Joint Aspiration (Large Joint) 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. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. Strength Training

What it helps: Builds and maintains long-term strength to keep you active, resilient, and independent.

How often: a few times a week.

1. Work the major muscle groups two or three times a week, leaving a day between sessions.
2. Use a weight you can lift with good form for the whole set - the last repetition should feel hard, not impossible.
3. Lower slowly. The controlled way down is where much of the benefit sits.
4. Add a little weight only once the current one feels comfortable.

Tip: The dumbbell squat shown is one example. Which exercises suit you depends on the joint you are recovering from, and your program will say.

7. Cycling

What it helps: Low-impact endurance that keeps the joints moving smoothly while you build fitness — easy on the body, good for the long run.

How often: able.

1. Set the saddle so your knee stays slightly bent at the bottom of the pedal stroke.
2. Begin with light resistance on flat ground, pedalling smooth, full circles.
3. Build the time you ride before you build the resistance or the hills.

Tip: Many people start on a stationary bike and move outdoors, as drawn here, once balance and confidence are back. The pedalling is the same either way.

8. Low-Impact Recreational Activities

What it helps: Getting back to the activities you enjoy in ways that are kind to your joints — the whole point of building this strength.

How often: you like.

1. Choose activities that keep you moving without jarring the joint - walking, cycling and golf are three common ones.
2. Start with a short session and add time before you add intensity.
3. Spread them across the week rather than doing everything in one day.
4. Keep the effort at a level where you could still hold a conversation.

Tip: The picture shows three examples, not a list to work through - the best activity is the one you will keep doing.

What to expect in recovery

The full recovery guide for this procedure: Joint Aspiration recovery.

Recovery reading

• Recovery Guide
• Before Surgery
• After Surgery