Here’s our top 5 tips and exercises to help you get back on track following hip replacement surgery.
Prehab!
Waiting lists for hip replacements can be long, so to make the most of this time it’s a great idea to start some pre-habilitation (prehab) before the operation. You may be limited by your pain levels but simple non-weightbearing exercises such as swimming and cycling will start conditioning and strengthening the muscles around your hips. Some simple leg exercises to strengthen your muscles and challenge your balance can be great too. The more prehab you are able to do the shorter your rehab period is likely to be.
Take your pain killers
Hip replacement surgery is a major operation involving cutting through bone, muscle and soft tissues. You will experience some level of pain from this following the surgery but your medical team will thankfully prescribe you pain relief to help manage this. Don’t try to be a hero and go without as you will not do yourself any favours. The pain relief will allow you to start moving gently and exercising early, which can significantly reduce the risk of complications after surgery.
Listen to your physio!
On the day after your surgery (or sometimes even on the same day) a physiotherapist may come around to see how you’re getting on. They will show you exercises that you need to do to get the new hip moving and begin strengthening the muscles and help you get out of bed and try walking for the first time on your new joint. Whilst you may be quite groggy and sore and not particularly feel like moving, your physio will have your best interests at heart as the sooner you are able to start exercising the lower the risk of complications such as blood clots which would keep you in hospital much longer or even be life-threatening. They will also remind you of any movements which you shouldn’t be doing at this stage to help protect your new joint.
Do your exercises
Try to walk every day, little and often to gradually build up your exercise tolerance and fitness. As well as this, your prescribed exercises will strengthen the muscles around your new hip joint to support it and improve the longevity of your new hip.
Don’t stop using your walking aids too soon
Most people leave hospital on crutches after a hip replacement. These will partially offload the leg after surgery to allow it to heal. Crutches also help you to regain a normal walking pattern without a limp, and help you to keep your balance whilst you are getting used to your new hip. This prevents undue stress and strain through the un-operated leg which can cause pain if you stop using your crutches too soon. Most people use crutches for a few weeks after surgery but this depends on your pre-operative fitness and you may still need an aid for balance after this period.
