topbonedoc.com

Staying active as you age has many benefits, including preserving your bone health. For more information and tips for staying active safely, visit http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00237.

By working within your physician’s game plan, you can often safely return to resuming most routine activities following joint replacement surgery and rehabilitation. Recovery from surgery is a process that should be outlined and monitored by your physician and physical therapist.

Exercise is a critical component of home care, particularly during the first few weeks after surgery. You should be able to resume most normal light activities of daily living within three to six weeks following surgery. Some discomfort with activity and at night is common for several weeks.

Under the guidance of your surgeon and therapist, your activity program may include:

• A graduated walking program, initially in your home and later outside
• A walking program to slowly increase your mobility and endurance
• Resuming other normal household activities
• Resuming sitting, standing, and walking up and down stairs
• Specific exercises several times a day to restore movement
• Specific exercises several times a day to strengthen your hip joint
• You may wish to have a physical therapist help you at home

Following surgery, some patients may be advised to avoid certain activities, including jogging and high-impact sports, for the rest of their life while others may resume normal activities when strength returns and they have received clearance from their physician and therapist. Recovery and return to activity is dependent upon many factors including the patient’s condition, age, type of surgery and abilities.

In general, the success of surgery depends in large measure on how well patients follow the instructions of the surgeon and therapist during the first few weeks after surgery.  Helping patients return to normal activity and maximum independence are the end goals.

For more information, visit http://www.bone-fix.com/ or call 239-368-8277.

If you are suffering from joint pain, gentle exercise can help lessen your pain, especially if you weigh more than you should. Before beginning any exercise program, consult your physician. The extra pressure on your joints can make symptoms worse. Here are some tips to help you get started:

• Schedule time to exercise daily for at least 20 minutes per day
• Be sure to stretch muscles before and after exercise
• Choose low-impact sports such as biking, walking and swimming
• Start slowly and increase your exercise over time
• Before beginning any exercise program, consult your physician
• If you are overweight, consult your physician about starting a weight loss program
• Eat healthy, live healthy

For more information, call 239-368-8277 or visit www.bone-fix.com.

Following shoulder surgery, regular exercises to restore your normal shoulder motion and flexibility and a gradual return to everyday work and recreational activities are important for your full recovery.

Your orthopaedic surgeon and physical therapist may recommend that you exercise from 10 to 15 minutes several times a day during your early recovery period.

To help you better understand your exercise and activity program, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons has developed the following guide:  http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00067

For more information, call 239-368-8277 or visit www.bone-fix.com.

After undergoing hip replacement surgery, it is important to discuss restrictions and expectations about the types of activities and when you may resume them with your orthopaedic surgeon. Driving, sexual activity, walking and other everyday activities will all be impacted in some way.  

Driving
Driving may be resumed in accordance with the type of surgery you had. If the surgery was performed on your right side, your surgeon may ask you to wait longer than if you had surgery on the left side, assuming you drive a car with automatic transmission. In any case you must be able to move the leg easily from the gas pedal to the brake, and that time typically varies from two to eight weeks depending on multiple factors. 

Sexual Activity
Resumption of sexual activity may be recommended anywhere from four to six weeks following surgery depending on the type of surgery. Your surgeon and physical therapist will discuss positions that maintain appropriate hip precautions if applicable.

Walking and Stairs
Generally, your physical therapist, in coordination with your surgeon, will design a physical therapy program based on your surgery and abilities. Initially, this may involve using a walking aid (e.g., walker, crutches) and progressing to using a cane. Eventually no supportive devices will be needed as long as there are no other problems that require long-term use of a walking aid. In most cases, patients resume climbing steps by beginning with smaller-height steps and gradually progress to standard-height steps.

Work Activities
Determining your return to work will depend both on your surgeon and the type of work you do. Some individuals may require modifications of their job, while others may easily return to their previous activities.

Leisure and Sport Activities
In some cases, there are risks associated with certain types of leisure and sport activities. Some activities such as high-impact activities may need to be reduced to limit damage of your artificial joint over time due to wear and tear of the joint.

Lower-stress activities such as golf, hiking, walking, biking, stationary skiing (e.g., Nordic Track), and swimming are excellent forms of exercise for individuals with a hip replacement. Others may also be considered for long-term sports or leisure activities including cross-country skiing, doubles tennis, table tennis, and bowling.

