Your surgeon or physical therapist will let you know when to start these exercises.
Exercise is important after surgery. It helps:
- your new hip get stronger and more flexible
- prevent blood clots
- you get back to your normal everyday activities sooner
The exercises may feel uncomfortable at first, but it’s important that you keep doing them.
Your healthcare team may suggest you add some or all of the exercises below to the ones you were doing before surgery.
Your healthcare team will tell you how often to do the exercises, how many times to repeat each one, and how much force or pressure you can put on your new hip.
- Do the exercises on both legs. This will keep both of your legs strong and flexible.
- Do the exercises slowly and with control.
- Don’t force your new hip into a position that causes you pain or discomfort.
- Lie on your side with hips and knees bent. Put a pillow between your knees.
- Lift the top knee off the pillow like a clam shell opening.
- Keep your feet together. Don’t twist or use your back muscles.
- Hold for a count of 3 to 5 and slowly lower the knee to the pillow.
- Repeat at least 5 times.
- Lie on your back and bend 1 leg.
- Lighten your stomach muscles and lift your bent leg. Don’t bend your leg more than 90 degrees.
- Keeping your stomach muscles tight, slowly lower your leg back to the starting position.
- Repeat at least 5 times.
- Lie on your stomach. Put a small flat pillow under your stomach.
- Tighten your backside (buttocks) and lift one leg.
- Hold for a count of 3 to 5 and slowly lower your leg.
- Repeat at least 5 times.
- Lie on your stomach, with your legs straight.
- Bend your knee and lift your heel toward your backside.
- Slowly lower your leg to the starting position.
- Repeat at least 5 times.
- Sit in a sturdy chair and put an elastic loop around both ankles.
- Lift 1 foot while you keep your leg straight. Keep your other foot on the floor as you stretch the elastic loop with your raised foot.
- Slowly lower your foot back to the starting position.
- Repeat at least 5 times.
- Sit in a sturdy chair. Put an elastic loop around both ankles.
- Put 1 foot on a stool. Pull the other foot back under the chair as you stretch the elastic loop. Keep the other foot still on the stool as you stretch the elastic.
- Slowly move your foot to the starting position.
- Repeat at least 5 times.
- Sit in a sturdy chair. Put an elastic loop around both thighs and keep both feet flat on the floor.
- Pull your legs apart so your feet slide out along the floor to stretch the elastic loop.
- Hold for a count of 3 to 5.
- Slowly move your legs together to the starting position.
- Repeat at least 5 times.
- Have someone put one end of an elastic loop around a leg of furniture that’s heavy or won’t move easily. Put the other end of the loop around one ankle.
- Hold onto the table for balance and stand up straight.
- Pull your leg out to the side as you stretch the elastic loop. Keep your leg straight and squeeze the muscles in your backside.
- Hold for a count of 3 to 5 and slowly return to the starting position.
- Repeat at least 5 times.
- Have someone put one end of an elastic loop around a leg of furniture that’s heavy or won’t move easily. Put the other end of the loop around one ankle.
- Stand up straight, face the table, and hold onto it for balance.
- Pull your ankle back and away from the table to stretch the elastic loop. Keep your leg straight.
- Hold for a count of 3 to 5 and go back to the starting position.
- Repeat at least 5 times.
- Have someone put one end of an elastic loop around a leg of furniture that’s heavy or won’t move easily. Put the other end of the loop around one ankle.
- Stand up straight and face away from the table. Hold onto the table for balance.
- Push your ankle forward as you stretch the elastic loop away from the table. Keep your leg straight.
- Hold for a count of 3 to 5 and slowly go back to the starting position.
- Repeat at least 5 times.
- Place something solid that’s 5 to 10 cm (2 to 4 inches) thick on the floor to use as a step (like a book or a yoga block).
- Hold onto a table or counter for balance. Step up on the object.
- Slowly step back down.
- Repeat at least 5 times.
- Place something solid that’s 5 to 10 cm (2 to 4 inches) thick on the floor to use as a step (like a book or a yoga block).
- Hold onto a table or counter for balance. Step up sideways onto the object.
- Slowly step back down.
- Repeat at least 5 times.
- Hold onto a sturdy chair, table, or counter for balance. Shift your weight onto one leg as you lift the other foot off the floor.
- Try to keep your knees apart. Don’t lean or tip to one side as you move.
- Balance on your leg for 30 seconds.
- Lower your foot to the floor.
- Repeat 5 times.
- Lie on your side. Bend your bottom leg so you don’t roll onto your back.
- With your top leg straight, lift it toward the ceiling. Don’t roll forward or backward. Keep your knee facing forward.
- Slowly lower your leg.
- Repeat at least 5 times.
For more information on physiotherapy services in Alberta go to
Physiotherapy Services.
