This January, I’m having a hip replacement. I spend a lot of time at Be Simply Fit helping people figure out how to keep moving when their bodies change. Now I’m working through that same question myself. What can I do between now and surgery to stay active and maintain the strength I use every day? I’m sharing what I’m doing because some of you may be facing a hip replacement of your own. There can be a long stretch between making the decision and getting to surgery day. It can be frustrating when an activity you’ve always counted on, like going for a walk, starts to depend on how your hip feels that day. Having a few exercises I can return to gives me something practical to focus on while I wait. This phase is often called prehab, short for prehabilitation. For me, it means keeping up with movement I can tolerate and working the muscles that help me get up, walk, and handle the ordinary things I want to keep doing. Preparing for surgery gives me a different way to measure a workout. A session can be worthwhile even if I pedal a little less or use less resistance than I expected.
- I ride my recumbent bike for 20 to 30 minutes a day.
The recumbent bike is the daily part of my routine. The seat supports my back, and I can adjust the pace and resistance without having to get off the bike. That gives me a way to do some steady cardiovascular work on days when walking for the same amount of time is less comfortable. One thing I like about the bike is that the effort is easy to adjust. If the hip feels stiff or sensitive, I have room to ease up. The 20 to 30 minutes describes what I’m doing right now. If you’re starting from a few minutes, those few minutes give you a place to begin and a chance to see how your body responds.
- I use a hip abduction and adduction machine.
Those two words sound almost the same, but they describe opposite directions. Abduction is moving the legs outward and working muscles on the outside of the hips. Adduction is bringing the legs inward and working the inner thighs. I’m using the machine to strengthen muscles around the hip in both directions. As a trainer, I think about where I use those muscles away from the machine. I use the muscles on the outside of my hip to help steady my pelvis as I shift my weight from one foot to the other. I use my inner thighs to help control my legs when I change direction. A side step in a crowded kitchen may seem like a small thing, but it’s the kind of movement I want to feel confident doing.
- I do weighted straight leg raises.
In a straight leg raise, I lift my leg while keeping my knee straight, then lower it under control. The hip flexors at the front of the hip do the lifting, and the quadriceps at the front of the thigh help keep the knee straight. I include this movement to work the front of my hip and thigh. I use added weight in my own routine, and that’s the detail I’d be most careful about copying. Even without weight, a straight leg raise can be demanding. If lifting your leg brings on groin pain, tell your physical therapist before adding resistance. There may be a different movement that lets you work those muscles more comfortably.
- I do hamstring curls.
The hamstrings are the muscles along the back of the thigh. A hamstring curl works them by bending the knee against resistance. I include curls because I want to give the back of my legs some attention alongside the work I’m doing for the front and sides. I focus on making the lowering part as deliberate as the curl itself. That’s something I teach in the studio, too. When you can slow a repetition down and control both parts of it, you get a clearer sense of how much resistance you can handle that day.
If you’re preparing for a hip replacement
Start by asking your surgeon or physical therapist which movements are appropriate for you and whether you have any limits on range of motion, resistance, or duration. A good question to bring is, “What can I work on now that will help me with the things I want to keep doing?” Your answer might be getting out of a chair more easily, staying active enough to walk the dog, or feeling steadier when you step into the shower. That everyday goal gives you a starting point.
If you’ve been cleared to exercise and would like help putting that guidance into practice, I’d love to work with you. I offer one-on-one personal training at Be Simply Fit in Ocean Acres, Manahawkin, NJ, with a focus on adults 55 and older. We can talk through what your care team has recommended, what equipment feels comfortable, and how to build a routine that fits your week. The training supports the plan you and your healthcare team have agreed on.
I’m heading into January with a better appreciation for what it takes to keep showing up when movement feels different from one day to the next. If you’re in that stretch of time before surgery and could use some help getting started, send me a private message or email me at besimplyfit23@gmail.com. Tell me one everyday activity you’d like to feel more confident doing. That’s a good place for us to begin.
Jim Burns
NASM Certified Personal Trainer | Senior Fitness Specialist
Be Simply Fit | Ocean Acres, Manahawkin, NJ