Physical therapy is an important part of recovering from a total hip replacement. Therapy helps restore strength in your muscles and improves your range of motion. If pain kept you sedentary before the surgery, your muscles may be weak.

In physical therapy, you learn specific exercises that strengthen your leg and hip muscles to support your new joint and to help you become mobile again. Here are ways you might do physical therapy when you have a hip replacement.

Prehab Before Surgery

An advantage of prehab is that you'll learn everything you'll need to do during your recovery while you're alert so you can remember the instructions to do exercises as soon as you're instructed to begin after surgery. Plus, you might begin your exercises before surgery so you learn how to do them properly and so you can strengthen muscles in preparation for the procedure.

If you do well with prehab, you might be able to go home sooner from the hospital, or even have an outpatient procedure so you can go home the same day.

Home Visits From A Therapist

You might have physical therapy visits in your home so your recovery can be monitored. The therapist ensures you're walking according to schedule and doing your daily exercises. They can help you if you need assistance walking, standing, or getting out of a chair so you can learn how to do these activities alone or with the help of a family member.

Treatments At A Physical Therapy Clinic

Your doctor might prescribe physical therapy for a few weeks that you can take at a clinic. If you're able to get in and out of a car, going to a clinic might be good for your recovery since you can get out of the house and mingle with others. Plus, you'll have a range of equipment you can use in a clinic.

You'll probably do the same exercises you would do at home, so choosing physical therapy at home or at a clinic may be a matter of which one you can tolerate the best depending on your general health.

Physical Therapy At A Rehab Center

If you don't have anyone to help you recover at home or if you have a medical condition that complicates your recovery, your doctor might want you to go to a skilled care nursing facility to have therapy and to be monitored. A therapist will be on hand in the facility to give you additional help with walking and exercising. You may have some sort of therapy every day until you've recovered enough to go home. 

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