Home Therapy Exercises Before Hip or Knee Replacement

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Home
Therapy Exercises
Before

Hip or Knee

Replacement


Exercising before Surgery

Low-impact exercises help to relieve stiffness and pain associated
with an arthritic joint. Exercising before surgery will help strengthen
your muscles in addition to
getting you mentally ready for the recovery
process by familiarizing
you with some common exercises after surgery.

The American Association of Hip and Knee Sur
geons (AAHKS)
have outlined a home exercise program for you before your hip or knee
replacement. This handout accompanies our patient exercise videos
that you can find at (https://hipknee.aahks.org). Exercises will focus on
Stretching, Strengthening, and Endurance.

This program starts with a warm-
up period of stretching followed by
strengthening and endurance exercises.
Taking over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications (ibuprofen, naproxen,
meloxicam) or Acetaminophen before or after exercising ca
n help with swelling
and discomfort. Please check with your primary care doctor before starting any
anti-inflammatory medications especially if you have had heart, stomach,
kidney issues in the past.
We recommend brief warm
-up and cool-down
periods before and after exercising.

Exercising should not cause excessive pain or discomfort. If you feel
discomfort, stop the exercise or alter the motion so that you are more
comfortable. Sometimes your arthritic hip or knee limits your ability to perform
certain exercises. Listen to your body and try to perform these exercises to the
best of your ability.
Remember putting the work in before surgery will make
your recovery easier.
We recommend attempting these exercises at least 3-4 days a week for 30-60 minutes each day. You
can break up your exercise routine and do some exercises in the morning and others in the afternoon or
perform different groups of exercises on different days.

DISCLAIMER
PLEASE USE THESE EXERCISES AS A GUIDE AS IT IS ULTIMATELY BETWEEN YOUR AND YOUR SURGEON TO
DECIDE WHICH THERAPY SETTING IS RIGHT FOR YOU BEFORE YOUR SURGERY. YOUR SURGEON MAY
RECOMMEND ALTERATIONS TO THIS ROUTINE. IF YOU EXPERIENCE ANY ABNORMAL DISCOMFORT,
DIZZINESS, OR FEELINGS OF PASSING OUT, PLEASE STOP EXERCISING AND CONTACT YOUR PHYSICIAN AS
SOON AS POSSIBLE.
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STRETCHING EXERCISES



Stretching helps to prevent injury by getting the muscles ready for a workout. Typically, patients are
advised to spend
5-10 minutes stretching before exercising. A heating pad or warm towel can be used to help
relax the muscles in preparation for stretching. The following stretches can also be performed in-between
exercises to
keep the muscles from getting tight. It is recommended that your exercise program begin and
end with stretches. Ice can be applied to the hip or knee joint after exercising. Muscle memory (or training
your muscles to move in a certain way so that it becomes second nature) is an important process to get your
muscles ready to work after surgery, so why not start preparing before surgery!!!