Physiotherapy After Knee and Hip Replacement: Why It Matters

A knee or hip replacement can be a big step towards less pain and better mobility. But surgery is only one part of recovery. Physiotherapy after knee replacement or hip replacement helps you safely regain strength, movement, balance and confidence as you return to everyday life.

After joint replacement surgery it is common to have muscle weakness, stiffness, swelling, reduced mobility and changes in the way you walk. These can make everyday tasks such as getting out of a chair, walking, using stairs, getting dressed or returning to work harder than you expected.

At AZ Physiotherapy Limited, we provide post-surgical rehabilitation in Pakuranga, East Auckland. Physiotherapist Abdullah Abdullah will assess your movement and function, give you the right exercises for your stage of recovery, and progress your programme as your strength and confidence improve.

Why is physiotherapy important after knee and hip replacement?

After surgery, the muscles around the operated joint become weaker, and you may temporarily lose some movement, balance and confidence. A new joint does not rebuild that strength on its own. Progressive rehabilitation does.

The goals of physiotherapy may include:

• Improving joint movement and reducing stiffness
• Restoring muscle strength
• Improving balance and stability
• Improving walking ability
• Building confidence with movement
• Returning to everyday activities and work
• Supporting a gradual return to exercise and recreation

Recovery varies a lot between people, so your exercises and activity levels are adjusted to your symptoms, your surgical procedure and your progress.

Physiotherapy after knee replacement

Physiotherapy after a knee replacement helps you gradually restore knee movement, strength and function.

After surgery you may find it hard to fully bend or straighten your knee, and the muscles around it, particularly the quadriceps at the front of the thigh, become weaker. Early rehabilitation focuses on comfortable movement, muscle activation, swelling management and basic mobility.

As you recover, exercises become more challenging and may include:

• Knee range-of-motion exercises
• Quadriceps and hamstring strengthening
• Hip and lower-limb strengthening
• Sit-to-stand exercises
• Step and stair exercises
• Balance exercises
• Walking rehabilitation

The aim is not just a knee that bends. Rehabilitation should help you use your knee well in everyday activities.

Physiotherapy after hip replacement

Physiotherapy after a hip replacement focuses on restoring strength, mobility, balance and functional movement.

You may initially have weakness around the hip and leg, and walking, stairs and getting in and out of a chair can feel different. Physiotherapy helps you progressively rebuild the muscles around the hip and lower limb.

Your programme may include:

• Hip and gluteal strengthening
• Core and lower-limb strengthening
• Balance exercises
• Walking rehabilitation
• Functional exercises and progressive conditioning

Your physiotherapist will follow any precautions or movement restrictions given by your surgeon, and adapt your exercises to your lifestyle and goals as you progress. If hip osteoarthritis was the reason for your surgery, our guide to hip osteoarthritis physiotherapy explains how strength work helps before surgery too.

How physiotherapy helps you walk better

Changes in walking are common after a knee or hip replacement, and you may start with a walking frame, crutches or a stick.

A physiotherapist can assess your walking pattern and help you improve it. Walking rehabilitation may include:

• Building weight-bearing confidence
• Improving step control and balance
• Strengthening the muscles you need for walking
• Progressing walking distance
• Reducing reliance on walking aids when appropriate

The goal is safe, efficient walking, not simply walking further.

Building strength after joint replacement

Even when pain has improved after surgery, weakness can keep affecting how you move. It may make it difficult to:

• Climb stairs
• Get up from a low chair
• Walk longer distances
• Carry items
• Keep your balance
• Return to recreational activities
• Manage physical tasks at work

Progressive strengthening helps your muscles adapt to increasing demands. Your physiotherapist adjusts the repetitions, resistance and difficulty of your exercises as you progress.

Improving balance and confidence

Pain, weakness, reduced activity and changes in walking can all reduce your balance and your confidence with movement.

Physiotherapy can include balance and stability exercises so you feel more secure when walking, turning, using stairs and moving around different environments. This matters most when you are returning to community activities and exercise.

Returning to everyday activities

One of the main goals of physiotherapy is getting you back to normal daily life. Rehabilitation may focus on:

• Getting in and out of bed and chairs
• Walking around the house and using stairs
• Shopping and gardening
• Driving, once your surgeon clears you
• Returning to work
• Returning to the gym and recreational activities

Rather than focusing only on the operated joint, rehabilitation considers your whole body and the demands of your lifestyle.

Returning to exercise after knee or hip replacement

Many people want to get back to exercise after a joint replacement. The type and timing depend on your recovery, medical history, the surgery you had and your surgeon's advice.

Depending on your circumstances, rehabilitation may build towards:

• Walking
• Cycling
• Swimming, once your wound has healed
• Gym-based strengthening
• Low-impact cardiovascular exercise

Higher-impact activities such as running or jumping sports need extra consideration, so discuss your goals with your surgeon and physiotherapist.

How long does recovery take after a joint replacement?

There is no single timeline that applies to everyone. As a general guide, many people are walking with aids within days of surgery, return to most light daily activities over roughly the first 6 to 12 weeks, and keep gaining strength and function for up to a year.

Your recovery is influenced by:

• Your strength and fitness before surgery
• Your age and general health
• The type of surgery
• Your symptoms and previous mobility
• Your rehabilitation goals
• Any other medical conditions

Some people progress quickly and others need longer. Rather than comparing yourself with someone else, track your own progress and increase activity gradually.

When to get medical help after surgery

Contact your surgeon, GP or an after-hours service promptly if you notice:

• Increasing redness, heat, swelling or discharge around the wound
• A fever or feeling generally unwell
• New pain, swelling or tenderness in your calf
• A sudden increase in pain, or the joint suddenly not taking weight

Call 111 if you have chest pain or sudden shortness of breath. These can be signs of a blood clot and need urgent care.

Knee and hip replacement physiotherapy in East Auckland

AZ Physiotherapy Limited provides rehabilitation after knee and hip replacement at our clinic in Pakuranga, East Auckland. You don't need a GP referral to book.

Joint replacements for arthritis are usually not covered by ACC, but if your surgery followed an accident-related injury, ACC may contribute to your physiotherapy. We can check this with you at your first visit. See ACC physiotherapy and our fees, or contact us to book your assessment.

Sources

• Healthify (NZ): Knee replacement and Hip replacement
• NHS: Recovering from a knee replacement
• NHS: Hip replacement