There are many things you need to think about before you have joint replacement surgery. You may need to let your boss know how many days you’ll be out, find someone to take the kids to soccer practice, and figure out many other logistics. One component of surgery preparation that should never go overlooked is preparing your body for the procedure. So, what exercises should you do so that your body is ready to undergo the procedure and recover well?
We have many pre and post-op clients at EW Motion Therapy, and our goal is to get our patients ready for surgery and help them recover well. Even if you do not choose to prepare for your procedure with us, we still want to provide some advice and some practical steps you can take to feel confident going into your surgery.
This article discusses the benefits of exercising before joint surgery, some things you should avoid, and specific areas to focus on before hip, knee, and shoulder surgery. This information may be helpful to better prepare your body for your procedure.
Benefits of exercise before joint surgery
If you were about to run a marathon, you would not show up to the start line with no prior training. Just like marathon training, you improve your chances of a better post-op result by training your body in preparation for a major procedure. Some effects of joint surgery are nearly impossible to avoid, including muscle atrophy and a loss of mobility, but doing a pre-op exercise program before your surgery can often lessen these effects.
A pre-op program that works to maintain and/or improve your current strength and mobility in the affected joint may also help shorten your healing time. Overall, when you increase your general exercise gradually and at a level that works for you, you can recover better and faster after your surgery. You can also more quickly regain the mobility and muscle mass lost during surgery. Incremental changes to your routine are the easiest on your body, but be sure to talk to your doctor if you want to make any drastic changes.
There is also a psychological benefit to this kind of preparation. If you walk into your classroom and your teacher gives you a pop quiz, that can be much more stressful than an exam you have studied for over the past week. Knowing that you have done the best things for your body will generally reduce your stress going into the procedure, and even that can affect your recovery time.
How to exercise before joint surgery
Depending on the specific procedure you are getting, you can do many exercises to help your body better adjust to your joint surgery. For any joint surgery, the goal of the exercises is to improve range of motion, strengthen the muscles surrounding the surgery site, and improve your mobility in that area. Below we have listed some examples for things to focus on as you prepare for different joint replacements. Getting professional help in preparing for surgery is always a good idea, so talk to your doctor about going to physical therapy to get specific exercises you can do to help your body prepare for the procedure.
Hip
While you strengthen the areas surrounding your hip, you should also focus on your knee and ankle and the muscles around them, since they are interconnected in how your leg moves. Also, improving core strength will help keep your whole body stable as your hip heals. Overall, increasing strength and stability in your hip and surrounding areas before surgery will help your body better adjust to your new hip.
Knee
Because your knee, hip, and ankle are all interconnected, strengthening your hip and ankle will also help your knee, as well as other surrounding muscles, including your core. When all three major leg joints are strong and can work together, your hip and ankle can continue to move normally even while your knee heals. As always, strength, stability, and mobility are great areas to improve, especially when many of the movements of your leg depend on your knee.
Shoulder
Recovery from shoulder surgery can be painful, so it is essential to build as much strength and mobility as you can before the procedure. Improving mobility and strength in your neck, elbow, and wrist can help immensely, as those three areas are interconnected in moving your arm. Another great thing to work on is grip strength - you probably won’t be able to lift much for a while after your surgery, so if you can develop a strong grip beforehand, you can more quickly get back to at least holding some things after your procedure.
What should I do after surgery?
Now you have some areas to focus on before your joint surgery. Many patients overlook this crucial part of prepping for a procedure, and it ends up making their recovery slower and more stressful. Talk to your doctor about your pre and post-op care to ensure you are doing the best things for yourself. Physical therapy can be a great way to recover after surgery and get your body back to the level it was at before. If you get a referral from your doctor, it will most likely be covered by your health insurance.
We see both pre and post-op patients at EW Motion Therapy. We want to help your surgery go as smoothly as possible by preparing you physically and mentally for the procedure and recovery process. If you are interested in pre or post-op care from us, fill out the Request an Appointment form on our website, and someone from our staff will contact you within 48 hours with your next steps.
