PHYSIO FOR JOINT REPLACEMENT SURGERY

New hip or knee, here I come….

Joint replacement surgery is reaching new levels. Nowadays it is not uncommon to be at an exercise class, on the chair lift at a ski hill or talking to someone at work and they mention having had a joint (or two) replaced.

If you are going to be having some joint surgery, there are a few things that are helpful to know.  The fitter and more active you are when you have the procedure done, the quicker you will get back to normal. So, while you are waiting for the surgery, rather than doing less and less activity due to your pain, find different activities or make some modifications.  Here are some ideas:

• If you like walking and usually walk and hour a day, try using walking poles to unload the joints and have 4x 15-minute walks a day instead of one hour all at once, it amounts to the same in the end.

• If you usually run or hike, try water walking or water running. Exercising in the water provides resistance for muscles, cardiovascular conditioning and  significantly less loading for the joints.

What is the best exercise?
It is the one that you like to do.

What is the best time of day to exercise?
It is the time of day that suits your lifestyle and body clock.