The way the new hip performs depends on your age, weight, activity level and other factors. There are potential risks and recovery takes time. If you have conditions that limit rehabilitation, you should not have this surgery. Only an orthopaedic surgeon can tell you if hip replacement is right for you. For more information, visit www.bone-fix.com or call 239-368-8277.

Physical therapy can be helpful in the management of osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and other joint conditions. Your physician may prescribe physical therapy as a treatment option or for post-surgical recovery.

Some exercises that a physical therapist may recommend include:

• Isometric (“pushing”) exercises to help build muscle strength without subjecting inflamed joints to excessive wear
• Isotonic (“pulling”) exercises to further increase muscle strength and help preserve function
• Daily walking, using a cane or other assistive device as needed

For more information, visit www.bone-fix.com or call 239-368-8277.

As we grow older we tend to become less active. This is often a slow process that leaves us overweight and out of shape before we know it. How can we stop this process? The first step toward a more active, healthy lifestyle is exercise. Here are some helpful guidelines from the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons:

Why is Exercise Important?

A safe, effective exercise program can help reduce some of the aches and pains that are a part of getting older. It can also slow down the progression of conditions associated with aging. For example:

• Keeping active helps you maintain your ability to walk, which is especially important to maintain your independence.
• Exercise can improve and maintain balance and posture, reducing your risk of falling.
• Exercise can improve your strength, endurance and flexibility. It promotes bone strength. Repeated mild stress on our bones helps them maintain their calcium content and structure.
• Exercise also helps to maintain muscle mass and tone. After age 30 we start losing muscle mass. Exercise stimulates muscle growth and slows this process. Muscle also uses more calories than fat tissue. As we increase or maintain our muscle mass we create a better ‘metabolic machine’ for burning calories.
• Exercise is also important for joint health. Repetitive motion promotes the body’s natural process of lubricating joint surfaces. This may help lessen joint stiffness and achiness.
• The stronger your muscles are, the more weight and stress they can handle. Stronger muscles protect your joints. As we age our joints begin to gradually weaken from typical wear and tear. Stronger muscles take weight and stress away from your joints.

Top of page

A Balanced Exercise Program

An effective exercise program is made up of several components: aerobic conditioning, flexibility and agility exercises, strength training and relaxation techniques. Before starting an exercise program be sure to talk with your doctor, especially if you have a heart problem or history of heart disease.

Aerobic Conditioning improves the health of your heart and lungs. It also helps to manage your weight. With aerobic exercise, you move continuously to increase your heart rate and keep it elevated for a sustained period of time. How long you can exercise aerobically will depend on your fitness level. A general guideline is to work up to 20 to 30 minutes a day, three to four days a week.

Choose activities that you enjoy and can do regularly. Common aerobic activities include walking, jogging, bicycling, swimming, low impact aerobic classes, water exercise classes, and dancing. Many people prefer using machines, such as a rowing machine, stair climber, treadmill, elliptical trainer, or stationary bicycle. All forms of dancing — ballroom, social, country western — are another great way to get moving!

If you have arthritis, consider low- to no-impact activities such as water aerobics, swimming, elliptical trainer, Nordic track, stationary bicycle, or rowing machine.

Flexibility and Agility Exercises are important for increasing your body’s range of motion. They also help lessen muscle tension and soreness, and reduce your risk of injury. We often overlook stretching and range of motion exercises, but they are very important in maintaining overall fitness.

Stretching programs and activities like yoga or tai chi are good examples of flexibility and agility training. Balance training is important and may help prevent falls and, therefore, fall-related fractures.

Tai chi is a program of exercises, breathing, and movements based on ancient Chinese practices. Seniors who practice tai chi or yoga have fewer falls and less fear of falling. These classes can also increase self-confidence and improve body balance.

Strength Training improves muscular capacity and bone density. Stronger muscles and bones make it easier to do everyday activities like carry shopping bags or do yardwork.

The most common strength training methods are working with free weights, resistance rubber bands or weight machines. It is very important to avoid strength imbalances by working all the major muscle groups, including the muscles in your arms, chest, back, stomach, hips, and legs.

If you have osteoporosis or loss of bone calcium, you will need to talk with a doctor before beginning a strength training program.

