Far from being impaired after a hip replacement, you may find that your quality of life improves and you are able to do more because the pain is gone. Once you are past the initial recovery period, exercise is actually the best medicine. Dance in general is a good option because many forms are low-impact, and can be done at slower paces until you regain your strength and flexibility. Ballet, however, may not be your best choice.
Follow Your Doctor's Advice
After your surgery, you received very specific instructions regarding recovery, which should be followed to the letter. Take the recommended rest period and do the prescribed physical therapy. Talk to your doctor about dancing on your new hip -- while it is a recommended exercise after a hip replacement, you should make sure you are in the proper stage of recovery to safely begin whatever type of dance you would like to do. Different types of implants also carry different movement restrictions, which your doctor will explain to you.
Ballet For Experienced Dancers
If you were a ballet dancer before your surgery, you should have no problem returning once your hip is recovered. In fact, according to the Rudolph Nureyev Foundation Medical Website, dancers often experience a shorter recovery period than non-dancers, even though they often express frustration at the extended downtime. British ballet dancer Wayne Sleep actually danced -- in heels -- as an ugly stepsister in a Royal Ballet production of Cinderella just 12 weeks after a total hip replacement. While your recovery may not be as swift, as a dancer, your flexibility and muscularity will work to your advantage.
New to Ballet
If you've never done ballet before and are just looking for an enjoyable exercise to rehabilitate your new hip, ballet may not be the best place to start. Even the simplest steps and positions often require an extreme outward turn to the hip, or high lifts to the front, sides and back -- all of which are specifically warned against in hip replacement post-operative instructions. If your heart is set on ballet, start with another less-demanding form of dance first until you regain your strength and flexibility, then start slowly in a beginner's class. Inform your teacher about your condition so she doesn't place undue demands on your form.
Other Dance Options
Even if ballet is temporarily out of your reach, other forms of dance may be just the thing. Ballroom dancing is as much a social event as a dance class, with the unique property of being a nice skill to have even outside the studio. Square dance is a good option in the early stages because most dances are performed at a walk, and the steps are fairly mild on the joints. As you get stronger, Latin dance will teach you how to put some movement back into the hips without causing strain or stressing the implant. Lyrical dance can help you regain fluidity of movement before you begin ballet.
References
- MedlinePlus: Hip Replacement - Physical Therapy - Reference Summary
- American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons: Activities After Hip Replacement
- Rudolph Nureyev Foundation Medical Website: Total Hip Replacement in Dancers
- Mail Online: How's the New Hip Wayne? Just 12 Weeks After Major Surgery, Wayne Sleep is Back With the Royal Ballet
