How Pilates Can Assist in Knee and Hip Replacement

Are you candidate for a knee or hip replacement? Joint replacement surgery is on the rise. Many people have worn out their hips or knees from a number of different activities or trauma and need a new joint. Often this can cause pain to the point of not exercising before surgery. With a doctor’s clearance Physical Therapy and/or exercise like Pilates, to recondition the muscles before surgery, can help make the surgery more successful and recovery much faster. Having muscle imbalance is a normal part of life and can contribute to the need for a joint replacement. Pilates can help students to understand the way their body works and how to work on balance within the body. After a successful joint replacement surgery and Physical Therapy, Pilates is a helpful next step. Pilates can help strengthen the whole body and work the muscles around the new joint. This is also helpful to work around changes in gait or movement patterns that caused the need for a replacement. Many people do not realize that if movement patterns are not changed that the new joint can also wear out and need a second replacement.

My mom had her knees replaced. Pilates helped her prepare and to have less pain before surgery and with recovery after. Her favorite exercise is the Press Down on the High Chair. This exercise helps to build strength of the quadriceps, outer hips and inner thighs. It also helps to stabilize the hips which can also help with knee pain and works on alignment of the hip, knee and foot. While she was at the hospital, the doctor and nurses commented on how well she could get herself into and out of the bed because of her core strength. She passed the walk the stairs test to leave the hospital her first try. 

I have completed Continuing Education for helping students pre and post knee surgery. I love working with students to get them ready for surgery and help them get back to normal life post surgery. My joint replacement students always say that nothing makes them fell better like Pilates does. If you are getting ready for joint replacement surgery or have completed surgery and would like to set up a session with me you can email hollowayheather@mac.com.