Body building

by G Smith
(SC)

What about high intensity bodybuilding for the hip after a total hip? I was advised not to do squats, leg presses, deadlifts.

Comments for
Body building

Click here to add your own comments

It all depends....
by: Pamela

Hi thanks for your question.

There is a basic trade off between the amount and type of activity you do and the longevity of your hip replacement. The more you stress the joint the sooner it will wear out.

Another major factor is the type of implant. Ceramic on ceramic tend to last the longest, metal on metal have a long life but are known now to give of metal ions and metal or ceramic on poly tend to wear out quicker. See my section onf Types of Hip Implants for more detail.

Then you'll need to take into account how long post-op you are and the type of surgical approach used. So with a posterior approach (back) you've got a lot more risk of dislocation than with an anterior (front) approach. Whichever approach is used the joint is vulnerable immediately post op and the soft tissues that hold it all in place need to be given time to get strong again. If you're pretty fit going into the op this will take less time - especially if you do the recommend post-op exercises.

When you reach the stage when your joint is stable again you need to consider the quality of life choice. Some people are willing to risk wearing out their implant sooner in order to get a good quality of life now. Others are more conservative and so sacrifice some quality of life for a longer lasting prosthesis.

There's a lot of choice here and a lot depends on how careful you are going to be and how much work you put into your recovery. There are people who have gone on to win weight lifting championships and Wayne Sleep (63) was dancing with the Royal Ballet 3 months post-op doing 50 consecutive jumps in high heels. Not a great way to treat a new hip but it is his quality of life choice.

I suggest you google up a few weight lifting forums and see what advice your fellow bodybuilders can offer on specific exercises. They may be able to give advice on how to alter the more risky exercises to accommodate your new implant.

Best of luck - and please let us know how it all works out for you. We'd love to know how you get on.
Bye
Pamela

Click here to add your own comments

Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How?
Simply click here to return to Your Questions