People waiting for a joint replacement often avoid physical activity as they believe it will damage their painful joints. However, exercising before total hip or knee replacement is good for patients and can improve their outcomes after surgery. Having good exercise habits before surgery means patients are also more likely to exercise as part of their rehabilitation after surgery.
Hip, knee or shoulder replacement surgery can be life-changing. The joint replacement procedure and after care can help you start to return to normal daily activities that you had to stop because of pain. Activities of daily living such as dressing, walking, performing household chores, and hobbies can be performed with good outcomes following a well-balanced rehabilitation program.
Benefits of exercise
With joint replacement, surgery is just part of the journey. Exercise can help relieve post-operative pain, reduce swelling, help restore your range of motion, strength, balance and joint movement. It also lets you recover as quickly and comfortably as possible – and get the best outcome with your new hip, knee or shoulder.
Exercise isn’t just beneficial for your new joint; it’s also good for your heart and lungs. It increases circulation, which boosts healing, and prevents complications like blood clots in your lower legs.
Building up muscles around your new hip or knee is a must to keep the joint in tip-top shape. It is recommended that you continue with your exercise routine you’ve already established with your physio.
The best exercises after joint replacement
Your workout routine should be a combination of aerobic activity and exercises for strength, flexibility and balance. Just a walking or cycling program isn’t enough because neither target the muscles you need for mobility and balance.
Aerobic activities
Aerobic activities get your heart beating faster. To get the heart pumping you could try walking, cycling or a cross trainer machine. For variety, alternate between the different activities. Consider using trekking poles for outdoor walking if you’re having difficulty with balance and stability.
Once you’re fully recovered from your joint replacement, you should be able to do just about any activity you did before surgery. However, most surgeons don’t recommend running.
As a target, try to reach at least 30 minutes of aerobic activity most days of the week.
Exercises for strength, flexibility and balance
Muscle mass and bone density naturally decline with age. To slow that process down, it’s important to have a well-rounded exercise routine.
Strengthening exercises following a hip or knee replacement should include ones that target the quadriceps (four muscles in the front of the thigh), the gluteal muscles (three muscles that make up the buttocks) and hip abductors (muscles responsible for moving your thigh out to the side).
Look to do focused strength and balance exercises, two to three times a week. To build and maintain flexibility, exercises such as hamstring stretches and heel cord stretches should become part of your daily routine.
