| Whether you’re preparing for or recovering from | | | | your heel on the ground. You will then slowly |
| hip replacement surgery, you’re going to be | | | | straighten your knee and slide your leg back to |
| needing some hip replacement exercises. Why | | | | where it started. Then relax, and repeat 10 times. |
| before surgery? Because if you begin an exercise | | | | This exercise is beneficial in strengthening the |
| routine before, it will actually help you to recover | | | | quadriceps at the hip and the hamstrings at the knee. |
| faster. Your body will already have built up some of | | | | Then you have straight leg raises for strengthening |
| the strength and endurance that it will need to | | | | the hip joint itself. These involve lying on your back |
| negotiate that new hip. | | | | on a flat surface and bending the knee of the leg |
| In fact, when it comes to both hip and knee | | | | that’s not recovering from surgery at a |
| replacements, it’s becoming a more common | | | | 90-degree angle while keeping your foot flat on the |
| practice for doctors to begin patients on physical | | | | ground. The recovering, or operative, leg should be |
| therapy prior to surgery. Both groups of joint | | | | kept straight. Slowly lift the operative leg six inches |
| replacement patients will demonstrate improved | | | | off of the ground using your front thigh muscles, hold |
| lower extremity muscle strength with pre-surgery | | | | for five seconds, and slowly lower it back to the |
| exercises, but only hip replacement patients will | | | | floor. Relax, and then repeat 10 times. |
| actually show some functional improvement of the | | | | Gluteal sets help to strengthen the gluteal muscles of |
| afflicted joint even before they undergo surgery. | | | | the hip; strong gluteal muscles will assist with hip |
| In one study, patients who exercised prior to joint | | | | extension and also lead to the stabilization of the |
| replacement surgery were 73% less likely to be | | | | joint. You will lie on your back with both knees bent |
| discharged to an inpatient rehab facility rather than | | | | at a 10- to 15-degree angle and squeeze your |
| their own homes. | | | | buttock muscles together. Hold for five seconds, |
| What are examples of exercises that you will | | | | relax, and repeat 10 times. You should do three |
| probably be expected to do after or even before | | | | sets of 10 three times a day. |
| your surgery? Different forms of therapy are | | | | Remember, other exercises and exercise routines are |
| available, of course, but commonly, as beginning | | | | available to you, these are just some basics to get |
| post-operative exercises, doctors will recommend | | | | you started. The stronger your new hip becomes, |
| heel slides, straight leg raises, and gluteal sets. | | | | the more you’ll be able to do, but be sure and |
| Heel slides involve sitting on the floor with your legs | | | | listen to your doctor’s advice about how much |
| straight out in front of you. You will slide your heel | | | | physical activity is appropriate for you. |
| toward your buttock by bending your knee, keeping | | | | |