Relaxation techniques are important to include in your overall fitness program. Relaxation helps maintain overall cardiac fitness, lower blood pressure, and may even improve your immune system.

Many yoga classes include relaxation techniques like deep (diaphragmatic breathing) and simple meditation. Relaxation techniques can be as simple as sitting with your eyes closed and concentrating on controlled deep breathing.

Top of page

Exercise Safely

• Use common sense and don’t exercise when you have a cough, fever, cold or flu. But don’t let a temporary illness put a permanent stop to your exercising. Resume your activities as soon as you can.
• After an illness, start your exercise program at the beginning again. Do not immediately take up where you left off. Your body needs time to recover and rebuild. Consult a physician even if your illness is minor.
• Be alert to air quality if you work out at a gymnasium, especially if you have a lung condition such as asthma or bronchitis. Exercise at less-crowded times during the cold and flu season. Exercise outdoors whenever weather permits.
• If you live near an enclosed shopping mall, consider becoming a mall walker. Many malls open before the stores do and allow people to walk around. This allows you to exercise even if the weather is bad.

By working within your physician’s game plan, you can often safely return to play following joint replacement surgery and rehabilitation. Recovery from surgery is a process that should be outlined and monitored by your physician and physical therapist.

Exercise is a critical component of home care, particularly during the first few weeks after surgery. You should be able to resume most normal light activities of daily living within three to six weeks following surgery. Some discomfort with activity and at night is common for several weeks.

Under the guidance of your surgeon and therapist, your activity program may include:

• A graduated walking program, initially in your home and later outside
• A walking program to slowly increase your mobility and endurance
• Resuming other normal household activities
• Resuming sitting, standing and walking up and down stairs
• Specific exercises several times a day to restore movement
• Specific exercises several times a day to strengthen your hip joint
• You may wish to have a physical therapist help you at home

Following surgery, some patients may be advised to avoid certain activities, including jogging and high-impact sports, for the rest of their life while others may resume normal activities when strength returns and they have received clearance from their physician and therapist. Recovery and return to activity is dependent upon many factors including the patient’s condition, age, type of surgery and abilities.

In general, the success of surgery depends in large measure on how well patients follow the instructions of the surgeon and therapist during the first few weeks after surgery.  Helping patients return to normal activity and maximum independence are the end goals.

For more information, visit http://www.bone-fix.com/ or call 239-368-8277.

As we grow older we tend to become less active but it is never too late to start an exercise program. The first step toward a more active, healthy lifestyle is exercise.

The benefits include:

• Slowing the progression of age-related conditions
• Improving strength, endurance and flexibility which reduces risk of falling
• Promotes bone strength, muscle mass and tone
• Burns calories, reduces fat
• Improves joint health and may lessen joint stiffness and achiness; stronger muscles protest joints

An effective exercise program is made up of several components. Your physician can recommend a program that best suits your abilities and condition. A general guideline is to work up to 20 to 30 minutes a day, three to four days a week.

Here are some options:

• Aerobic conditioning such as walking or aerobics
• Flexibility and agility exercises like stretching and tai chi
• Strength training including weights, weight machines or resistance bands
• Relaxation techniques such as yoga

Exercise Safely

• Don’t exercise if you are not feeling well. Resume your activities as soon as you can.
• Start slowly and build your strength and endurance.
• Exercise at less-crowded times during the cold and flu season. Exercise outdoors whenever weather permits.
• If you live near an enclosed shopping mall, consider becoming a mall walker. Many malls open before the stores do and allow people to walk around. This allows you to exercise even if the weather is bad.

Before starting an exercise program be sure to talk with your doctor, especially if you have a heart problem or history of heart disease.

If you are suffering from joint pain, gentle exercise can help lessen your pain, especially if you weigh more than you should. The extra pressure on your joints can make symptoms worse. Here are some tips for safe exercise and controlling weight:

• Schedule time to exercise daily for at least 20 minutes per day
• Be sure to stretch muscles before and after exercise
• Choose low-impact sports such as biking, walking and swimming
• Start slowly and increase your exercise over time
• Before beginning any exercise program, consult your physician
• If you are overweight, consult your physician about starting a weight loss program
• Eat healthy, live healthy