If you’re at the point where you are considering hip replacement surgery, there’s a good chance that hip discomfort is slowing you down. Once you’ve slowed down a bit, it can be a little difficult to transition back to a more active lifestyle, even if your hip surgery has addressed some of your underlying discomfort. With that in mind, we want to use today’s blog to share some tips for becoming more active following a hip replacement procedure.
Becoming More Active After Hip Replacement
If you want to become more active while also ensuring that you’re not putting your artificial hip at risk of a problem after your replacement procedure, here are some tips we recommend:
- Dive Into PT – Physical therapy is incredibly important for the long-term health and function of your hip. The weeks that follow your hip replacement procedure will be key for reestablishing strength and flexibility in your new hip, and when your hip is stronger and more mobile, it’s easier to lead an active life. If you miss this key recovery window, it’s unlikely you’ll make the strongest recovery possible, and that can hamper your activity goals. PT will be the single best thing you can do to restore function in your surgically-replaced hip, so dive head first into your in-clinic sessions and your home exercises.
- Take Things Slow – We understand that you’re probably excited to get back to certain physical activities after surgery, but it’s important to take things slow. Pushing yourself too hard or stepping outside your movement restrictions early in your recovery can lead to a significant setback that could compromise hip function or force you to undergo another procedure. Know that you’ll get there eventually, but you need to shoot for gradual improvements with your recovery, otherwise you may be prone to a setback.
- Rethink Your Exercise – Whether you’re excited to get back to exercising after hip replacement or you simply understand that regular exercise is important for the long-term health of your hip and body, it pays to rethink your exercise plans after joint replacement surgery. High-impact activities may not be ideal, especially early in your recovery. Running or gym routines that involve significant or repetitive jumps can overload the hip joint, so steer clear of those until you get approval from your surgeon. Stick to low-impact exercises at the outset, like walking, cycling, or swimming.
- Always Respect Long-Term Limitations – When you’re living an active lifestyle, it’s always important to keep your long-term limitations in mind. Contact sports or long-distance running may be out of the picture forever, so accept those limitations. All it takes is one mistake to greatly compromise your hip function, so abide by those long-term movement restrictions.
- Stay Active – Movement begets more movement, and conversely, inactivity breeds more inactivity. Oftentimes the easiest way to become more active is to challenge yourself to be more active each day. That sounds obvious, but as you seek out more activity, your body and your brain will begin to crave and expect this movement. Being active can be habit forming, but the opposite is also true, so if you push yourself to get used to activity, you may find that it’s easier to stay active in the long run.
- Manage Your Weight – It will also be easier to stay active if you work towards a healthy weight. Being overweight or obese will put more strain on your new hip, which can lead to discomfort during activity. Losing just a little weight can take an immense amount of stress off your hip, which can make movement and activity much easier. It won’t be easy, but by improving your diet and getting regular exercise, you can shed some extra pounds and become more active.
Hip replacement surgery can help you become more active and greatly improve your overall quality of life, but that won’t just happen on its own after surgery. You need to come in with the right mindset and push yourself to become more active so that movement remains easy to come by as you get older.
For help with a specific hip issue, or to connect with a hip replacement specialist who can help you become more active in spite of your hip discomfort, reach out to Dr. Botero’s office today at (865) 558-4444.
