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Hip Resurfacing Arthroplasty Starter Exercise Guide
A short starting program — 8 exercises drawn from the full 45-exercise program. These are the movements most people begin with.
Before you begin. This is general guidance, not a personal prescription. If your surgeon or therapist has given you a different program or different limits, follow theirs.
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.
- Take short walks at a comfortable pace.
- Increase your distance gradually as you feel able.
Tip: Use your assistive device as directed.
2. Quad Sets
What it helps: Wakes up the quadriceps — the big thigh muscles that support and control your knee. Getting them firing is the foundation of a strong, steady leg.
How often: 2-3 sets of 10, a few times a day.
- Sit or lie with your leg straight.
- Tighten the muscle on top of your thigh, pressing the back of your knee down.
- Hold briefly, then relax.
3. Glute Squeezes
What it helps: Wakes up the glutes — the big muscles that steady and support your hip. Getting them firing again is the first step toward a hip that feels stronger and carries you with less strain on the joint.
How often: 2-3 sets of 10, a few times a day.
- Lie or sit comfortably.
- Squeeze your buttock muscles together.
- Hold a few seconds, then relax.
4. Standing Marches
What it helps: Builds the hip and core strength to lift each leg and step with control — rebuilding the basics of walking.
How often: 2-3 sets of 10-20, 1-2x daily.
- Stand tall holding a counter or sturdy surface.
- Lift one knee up toward your hip, then lower it back down.
- Alternate legs.
Tip: Keep your back straight and core gently engaged.
5. 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.
- Flex your foot up, pointing your toes toward the ceiling.
- Point your toes down, away from your body.
Tip: Move slowly and with control.
6. Heel Slides
What it helps: Coaxes gentle bending back into the knee — restoring the motion you need for stairs, sitting, and getting in and out of a car.
How often: 2-3 sets of 10, a few times a day.
- Lie on your back with your legs straight.
- Slowly slide your heel toward you, bending the knee.
- Slide it back down.
Tip: Only go as far as is comfortable.
7. Straight Leg Raises
What it helps: Builds quad and hip strength while the knee stays straight, so the muscle works hard without stressing the joint.
How often: 2-3 sets of 10, once or twice a day.
- Lie down with one leg bent and the other straight.
- Tighten your thigh and lift the straight leg a few inches.
- Lower slowly.
Tip: Keep the knee straight as you lift.
8. Sit-to-Stand
What it helps: Trains the exact strength you use to rise from a chair, a toilet, or a car. Stronger here means more independence and less of a struggle on tough days.
How often: 2-3 sets of 8-10, once or twice a day.
- Sit at the edge of a sturdy chair.
- Lean slightly forward and stand up.
- Lower yourself back down with control.
Tip: Use your arms for support as needed.
See the complete 45-exercise program, phase by phase.
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These are general exercise guides, not a personal prescription. The repetitions and frequency shown are what's commonly used — your own surgeon or therapist may advise something different, and their guidance comes first.