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Hip Replacement Exercises

Hip replacement exercises are a vital part of the recovery process to ensure you get the best results from your new hip. Here are some exercises that are really good to do in the early stages following a hip replacement.

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They are suitable for virtually all types of total hip replacement. These exercises will help to increase:

  • Mobility: exercises will loosen up the hip helping it to bend, straighten and rotate more.

  • Strength: making it easier to do daily activities (ie walking and stairs)

 

The hip replacement exercises can also be done before having surgery to help get the hip in the best state possible.

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Hip replacement exercises help you to get the best results from your new hip.  The exercises are ordered starting with those to do in bed, then in a chair and then the exercises to do standing up so you can progress through. Choose the ones you find work best for you – keep doing them until they become too easy.

 

Please do these exercises twice daily as you recovery from hip replacement surgery and take a short walk daily.
 

Hip Replacement Exercises - Laying Down

Foot Pumps

Purpose: Promote good circulation in your leg and prevent Deep Vein Thrombosis (blood clot)

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Starting position: Laying flat on your back or sitting up. Leg and knee straight

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Action: Pull your foot up towards you, keeping the rest of your leg straight. Hold for 3 seconds. Then point your toes down away from you. Hold for 3 seconds

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Repetition: Repeat for about 1 minute every 2-3 hours

Note: You can stop doing this exercise once you are regularly walking around
 

Foot Pumps.jpg

Ankle Circles

Purpose: Promote good circulation in your leg to prevent Deep Vein Thrombosis (blood clot)

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Starting position: Laying flat on your back or sitting up. Leg and knee straight

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Action: Move your ankles as if you were drawing circles with your feet. Do this for about 1 mi-nute and then repeat in the opposite direction

 

Repetition: 1 minute in each direction every 2-3 hours

 

Note: You can stop doing this exercise once you are regularly walking around
 

Ankle Circles 2.jfif

Quad Clenches

Purpose: Maintain and strengthen the Quads without moving the knee, enable full straighten-ing of the knee

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Starting position: Laying flat on your back or sitting up. Leg and knee straight

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Action: Tighten the muscle on the front of the thigh by pushing your knee down. You should feel your thigh muscles clench. Hold for 3 seconds

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Repetition: Repeat 10-20x every 3-4 hours

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Variations: If you are struggling to get your knee to straighten fully, place a rolled up towel underneath the ankle so that your leg is lifted slightly on the bed. Then do the exercise as de-scribed. Lifting the knee up slightly lets gravity help the knee to straighten
 

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Heel Slides - Laying

Intro: This is really good hip replacement exercise to do in the early stages to loosen your hip up without needing much strength

Starting Position: Laying flat on your back or sitting up. Leg and knee straight out on a bed or along the floor

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Action: Slide your heel towards your bottom as far as you comfortably can, bending your hip and knee. Keep your heel on the bed/floor. Hold for 3-5 seconds and slowly return to starting position

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Repetition: Repeat 10-30 times, 2-3x daily. Gradually aim to bend your knee a little more each time

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Progression: Carry out the exercise as above but when you’ve bent your knee as much as you can hook a towel over the ankle and pull it towards you to help the knee bend further – you can achieve the same effect by hooking your opposite foot over the ankle and pushing with that leg to gain more knee bending

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Variations: Make the exercise easier by placing a board and/or a plastic bag underneath your foot so you have a slippery surface making it easier to move
 

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Hamstring Sets

Starting Position: Laying flat on your back. Knee bent

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Action: While laying down on your back, slightly bend your knee and then press your heel into the ground.

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Repetition: Repeat 10-30 times, 2-3x daily.

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Progression: Carry out the exercise as above but when you’ve bent your knee as much as you can hook a towel over the ankle and pull it towards you to help the knee bend further – you can achieve the same effect by hooking your opposite foot over the ankle and pushing with that leg to gain more knee bending

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Variations: Make the exercise easier by placing a board and/or a plastic bag underneath your foot so you have a slippery surface making it easier to move
 

Hamstring Sets.JPG

Short Arcs

Intro: Good strengthening exercise to start with as it doesn’t require much movement.

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Starting position: Laying flat on your back or sitting up with your leg horizontal on a flat sur-face such as a bed. Place a rolled-up towel (approximately 10cm diameter) under the knee.

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Action: Pull your toes towards you and clench you thigh muscles. Slowly lift your foot up off the bed until your knee is straight (keep your knee resting on the towel). Hold for 3-5 secs and slowly lower.

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Repetition: Repeat 10-30 times, 2-3x daily.

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Progression: Increase the size of the towel under the knee .
 

