Why is Pilates so good for your Hips?
(especially before and after hip surgery!)
According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, more than 450,000 total hip replacements are performed each year in the United States. In addition, the average age of surgical candidates continues to decline. This means that we have more active adults and young adults seeking to return to full mobility post-surgery.
Our hip joints assist us in several major everyday movements including, walking, sitting, standing, climbing stairs, and even getting dressed. In a healthy hip, soft tissue called cartilage covers the ball, femoral head, and the socket, acetabulum, to help them glide together smoothly. If this cartilage gets worn down or damaged, the bones scrape together and become rough. This condition is called osteoarthritis which causes pain and restricts motion. An arthritic hip can make it difficult to perform the normal daily activities previously mentioned. Because of this pain and limited range of motion, the affected person will also develop compensating habits in other areas of the body. These compensating habits throw the whole body out of alignment and can lead to further complications. This is where a Pilates regimen both before and after a hip replacement can be pivotal in recovery.
Benefits pre-surgery include:
Pilates before surgery will help strengthen the muscles and tissue surrounding the hip joint and help with maintaining its range of motion.
Pilates exercises are gentle and low impact, which means they can be performed even when there is deterioration to the hip.
Pilates helps to reprogram the compensation habits the client may have formed.
By strengthening the hip area prior to surgery, Pilates will help combat the muscle atrophy that will occur after surgery.
Pilates will strengthen the core which assists in overall stability and balance. This will give the client more confidence when starting the recovery process
Hip replacement candidates who are better conditioned prior to surgery almost always rehabilitate more quickly than those whose who were deconditioned prior to surgery.
Post-surgery benefits include: ·
Pilates will not only strengthen the area around the hip joint but will also focus on the rest of the body and core creating an integrated system of healthy movement.
By focusing on core strength, Pilates helps to support every movement of the body.
Pilates will help the client develop new muscle memory that focuses on proper alignment within the body.
Pilates focuses on coordination with a mind/body connection which will help the client develop confidence and stability when re-establishing mobility.
Overall, Pilates restores the alignment of the body, corrects imbalances, develops core strength, and lengthens and strengthens your musculature - all of which are necessary for healthy joint function.
Precautions post-surgery:
To avoid the risk of dislocating the hip joint post-surgery, surgeons generally advise the following precautions:
Avoid hip flexion beyond 90 degrees
Avoid crossing the midline
Avoid internal rotation of the hip joint
Do not lay on the affected side immediately post-surgery.
Always seek clearance from the client’s surgeon before beginning a Pilates practice.
Please watch this video as I demonstrate how Pilates can be beneficial in working with a client that has previously undergone two full hip replacement surgeries.
