Are you waiting for a hip or knee replacement, or finding your feet again after surgery? This October, my focus is on supporting you through this stage of life. From preparing for your operation to rebuilding confidence afterwards, this month’s blog explores ways to care for your body and keep moving.
If you are waiting for a hip, knee or other joint replacement, it can feel as though there is little you can do until your operation. However, the time before surgery matters and taking a proactive approach may help you feel better prepared for recovery.
Increasingly, we are hearing about prehabilitation, which means preparing the body before surgery rather than waiting until afterwards to begin rehabilitation. “The NHS advises that preparing for hip replacement may include muscle-strengthening exercises before and after surgery to help with recovery. Your consultant or physiotherapist can advise on what is appropriate for you.” Here is a link to the NHS preparation advice.
Making the most of the waiting period
Waiting for planned treatment can be a difficult and uncertain time. Many people live with pain, reduced mobility and uncertainty, sometimes for many months. We cannot control when an operation date becomes available, but we can consider what we may be able to do safely while we wait.
Being proactive does not mean trying to fix a joint that needs replacing, pushing through pain or ignoring medical advice. It means focusing on what we can influence. Can we maintain some comfortable movement? Can we keep the muscles around the joint working and maintain strength elsewhere in the body? Can we improve balance, body awareness and confidence?
The starting point for recovery does not have to be the day of surgery. Appropriate exercise, good nutrition and looking after our general health beforehand may all help us prepare.
Where does MELT fit in?
MELT is not physiotherapy and it does not replace the advice or exercises prescribed by your consultant or physiotherapist. What it can offer is a gentle, adaptable way of working with the whole body.
When someone has lived with a painful hip or knee for months or years, it is rarely only that joint that changes. We adapt. We may shorten our stride, put more weight through one side, stiffen through the pelvis or back or become less confident with certain movements.
In my MELT sessions, we focus on body awareness and gentle, comfortable movement, considering the whole body rather than only the painful joint. The techniques are adapted to the individual and their current ability.
What I am seeing with my clients
I am currently working with clients both before and after hip replacement surgery and it has been wonderful to see their progress.
Before surgery, the aim is never to push through pain. It is to help each person maintain as much comfortable movement and function as possible while supporting the rest of the body during the wait.
After surgery, once they have been cleared by their medical team, we begin where they are. This may mean starting with very small movements, rebuilding confidence and progressing gradually as their recovery allows.
I am seeing clients improve their mobility, confidence and overall function as we build on what they can do. For me, this is one of the most rewarding parts of teaching MELT. It is not about forcing the body to perform. It is about giving people tools that help them take an active role in their recovery.
Recovery continues between appointments
Joint replacement can be life-changing, helping to relieve pain and improve mobility, but recovery takes time. Healthcare professionals provide expert guidance, surgery replaces the damaged joint and physiotherapy offers essential rehabilitation. However, we live in our bodies every day. A few minutes of safe, appropriate movement between appointments can also support the recovery process.
If you are waiting for a joint replacement, a useful question to ask is:
What can I safely do now to give myself the best possible starting point?
After surgery, that question becomes:
What can I continue doing to support the work my surgeon and physiotherapist have already done?
This is what self-care means to me. It is not about replacing healthcare. It is about becoming an active participant in our own health.
Could MELT support you?
If you are preparing for a joint replacement or returning to movement after surgery, please get in touch to discuss whether MELT could support you. Sessions can be adapted to your individual needs, current mobility and stage of recovery.
Contact me to arrange an initial conversation or book a one-to-one MELT session.
Always follow the advice and restrictions given by your surgeon, physiotherapist or healthcare team. Check with them before starting MELT or any new exercise programme before or after joint replacement.
