May 27th, 2021

Having Joint Surgery?
Start to Exercise Now!
The stronger your muscles are before surgery, 
the faster you will recover.

• Most joint surgery repairs bone surfaces not muscles.
• Muscles waste quickly if not used.
• Muscle wasting is common before and after surgery
• Weak wasted muscles cause:

            -  weak movements, upsetting your balance
            -  reduced joint protection
 
Before your operation you may have trouble moving because of pain and stiffness.  You need to know:

• there are ways to work a muscle without moving the joint involved or causing undue pain
• where you can go for help.

 
Here are a few simple movements you can try.   When doing these exercises hold, then let go and relax.

 Hip and Knee

Lie on bed face down (toes over end of mattress)
 
1. Lie flat on tummy for 20 minutes a day to keep your
​     hip straight.

• Squeeze buttocks 3 or more times
• Try, if you can, to lift:

           - your foot, bending your knee
           - your straight leg, an inch or so from bed to strengthen the hip
 
Lie on back with knees bent
 
2. Bend hip and knee as far as you can comfortably manage

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                 3. Lift buttocks and squeeze                           4.  Part knees as far as you can

Sit - dining chair height, thighs level and feet flat on floor

5.  Lift foot to straighten knee, this muscle is your knee support
     (practice straightening knee fully while standing, sitting or lying) 

6.  Stand up and sit down up to 10 times in quick succession

Stand (hip and knee exercises continued)

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                       7.  Stand on one leg.     8.  Walk with long strides.     9. Walk sideways with wide steps

​10.  Walk – small walks, long walks, fast walks, slow walks

Walk as far and as often as you can comfortably manage

Hands

                  11. Forearm on table,         Lift hand & make a fist.        Spread fingers out wide. 
                         palm down.                                                                      Relax.  Repeat.

​12.   Press paid of thumb against finger pads

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​13.  Bend thumb across palm and back again

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Shoulders

Lie on back
 
14.       Clasp hands and lift arms above body and over head

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Stand or Sit

                      13. Clasp wrists/hands.       16.  'Dry' back with      17. Shrug and roll shoulders
                             behind back. Move               scarf or small              - arms hanging loose
​                            away from body.                    towel.

                                       18. Sit upright swing arms            19.  Lean forward one hand on knee,
                                                                                                         swing other arm across front of 
                                                                                                         body and back, bringing elbow to
                                                                                                         shoulder.

​20.  Elbow circles

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Contact Therapy Professionals if you would like to help with these exercises - our friendly physiotherapists can help.

      Therapy Professionals
      Phone:  03 3775280
      Email:  admin@tpl.nz