A hip replacement is a serious surgery no matter what your age, and rehabilitative exercises are required to help restore normal hip function after your surgery. A hip replacement consists of the surgical removal of the top of your thigh bone and replacing it with a piece of steel that is shaped like the joint of your thigh. Your doctor is likely to prescribe rehabilitative exercises to begin about a week after your surgery, to ensure that you return to your previous activity level.
Ankle Pumps
Lie down on your back on the bed with your affected leg extended and your toes pointing toward the ceiling. Use the muscles of your leg to point your toes and pull your toes back as far as they will go. You can begin performing this exercise almost immediately after surgery, if prescribed by your doctor. Perform as many repetitions as you can, resting for five to 10 minutes between sets.
Heel Slides
Lie down on your back with your feet about shoulder-width apart and both knees straight. Bend your affected leg while keeping your heel on the bed. Slide your heel toward your buttocks while keeping your knee completely vertical, carefully watching to ensure that it doesn't roll to one side or the other. Hold this position for a couple of seconds and then use a slow and controlled motion to return to the starting position. Perform 10 repetitions of this exercise three to four times a day or as recommended by your physician.
Quadriceps Set
Lie down on your bed with both legs extended and your toes pointing toward the ceiling. You may want to place a rolled-up towel under your affected knee. Tighten your thigh muscle and press your leg down as if you were trying to push the back of your knee into your mattress. Hold this contraction for about 10 seconds and relax. Repeat 10 times in 10 minutes, continuing until the muscles on top of your thigh are exhausted.
Standing Leg Lifts
Stand with your uninjured leg beside a table or sturdy counter and place a hand on the table for support. Shift your weight until your body is supported by your unaffected leg and allow the other leg to rest gently on the floor. Lift your affected leg while keeping the knee straight, until your foot is about 2 feet in front of your support leg. Hold this position for a couple of seconds and then return to the starting position. Do as many of these exercises as you can until your leg is exhausted.
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