Hip osteoarthritis is a serious issue, and up to 27% of adults over 45 have signs of this hip issue. The result is that more than 300,000 total hip replacements per year are done to treat patients with serious hip osteoarthritis.
Physical therapy can have huge benefits for patients after their hip replacement. One study reports that a home-based therapeutic exercise program was able to improve the strength of some hip muscles by almost 48% in as little as four months. Therapy specialists can show you many exercises that can be helpful after a hip replacement, but there are two that therapists are especially likely to recommend.
- Supine heel slides
The period immediately after your surgery is when you should start doing movement exercises. However, your movement will be limited by factors like hip pain. It could also be limited by the damage done to your hip muscles during surgery. Physical therapists can help get you moving again by giving you exercises to do that use gentle movements to help minimize pain and start improving function. One example of such an exercise is the supine heel slide.
How to perform the supine heel slide exercise
- Lie on your back on a bed. Your legs should be straight out in front of you.
- Slowly bend your leg so that the foot of the affected leg is flat on the bed.
- Slowly pull your heel toward your buttock as far as you can.
- Return to the starting position.
- Repeat these steps until you’ve done three sets of eight to 10 repetitions with a short rest break between sets.
- Standing knee raises
As your hip heals after surgery, your therapist will have you start doing more active exercises. These exercises can help continue to increase hip muscle strength, and they’re also intended to increase your hip range of motion. An exercise your therapist might prescribe to meet such goals is the standing knee raise.
How to perform the standing knee raise exercise
- Stand behind a stable chair or countertop, and place your hands on it to help maintain your balance.
- Slowly lift the affected knee to about waist height. If you can’t, just lift it as high as possible.
- Hold this position for three seconds.
- Slowly return your foot to the ground.
- Rest for a few seconds, and then repeat these steps until you’ve completed the exercises 10 times. For best results, your goal should be to do three to four sets of this exercise every day.
Excel Sports & Physical Therapy can show you the most effective exercises to do after a hip replacement
Not sure which other exercises you should do after a hip replacement? The therapy specialists at Excel Sports & Physical Therapy can help you find the exercises that are most beneficial for you. We’ll start you off by having you come to one of our clinics for a free screening. Next, our team will build you a personalized therapy plan that uses multiple therapy methods intended to speed up your post-surgical recovery.
Don’t wait to start getting our help after a hip replacement. Contact our team today for more information or to schedule an initial appointment.
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