Patient/caregiver was instructed upon exercises to help prepare for hip joint replacement surgery as follows:

  1. Pain in the joint can be a deterrent for participation in the exercise schedule. Taking a pain medication 30 minutes before the exercise schedule can help with better pain control and improved compliance with therapy.
  2. Placing an ice pack on the hip joint for 30 minutes before and after the therapy session can add to control of pain and swelling in the joint.
  3. These sets of exercises to strengthen the hip are to be performed 3 – 4 times every day. Fix scheduled time slots during your day to perform your hip exercises.
  4. Individuals strengthening their muscles around the hip joint before surgery can have an easier and faster recovery from the hip replacement surgery.
  5. Based on the condition of the hip and other coexisting factors, limitations could be recommended on performance of some exercises in some individuals. Check with your physician and therapist for any limitations recommended before performing these exercises.

Ankle pump exercises:

  1. In individuals with arthritis of the hip, pain and swelling limit the mobility and range of motion in the joint.
  2. Consequently, blood tends to pool in the deep veins of the limb and increase risk for clot formation.
  3. Ankle pump exercises are important to keep the blood moving up along the veins in lower extremities, prevent pooling of blood due to gravity, and thus prevent formation of clots.
  4. You can perform this exercise in either sitting up or laying down in bed.
  5. Pump the ankles up and down for 20 times every hour.
  6. Observe compliance with practicing the recommended number of ankle pumps every day to help keep the blood moving.

Quad set exercises:

  1. This exercise strengthens quadriceps muscle, the big muscle on the front of the thigh.
  2. This muscle helps with flexing or bending the hip during walking, running, standing to sitting posture, climbing stairs, jumping, and squatting.
  3. You can sit in the bed or on any firm surface, legs stretched out in front of you on the bed, with the knee and toes pointing straight up. In this position, push your knee down so that the back of the knee touches the surface of the bed, tighten the muscle in front of the thigh, and hold it for a count of 5 seconds.
  4. After 5 seconds relax the muscle in front of the thigh for 5 seconds.
  5. Then you can repeat the task by pushing down the back of knee against the surface of bed, holding it for a count of 5 seconds, and then relaxing for 5 seconds.
  6. Repeat this pattern for 10 – 15 sets of quad exercises.