Hip replacement surgery is one of the most successful orthopaedic surgeries to date. The rehabilitation begins right after the surgery once the effects of the anaesthesia have worn off. Doctors recommend low-impact sports and exercises once recovery has reached a certain stage. Let’s see what some of these physical activities might be.
Importance Of Sport And Exercise After Hip Replacement
There are some general guidelines for permissible sports activities after total hip replacement, though each patient might have some modifications to these guidelines depending on the bearing combination, fixation method and surgical approach, thus each patient should discuss with their doctor as well. Studies demonstrated that engaging in strenuous and high-impact sports accelerated the breakdown of artificial joint replacement components. However, more modern, long-lasting implant materials such as ceramic bearings have increased the range of physical activities allowed after surgery. Artificial joints now survive longer because of advancements in surgical techniques and implant design, allowing patients to resume more of their usual activities. Generally however, low-impact sports and exercises after hip replacement are recommended.
You will need to strengthen the muscles that support your joints after your operation, including hip flexors, glutes and hip abductors. This will make it easier for you to resume everyday chores like walking, climbing stairs, getting out of a chair, and getting into and out of a car. It generally takes between 3 to 6 months for your doctor to approve your return to sports.
If there is excessive wear of the implant bearing surface, debris and breakdown particles produced will cause loosening of the implants from the bones. This will result in malfunction of the hip joint. The potential for debris to develop grows as more stresses are applied to an artificial joint. Researchers have examined the stresses produced across joints during various activities. For instance, the force across your hip joint as you walk is 1.5 times your weight. Your hip is subjected to a force up to 10 times your weight when you run (depending on the speed of the run). Thus tailoring the right activities is important after a joint replacement surgery.
The Best Exercises After Hip Replacement
| Recommendation | Exercises |
| Allowed | singles tennis, low-impact aerobics, weight-training, golf, swimming, brisk walking, road cycling, rowing, dancing |
| Not-allowed | running, squash, martial arts, football, snowboarding, mountain biking, high-impact aerobics |
Exercises That Should Be avoided After Hip Replacement
After a total hip replacement, it is strongly advised to avoid high-impact activities with a high fall risk and potential for injury. Sports, including racquetball, squash, basketball, soccer, football, softball, snowboarding, and high-impact aerobics, are among those that involve movement components of running, jumping, and repetitive high impact onto the hip. Sports with tremendous impact and a higher risk of falls include downhill skiing, cross-country skiing, power weightlifting, ice skating, and rollerblading should be avoided.
Read Also: Running Towards Hip Replacement? The Truth About Joint Health for Runners
Consult With The Orthopaedic Surgeon!
Before participating in any activity, please consult your surgeon. The above information are general guidelines which may not be applicable to you. Contact orthopaedic Singapore immediately and talk to our experienced orthopaedic surgeons regarding resuming your activities.