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Straight Leg Raise

Intro: Excellent hip replacement exercise for strengthening the quads without having to bend the knee. Also makes getting in and out of bed easier.   Note: Do not do this if you have a history of back problems

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Starting position: Laying flat on your back. Leg and knee straight

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Action: Pull your toes towards you and tighten/clench the muscle on the front of the thigh, locking your knee straight. Lift your foot up about 6 inches off the bed. Hold for 3-5 seconds and slowly lower. Ensure your knee stays straight the whole time

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Repetition:  Repeat 10-20 times, 2x daily

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Progression:  Add a weight once you can do this without weights (for example, by wearing a shoe, or using an ankle weight)
 

Straight Leg Raise.JPG

Bridging

Intro: Excellent hip replacement exercise for strengthening the hip extensor muscles.  

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Starting position: Laying flat on your back. Knees bent.

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Action: While laying on your back, tighten your lower abdominals, squeeze your buttocks and then raise your buttocks off the floor/bed as creating a "Bridge" with your body.

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Repetition: repeat 10-20 times, 2x daily
 

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Hip Replacement Exercises - Seated

Long Arcs

Purpose: Strengthen quads, increase mobility, great to do anytime sitting for prolonged periods (30 mins+)

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Starting position: Sitting on firm chair with knee bent and foot on floor

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Action: Lift your foot up and straighten your knee as much as possible. Hold for 3-5 seconds and slowly lower

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Repetition: 5-20 times, 3x daily

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Progression: Strengthen further by adding a weight by wearing a shoe or ankle weights
 

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Heel Slides - Sitting

Purpose: Increase mobility and aid circulation

 

Starting Position: Sitting on chair with knee bent and foot on floor

 

Action: Slide foot backwards on the floor as far as comfortable so you are bending the knee more. Hold 3-5 secs

Repetition: 10-25 reps 3x daily

 

Progression:

  1. Hook other foot around front of ankle and push backwards with it to further bend knee 

  2. Once you have slid your heel back as far as you can, raise yourself up on your chair using your arms and slide you bottom forwards keeping your foot still. You will find this makes your knee bend even more
     

Heel Slides.JPG

Buttock Clenches

Purpose: Maintain & strengthen glutes (buttocks) without knee moving. If glutes are weak, more force goes thru hip & knee

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Starting position: Laying down or sitting up

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Action: Clench your buttocks together and hold for 3 seconds. You should feel yourself rise up slightly

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Repetition: Repeat 10-20x every 3-4 hours
 

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Knee Marching

Intro: 4 exercises in one - Strengthens quads, improves hip mobility, improves circulation and loosen up the legs when you’ve been sitting for a while

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Starting Position: Sit in a chair with your feet on the floor

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Action: March your legs up and down one at a time. Lifting your knee and foot up and then back down

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Repetition: Repeat for about 1 minute, 2x daily and any time you are sitting for more than 20 minutes to stop your knee getting stiff
 

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Hip Replacement Exercises - Standing

Kick Backs (Standing Knee Raises)

Intro: This helps strengthen the knee & hip and also helps improve flexibility – both vital com-ponents of hip replacement exercises rehabilitation

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Starting Position: Stand up straight holding on to something stable eg chair or table

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Action: Lift your foot up as far as you can towards your bottom, bending the knee. Hold for 3-5 seconds

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Repetition: Repeat 5-25 times, 2x daily

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Progression: Add a weight (shoe or ankle weight)

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Note:

  1. Don’t bend forwards - keep your body upright

  2. Keep your knees in line with each other- don’t let your thigh come forwards
     

Kick Backs.JPG

Heel Raises

Purpose: Strengthen the calf muscles to help support the hip

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Starting position: Stand with your feet slightly apart, weight equally distributed, holding onto something solid for balance eg kitchen work surface or wall.

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Action: Rise up onto your toes lifting your heels as high as possible. Keep your body upright (don’t bend forwards). Hold for 3-5 seconds and slowly lower

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Repetition: Repeat 10-30 times, 2x daily
 

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Hip Abduction

Purpose: Strengthen the hip abductors to help support the hip

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Starting position: Stand with your feet slightly apart, weight equally distributed, holding onto something solid for balance eg a chair.

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Action:  While standing, raise your leg out to the side. Keep your knee straight and maintain your toes pointed forward the entire time.  Hold for 3-5 seconds and slowly lower

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Repetition: Repeat 10-30 times, 2x daily
 

Hip Abduction.JPG

Hip Extension

Purpose: Strengthen the hip muscles to help support the hip

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Starting position: Stand with your feet slightly apart, weight equally distributed, holding onto something solid for balance eg a chair.

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Action: While standing, move your leg back as shown. Use your arms for support if needed for balance and safety. 

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Repetition: Repeat 10-30 times, 2x daily
 

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