What Exercise and Activities Should You Avoid After Hip Replacement?

Hip surgery recovery is something you don’t want to mess around with on any level. That’s because the initial few weeks of hip replacement recovery are critical for successful healing. So, as you probably have guessed, there are a number of activities and forms of exercise that you will need to avoid in order for your surgery to heal correctly.

The most common problem that comes from a patient attempting to go back to their normal daily routine is that the individual suffers a dislocation of the hip at the point where the ball and the socket of the artificial hip come apart. Moving as you normally would places you at a greater possibility for replacement hip dislocation which leads to the necessity for corrective action in order to put the hip back into place.

Keep in mind, your range of motion and mobility are both limited right after a hip replacement operation and forcing yourself to do even the smallest things that you otherwise take for granted throughout the day can lead to significant damage.

The Way You Walk

Even the way you walk, the most basic of ambulatory functions, will need to be reconsidered and carefully performed in order to keep your hip from being dislocated and injured. Be sure that you always walk slowly and keep the toes of the foot on the affected leg pointed directly outward at all times. Try to avoid rotating your foot inward, this will increase your risk of dislocating the hip.

The Way You Sleep

Sure, we’re not always aware of our positioning when we’re asleep, but you can take some careful measures to ensure that you don’t hurt yourself while you’re getting your rest. So, in order to stay safe and prevent an injury, try to sleep on your stomach or sleep on your back with both legs slightly apart.

Sleeping on your side is not recommended, however, if that’s the only way you can fall asleep, place a pillow between your knees or use an abduction pillow. These are effective for keeping the knee immobile and reducing your risk of dislocation or injury.

The Way You Sit

Anytime you wish to sit, and you are going to want to do that often, you need to reconsider the furniture that you choose to sit down in. Avoid anything soft and/or low to the ground. That means no couches, sofas, easy chairs, recliners, bean bag chairs, anything that will force you to exert more effort in lowering and rising yourself to sit in and get out of any seated position.

Try to choose something with armrests as you can shift your weight to assist you in getting down and getting back up again. Make sure your chair or seating area is firm and you aren’t left struggling to sit or stand up.

The Way You Walk Up Stairs

If possible, avoid stairs entirely for about 2-3 weeks. Take the elevator or an escalator instead. However, if you don’t have that luxury, always use your good leg to step up first, then follow that with the leg you had operated on, and finally your crutches. Stay in that order until your leg is stronger.