Listen To This Post!
Hip replacement surgery is something that most people get when they are older, but you don’t have to be old to need a hip replacement, and there are many reasons why someone may want one. I had hip replacement surgery a few years ago because I have a condition called hip dysplasia, which is a medical condition where the hip socket does not fully cover the ball portion of the upper thigh, which often leads to partial or full dislocation of your hip. I was born with both of my hips fully dislocated, which is one of the many reasons I walk with crutches, but it is completely harmless to walk around with dislocated hips, and usually doctors only recommend you do something about it if it starts to cause you pain. Leg braces can help keep your hips in the right alignment but sometimes surgery is recommended because it’s the only way to truly correct it. Exercise plays a huge role in recovering from hip replacement surgery because you can’t expect to gain strength without moving your body, but it is harder when you lose mobility. How do you exercise after hip replacement surgery? In this post, I am going to talk about how I accommodated my mobility loss and exercised after hip replacement surgery.
Start with walking- When I had hip replacement surgery, I had to be on bed rest for three months because I have limited sensation in my legs, and you can’t teach me how to walk with limited pressure like you can with most people, and it’s all or nothing. I had to wait until I got some healing before it was safe for me to walk, and because I was down longer than I normally would be for surgeries, I became weaker than I ever thought possible, but there wasn’t a lot I could have done to completely prevent that from happening. I was very shaky when I was first given the green light to start walking, and it was really hard at first, but the more I walked, the easier it got. Walking after hip replacement was hard because my hip was now in the correct position, and I had to learn a new way to walk that I was not used to. The one thing I made sure I didn’t skip for several months after hip surgery was my walking workouts. If you are just starting to exercise after hip replacement, walking is one of the best low-impact forms of exercise you can do for yourself. You don’t have to do anything fancy or add resistance, and all you have to do is make walking part of your daily routine.
Get some light ankle weights– If you are still very weak and can barely hold yourself up, I would not do a workout with resistance because if you can’t hold yourself up without weights, you are not going to be able to support yourself with weights. After you have gained enough strength and your doctor has cleared you to do resistance workouts, light ankle weights can help you continue to gain strength faster than walking without them. I have been recovering from hip replacement for about three years because I had some setbacks and needed revision surgery that made my recovery longer, but recently, I started walking with light ankle weights to help me continue to gain strength. I only walk around with two pounds on each leg because it doesn’t take a lot of weight for me to feel resistance in my legs, but a little can go a long way. Ankle weights are a great, inexpensive investment, and I not only use them for my legs, but I also use them for my arms when I am strength training.
Do some stretches- When you have hip replacement surgery, your hip flexors are going to be tight because anytime you have surgery where a lot of work is done, things get tight, which makes exercise more difficult. People often prioritize their workout and neglect stretching, but flexibility is just as important as your workout because your muscles get tight when you exercise, and if you don’t stretch them, it increases the likelihood of getting injured, and you need flexibility to be able to perform well. When you have Spina Bifida, it can be hard to find effective hip stretches because a lot of the standard stretches want you to get in positions that are impossible or doesn’t feel like it’s doing anything, but stretching can be so beneficial, even if all you can do is sit on the floor and spread your legs out as far as it’s comfortable. Stretching can help relieve pain, and a lot of the time we have pain because we don’t stretch.
Practice extending your legs and holding it- Some disabled people are not going to have the ability to do a static hold, but I do. When I first started exercising after hip replacement surgery, it was really hard to extend my legs and hold them for a few seconds, which was something that came easily to me before surgery. I did not have the strength to hold my legs up for very long at first, but the only way you are going to get better at something is by practicing doing it. I can’t extend my legs and hold them like I could before surgery, and it takes more effort, but I am much better at it than I was when I started. You can always add weight if it’s too easy, but if you can barely support your legs by themselves, I would start with no weight and increase the time before you add resistance. Static holds are a great low-impact way to improve your hip strength, and you don’t need any equipment.
Go for a swim- As a disabled person, I do not love swimming because I personally find it boring and can’t motivate myself to do it. Swimming is a great low-impact form of exercise for disabled people or anyone recovering from hip replacement surgery, and it’s a great activity to do in the heat of summer.
Get some resistance bands– If you want to add resistance to your workouts but aren’t quite ready for ankle weights a resistance band can be another inexpensive option because a band does not provide as much resistance as weights, but you will still feel resistance if you use a band. There are many different types of resistance bands, and if you are going to use them for your legs, I would recommend you get a booty band because they are designed for your legs, and there are so many different types of exercise you can do with a band that the possibilities are endless. Weighted workouts are great, but I also love resistance exercises because they train your body in a slightly different way, and it’s good to do both.
Do some strength training- I love strength training because you can choose what body part you want to work, and it’s an easy way to gain strength with limited equipment. When I strength train, I mostly target my arms because when you walk with crutches, strong arms are important, but my legs can also be involved. Strength training will improve all areas of your life, and it’s not just about having big muscles. Regular strength training strengthens your joints in ways cardio does not which will make your life easier.
Exercise after hip replacement surgery is hard, and most days, exercising is going to be the last thing you want to do, but it does get easier. Before I had hip replacement surgery, I was able to do more advanced exercises, but since losing mobility, I have had to make some accommodations to my exercise routine and lift heavier weights because when your leg doesn’t fully extend, you can’t get in a full plank position, and it’s harder to challenge yourself. It is frustrating that I can’t do exercise I use to be able to do but that is no excuse not to exercise because you most certainly will never be able to do those exercises again if you don’t try. Exercise is something that I have always done because if you don’t use the muscles you have, you’ll lose function in those muscles that you may not be able to get back. As much as I hate walking, I think I would hate it more if I weren’t able to walk because my crutches give me so much freedom. How do you exercise after hip replacement surgery? If you liked this post, please leave a comment below and share it with your friends.
Subscribe And Never Miss A Post
My Rockin Disabled Life 