Rehabilitation after hip surgery, physio in Reading

State of the art rehabilitation following all forms of hip surgery

Circle offers care following total hip arthroplasty (hip replacement) and hip arthroscopy for hip impingement syndrome. We also offer treatment for hip osteoarthritis, Greater Trochanteric Pain Syndrome and other hip conditions.

The Hip Joint

The hip is one of the largest joints in the body, and the second biggest weight-bearing joint, after the knee. For this reason, it tends to suffer wear and tear, meaning that the cartilage, the shock absorbing component of the joint, wears down and the bony surfaces come into contact with each other, causing pain and stiffness. At times, this can be disabling and require a hip replacement – inserting a prosthesis with weight-bearing surfaces made of plastic or ceramic.

Hip arthroscopy, a procedure where the surgeon creates a small incision to send in a miniature camera to examine the hip joint, can be used to diagnose and treat a wide variety of painful hip conditions. Hip dislocations and fractures can occur through falls or awkward movement.

Expert Clinical Team

Adjustment and full recovery from a hip operation can take some time, which is where Circle’s game-changing Rehabilitation programme comes in. If you’ve just had a hip replacement or are suffering from hip pain, the last thing you need is a poor or rushed rehabilitation experience. Our team of consultants and therapists will assess your needs to create an individual therapy plan for your stay. This includes up to three hours of therapy per day, and the plan will be adjusted day by day according to your progress.

Meet the team

Continuing your rehabilitation after treatment at Circle

Exercises
Regular exercises to maintain flexibility and strength to the affected hip joint:

3×10 repetitions 3-4x per week

There are a series of precautions you should take in the six weeks after a hip operation to minimise the risk of a dislocation:

1. Don’t force the hip into full flexion (bending). Do not squat down to pick things up off the floor; use assistance when dressing; avoid sitting on very low sofas or beds
2. Don’t combine the movements of flexion (bending), rotation (rolling thigh inward and outwards) and adduction (moving your leg across your body) – don’t cross your legs even when you’re putting shoes and socks on
3. Standing up: Shuffle to the edge of your seat, slide your operated leg out in front of you, hold your walking aid in one hand, push up from the surface you are sat on, ensure you have gained your balance and have your walking age with you, and step away
4. Sitting down: Position yourself facing away from the seat, place your walking aid to one side, slide your operated leg forwards, reach back to the surface you are going to sit down on and lower yourself down slowly, allowing your operated leg to slide in front of you as your sit. Shuffle your bottom back, and make yourself comfortable using a pillow to support your lower back if necessary
5. When sitting in a car, ensure the passenger seat is slid back and slightly reclined, to allow more leg room
6. Climbing stairs with a walking aid. Step up with the non-operated leg, then the operated leg, then your walking aid follows onto the same step. To go down stairs, place your walking aid down one step first, take a step with your operated leg and then follow your non-operated leg.
7. Getting dressed: collect your clothes and put them on the bed next to you before you start; sit on the side of the bed; dress your operated leg first and undress it last; avoid tight clothing; use a long-handed shoehorn and sock aid, which can be purchased from Circle; always wear supportive socks and slippers when walking and always ask for the assistance of a family member if available.

The hip joint

The hip is one of the largest joints in the body, and the second biggest weight-bearing joint, after the knee. For this reason, it tends to suffer wear and tear, meaning that the cartilage, the shock absorbing component of the joint, wears down and the bony surfaces come into contact with each other, causing pain and stiffness. At times this can be disabling and require a hip replacement – inserting a prosthesis with weight-bearing surfaces made of plastic or ceramic.

Hip arthroscopy, a procedure where the surgeon creates a small incision to enable a miniature camera to examine the hip joint, can be used to diagnose and treat a wide variety of painful hip conditions. Hip dislocations and fractures can occur through falls or awkward movement.