Soft Tissue Biopsy (Deep) Starter Exercise Guide

1. Walking Program

What it helps: Comfortable, frequent walking keeps the joints loose, builds your stamina, and rebuilds confidence on your feet. Little and often beats long and tiring.

How often: throughout the day.

1. Take short walks at a comfortable pace.
2. Increase your distance gradually as you feel able.

Tip: Use your assistive device as directed.

2. Flexibility Exercises

What it helps: Keeps your joints and muscles moving through a comfortable range, so you stay supple and move with ease.

How often: most days.

1. Sit tall on a chair and slide one leg forward, heel on the floor and toes up.
2. Hinge forward from the hips and reach gently toward that foot until you feel a stretch behind the thigh.
3. Hold for around 30 seconds, breathing normally, then ease back.
4. Repeat on the other side.

Tip: A stretch should feel like a long pull, never a pinch - and never bounce into it.

3. Core Activation

What it helps: Switches on the deep core muscles that stabilize your pelvis and spine, giving your hips a solid platform to move from.

How often: 2-3 sets of 10, daily.

1. Lie or sit comfortably.
2. Gently draw your belly button toward your spine.
3. Hold a few seconds while breathing normally, then relax.

Tip: Avoid holding your breath.

4. Ankle Pumps

What it helps: Keeps blood moving to reduce swelling and the risk of clots while you're less active — small, frequent, and important early on.

How often: 20 repetitions, several times a day.

1. Flex your foot up, pointing your toes toward the ceiling.
2. Point your toes down, away from your body.

Tip: Move slowly and with control.

5. Gentle Neck Isometrics

What it helps: Strengthens the deep muscles that support and steady your neck without moving it — a safe, comfortable way to build the support that eases neck pain.

How often: 5 each direction sets of Hold 5–10 seconds, daily.

1. Sit tall with a gentle chin-tuck. Place your palm on your forehead.
2. Press your head lightly into your hand and your hand back into your head — a steady, comfortable push with NO movement of the neck.
3. Hold, relax, and repeat. Do the same with the hand on the back of the head, then each side.

Tip: Light pressure — about 20–30% effort. This is not a strength test.

6. Stationary Bike

What it helps: Keeps the joints moving and nourished while you build endurance — all with no pounding. One of the gentlest ways to stay active when a joint is sore.

How often: directed.

1. Set the seat so pedaling is comfortable.
2. Pedal at an easy pace.
3. Increase your time gradually.

7. Progressive Walking Program

What it helps: Keep building your walking distance and pace — steady gains in endurance and confidence on your feet.

How often: daily.

1. Walk on level ground at a comfortable pace, landing on the heel and rolling through the foot.
2. Add a few minutes to the walk before you add speed or hills.
3. Go a little further each week rather than a lot further in one day.

Tip: Turning back while you still feel good is how the distance builds.

8. Functional Strength Training

What it helps: Trains the real movements of daily life — lifting, carrying, squatting — with good mechanics, so everyday tasks feel easier.

How often: several times a week.

1. Work through functional movements — squats, step-ups, lunges, and balance — as cleared.
2. Add resistance gradually.

Tip: Quality of movement first, then load.

What to expect in recovery

The full recovery guide for this procedure: Soft Tissue Biopsy recovery.

Recovery reading

• Recovery Guide
• Before Surgery
• After Surgery