Enjoying Summertime Activities With Your New Joint Replacement

August 16, 2024 7:30 am by AthleticoLeave a Comment

Deciding to have a joint replacement can be a big decision and is just one of the first parts of the journey ahead. You are investing in your future self, so it’s important to understand what you want to do after the joint replacement that you are unable to do now.

In the time leading up to this decision, I saw a lot of my patients start gradually changing, reducing, and even stopping their activities altogether due to pain. Following a joint replacement, you can often resume some of the activities you’ve been missing out on!

No two patients are the same. You might be getting your new joint to return to doubles tennis, while someone else may want to resume crafting/sewing with less pain. Both are important parts of these patients’ lives, but the path to those activity goals will vary. This is why it is so important to communicate early and often with your surgical and therapy team when thinking about what you want to be able to do with your new joints!

The research around the topic of returning to work, activities, and sports after a joint replacement is very promising, as most patients return to their pre-surgical levels with the right care plan in place and the right activities selected.

With warmer weather during the summer months, I know I’m not alone in wanting to get back outside and be more active! For those of you who may have gone through post-surgery rehab for a new joint in the last few months, here are some things to consider when planning your post-surgery activities.

Disclaimer: This article does not replace the clinical judgment of your surgeon and therapy team. Every patient’s situation is unique; discuss with your surgeon/ therapy team when deciding what activities are best suited for you and your new joint. Precautions/restrictions will dictate this process. Also, be mindful of where you are in your healing process when reading this article.

What Position Will My Body Be In?

Boating, for example, can mean a few different things. Are you getting on a large fishing boat vs. A pontoon boat or climbing into a small fishing boat vs. climbing into an even lower boat such as a kayak? Are you paddling or are you using a motor? Are you taking this boat in and out of the water or maintaining it at a dock?

For patients with new hips and knees, it will be important for you to talk with your therapist about a goal like returning to kayaking so that your programming can reflect the need for you to have enough motion at your joints to get low and enough strength in your legs to get you in and out of the kayak. For patients with a new shoulder, kayak paddling is a great form of exercise. However, it requires both enough motion of the joint and good muscle endurance to perform paddling for a long period of time. Pushing with your arms to get in and out of the kayak, as well as moving and carrying the kayak, are other tasks that you will need to train for with your therapy team.

Tips:

Work with your PT or OT to practice paddling on dry land to improve your arm strength and endurance when appropriate.
Consider the tide and what handrails or other supports are available when getting in and out of the boat.

Gardening is another example; are you tending to a flower box in your window? Raised garden bed? Large outdoor gardens “on the ground”? Or are we talking about yard work and landscaping? All are wonderful outdoor activities but can certainly put anyone in odd positions.

Tips:

When working on weeding and tending to a garden below waist level, consider investing in a garden bench, cart, or stool – or, at minimum a flipped 5-gallon bucket will work great, too! This also works great for any household activity you find yourself bending over to perform – work smarter, not harder!
Grabbers and reachers work great for picking up twigs, pinecones and other small items without repetitive bending as well.

In both examples, certain hip procedures may have precautions about how “low” you can go with a squat or how much you can bend the new hip joint towards your chest. Please check with your care team for your specific needs and restrictions.

How Intense Is The Activity You Want To Get Back To Doing?

In the exercise world, “intensity” refers to how much energy a task requires or how much impact the body experiences when performing an activity. For example, walking is considered low-impact compared to hiking, a more moderate-impact activity.

The research around returning to activity after a total joint surgery for knees, hips, and even shoulders is very promising! Patients can expect in most cases to resume most low and moderate-intensity activities^1,4. However, for more high-intensity activities such as singles tennis or rock climbing, patients should discuss with their surgical team what they can expect based on their unique situation^2,3,4.

Have I Done This Activity Before?

Starting a new activity or hobby can be great to find a new way to stay active. However, while starting a walking program after your new hip replacement is a great idea, taking up snowboarding for the first time is not advisable. In certain instances, if someone was already a dancer or a cross-country skier prior to their new hip, they are considered experienced in these activities⁴. Therefore, it is much more likely that their recovery goals could include returning to these activities pending clearance from the surgeon and therapy team.

Here are a few recommended activities based on the joint replacement you are getting⁴.

Total Hip Replacement

Golf
Swimming
Walking
Hiking
Cycling
Rowing

Total Knee Replacement

Golf
Dancing
Walking
Swimming

Total Shoulder Replacement

Jogging or running
Tennis
Hiking
Pilates
Cycling
Basketball
Rollerblading

Overall, be sure to discuss expectations for your post-op activity levels. Often, this can influence the surgical plan for the type of surgery that will best meet your fitness and activity goals. Proper rehabilitation with your therapy team, and dedication to your home exercises will be key to your successful return to the activities you love after your new joint replacement.

Are you thinking about a joint replacement? Have you already had a joint replacement but haven’t met your activity goals? Schedule a free assessment with an Athletico team near you today to connect with a movement expert who can help! Free assessments are available in-person at one of our clinic locations and virtually through our telehealth platform.

Schedule a Free Assessment

*Per federal guidelines, beneficiaries of plans such as Medicare, Medicaid, Tricare, VHA and other federally funded plans are not eligible for free assessments.

The Athletico blog is an educational resource written by Athletico employees. Athletico bloggers are licensed professionals who abide by the code of ethics outlined by their respective professional associations. The content published in blog posts represents the opinion of the individual author based on their expertise and experience. The content provided in this blog is for informational purposes only, does not constitute medical advice and should not be relied on for making personal health decisions.

References:
1. Pasqualini I, Emara AK, Rullan PJ, Pan X, Simmons HL, Klika AK, Murray TG, Piuzzi NS. Return to Sports and Return to Work After Total Hip Arthroplasty: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. JBJS Rev. 2023 Aug 8;11(8). doi: 10.2106/JBJS.RVW.22.00249. PMID: 37549241.
2. Johnson CC, Johnson DJ, Liu JN, Dines JS, Dines DM, Gulotta LV, Garcia GH. Return to sports after shoulder arthroplasty. World J Orthop. 2016 Sep 18;7(9):519-26. doi: 10.5312/wjo.v7.i9.519. PMID: 27672564; PMCID: PMC5027006.
3. Edoardo Franceschetti, Edoardo Giovannetti de Sanctis, Pietro Gregori, Alessio Palumbo, Michele Paciotti, Giovanni Di Giacomo, Francesco Franceschi, Return to sport after reverse total shoulder arthroplasty is highly frequent: a systematic review, Journal of ISAKOS, Volume 6, Issue 6, 2021, Pages 363-366, ISSN 2059-7754,
4. Vogel LA, Carotenuto G, Basti JJ, Levine WN. Physical activity after total joint arthroplasty. Sports Health. 2011 Sep;3(5):441-50. doi: 10.1177/1941738111415826. PMID: 23016041; PMCID: PMC3445215.