Advanced Pre-Op Physiotherapy

The purpose of this stage is to maintain muscle strength + control pre-surgery. At this stage, you can also undertake some cycling and swimming. Please ensure you have approximately 30 seconds rest between sets and 2 minutes rest between exercises. Exercises should be performed 5 times a week.

Step

2 x 15 reps

2-3 x a day

In this exercise, it’s important to start with the injured leg. So using your crutch or walking stick to support you, or holding onto a bannister or wall, step up with your bad leg first. Then step back down, leading with the good leg this time.

Floor with dumbbell/ kettlebell

3 x 10-15 reps

2-3 x day

Standing with your feet shoulder-width apart, sit back into a squat, bending your knees to ninety degrees as if you were sitting down onto a chair. A weight can be held between both hands, held against the chest in a prayer position.

Floor

3 x 10 -15 reps

1 x day each leg (no weights)

Standing with your feet together, step one foot back into a lunge stance. With your weight in the front foot and keeping your torso upright, lower your body until both knees are at a 90-degree angle. Pause and drive through the front foot to return to the start position.

Lying – on the floor on the bed

3 x 10 reps each leg

3 x day each leg

Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Tighten your buttock muscles and, pushing through one heel only, lift your hips up, keeping the pelvis level and aiming for a straight line from shoulders to knees. Lower slowly down.

Floor with swiss ball

3 x 10 reps

1 x day (5 x week)

Lying on your back, place your feet on your swiss ball. Keep a slight bend in the knees. With your arms on the floor to support you, push through your heels into the ball to raise your hips off the ground until your shoulders, hips and knees are in a straight line. Pull the ball towards you with your heels as far as is comfortable, then return to the start position.

Floor

2 x 40 seconds each side

1 x day (5 x week)

Lying on your side place one foot in front of the other. With your forearm also on the ground and your elbow directly under the shoulder, push through your shoulder and feet to lift your body off the ground. Keep your shoulder, hip, knee and foot in a straight line and hold for 40 seconds. Don't forget to breathe!

Step

3 x 8-12 reps each side

1 x day (5 x week)

Leading with your good leg, stand on a box or step with your heels off the edge. Now lift the good leg slightly so that all your weight is on the injured leg. Lift up onto your toes as high as you can. Pause, then lower back down until your heel is slightly lower than the step.

Pillow/foam mat/mattress

4 x 30 seconds each side

3 x day

Stand nice and tall, then take a slight bend in one knee, and raise the opposite leg off the ground - it doesn't have to lift far. Stay like that for 30 seconds. If you lose balance, just reset and start again until the time is up.

The objective of the prehab phase is to put you in the best possible position for surgery and to help you recover more quickly and effectively from your surgery through exercise.

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