Living with joint pain after surgery can be difficult, but there are exercises that can help. They might not look like they’re doing much, but these exercises will improve your recovery and quality of life more than anything else can. Whether you’ve had knee, hip, or any other joint surgeries, performing certain types of exercise during your routine can strengthen joints, increase mobility, and quicken healing processes.
At Prime Surgical Suites, we know how important it is to strengthen your joints after surgery, and this blog post will tell you about the best 5 exercises for doing so.
Why Is It Important To Strengthen Joints After Surgery?
The right exercises are vital for a successful recovery following joint surgery because they:
- Improve Joint Health: Specific activities reduce stiffness while improving flexibility.
- Speed Up Healing: Regular movement increases blood flow, which is essential for healing.
- Prevent Future Injuries: When muscles around joints are strengthened, they offer better support and stability.
This means that post-surgery joint strengthening should not only focus on relieving pain now but also provide a foundation for future health and mobility.
What You Should Know Before Starting Exercise
Before starting an exercise program after surgery, there are a few things to keep in mind:
- Consult Your Doctor First: Make sure that whatever new workout plan you have in mind is allowed by your physician, considering the current state of health after the operation has been taken into consideration.
- Listen To Your Body: Begin with low-intensity workouts, then gradually raise intensity levels as tolerance increases. Excessive pressure may result in setbacks during the recuperation period, hence overdoing it should be avoided at all costs.
Taking these points into account before beginning your routine will save you time and effort by preventing complications that could delay your recovery from an operation.
Top 5 Exercises For Strengthening Your Joints Post-Surgery
Ankle Pumps
- Instructions: Lie down with your legs elevated. Pump your feet up and down by flexing at the ankle joint back and forth for 10-15 times each leg.
- Benefits: This motion can prevent blood clots from forming while encouraging healthy blood flow throughout that area.
Quad Sets
- Instructions: While sitting or lying down, straighten out one leg, tighten thigh muscles so as to press the kneecap against the floor, then relax them again. Repeat this process about 10-15 times per leg.
- Benefits: Strong quads support knees, making them stable during movement, hence reducing pain experienced after operations such as total knee replacements, among others.
Heel Slides
- Instructions: Lie flat on your back, keeping legs straight. Slowly bend one knee, sliding the corresponding foot towards the buttock until maximum flexion is reached, before returning it to its initial position. Then switch over, doing the same thing for the opposite side. Do this repeatedly for 10-15 reps per leg.
- Benefits: They increase the range of motion around affected parts, thereby reducing rigidity and enhancing the healing process while minimizing discomfort associated with lack thereof postoperatively.
Straight Leg Raises
- Instructions: Lie supine (face up) with both knees bent but feet placed flat on the floor. Tighten the front of the thigh, lifting one lower limb off the ground. Hold for a few seconds, then lower it down, repeating the same action 10-15 times for each extremity.
- Benefits: It strengthens extensors so that they can bear more weight during walking or even running, thus improving overall functional capacity around lower limbs, especially after total hip replacement surgery, among other procedures.
Glute Bridges
- Instructions: Lie supine (face up) with knees bent and feet flat on the surface. Contract buttock muscles, lifting the pelvis off the ground until the trunk forms a straight line from knees to shoulders. Hold for a few seconds, then bring it back down, repeating the same action 10-15 times.
- Benefits: These strengthen the posterior chain, including lower back, hamstrings, etc., thereby reducing the risk of developing chronic pains associated with weak muscles along this area after lumbar fusion surgery, among others.
Helpful Hints for Recovery Success
Consistency is necessary for an proper recovery. Here are some helpful hints:
- Stay Consistent: Regular workouts help you recover faster, so make sure to set days aside each week.
- Listen To Your Body: If anything hurts or feels uncomfortable while exercising, then don’t do it! Never push yourself too hard, because this will only delay progress and may even cause more damage than good.
The Importance of Professional Help
Working with physical therapists offers several advantages during recovery, such as:
- Personalized Exercise Plans: Physical therapists can design plans based around what each individual patient needs, which guarantees that every move made counts towards getting better again.
- Expert Supervision: Having someone who knows exactly how certain exercises should be done watching over ensures they’re performed right every time. This reduces the risk of injury while maximizing the results achieved through them.
Trust the Experts at Prime Surgical
After surgery, one must strengthen joints to regain mobility and enhance overall quality of life. These top five exercises will not only speed up healing but also create a strong base for future health. Should post-operation rehabilitation become difficult or require special attention, please contact us directly at Prime Surgical Suites, where our team located in Granite Falls, NC, would gladly assist you throughout your entire journey towards living without pain.
Patient care is at the heart of everything Prime Surgical Suites does. Our dynamic group of expert physicians leads the way by providing advanced techniques and facilities, an enlightened approach to affordable treatment and care, and a profoundly personal connection to everyone we care for. Contact us today to schedule an opportunity to learn more.