to top

 

What are facilitated knee exercises?

Several early knee exercises allow facilitation, when the patient or physiotherapist can help initiate knee movement, which would otherwise be too painful to perform properly.

Back to top

 

Back to top

 

Forum discussions

Back to top

 

-

Dr Sheila Strover (Editor)
BSc (Hons), MB BCh, MBA

See biography...


See also -


 

eBook - Cornerstones of Early Knee Rehabilitation

Simple eBook outlining the theory and practice of early knee rehabilitation, and gives details of the important knee exercises.