TOTAL HIP

PRECAUTIONS

A Patient and Family Handbook

Created by:

Cecilia Orazi, PT, MS, OCS

Physical Therapy: ALWAYS follow guidelines for
 Assists patients through the weight-bearing status until otherwise
recovery process after hip surgery informed by your doctor.
or fractures
 Avoid the following positions
 Helps patients to understand the until notified by doctor:
reason why they cannot move the
leg in certain directions.
--Due to surgery, muscles become 1.) DO NOT bend forward over 90
weaker and painful. degrees
--These precautions prevent the
joint from popping back out

 Guides patients in safe return

home and to get in and out of car

 Assists patients to return to their

previous activity level and work
2.) DO NOT Cross your legs over the
 This guide will help you to midline of your body
remember what you learned
during your time in physical
therapy:

1.) How to move in bed following hip

precautions

2.) How to transfer from a bed to a

chair following hip precautions

3.) How to strengthen the muscles of 3.) DO NOT twist or turn your
the hip, knee, and ankle of the leg inwards
operated limb

4.) How to use crutches or a walker

following hip precautions

5.) How to go up and down stairs

using an assistive device (i.e
crutches/walker)

6.) A home exercise program

• When resting/lying down:
 Lie on your back or on your side
with pillow between your knees
to prevent them from touching:
• Dressing:
 Use long-handle reacher
 Sit down to put clothes over feet
 DO NOT bend over, raise legs,
or cross legs while dressing
• Transfers: standing to sitting
 Keep operated leg in front of
other leg
 When standing, reach the chair or
bed with your hands and sit down
slowly
 Avoid low beds/chairs
 When sitting, chairs must be
higher than knee height
 Sit in straight-back/reclined chair
w/ armrests
 Avoid soft chairs, rocking chairs,
and sofas
 When sitting, keep operated leg
in front of other leg
• Getting into Car:
 Push seat all the way back
 Recline seat back
 Use walker to back up to car
 Sit in car seat with operated leg
forward
 Avoid bending hip more than 90°
 Avoid crossing your legs
▪ Getting out of car:
 Keep seat in reclined position
and all the way back
 Lift leg out of car
 Avoid bending hip more than 90°
 Avoid crossing your legs
• Toilet Transfers
 Use a raised toilet seat at or
above knee height (just as you
would sitting in a chair)
 Keep injured leg in front while
using un-operated leg underneath
you to stand
 Use arms to push up from grab
bars or toilet seat.
 AVOID PUSHING UP ON
WALKER
• Bathing • Walking:
 Take sponge baths or purchase a  Use walker/crutches until doctors
tub bench. orders have changed

 You may use a walk-in shower

with a shower chair.

 DO NOT bend or reach for the

water controls.

 DO NOT bend or squat to

wash your legs and feet.

 Use long-handled equipment to

reach them.

 Wear flat shoes with non-skid

soles that fit well, like sneakers.
 Get up and move frequently,
taking short walks.
 Be cautious on wet surfaces and
uneven surfaces.
 Maintain weight-bearing status
as instructed by your doctor until
otherwise instructed
 Avoid turning/pivoting on
operated leg, taking small steps
 DO NOT sit in the bottom of a when turning
regular bathtub; use a tub seat
or bench
• Household Chores
 Use long-handled reachers,
mops, brooms to do chores that
would involve bending or
twisting
 DO NOT bend down to pick up
objects from floor
 DO NOT run the vacuum
cleaner
 Place items in refrigerator on top
shelf for easy access
 Sit while preparing/cooking food
• Exercises:
*** All exercises will be
performed avoiding crossing one
leg over the other, bending
forward more than 90 degrees,
and twisting of the leg inwards
1.) Ankle Pumps
 Lie down on your back or in
reclined position
 Move ankles vigorously up and
down.
Session/day_3 times/day
Hold 1 sec
Repeat 30 times_____
2.) Quad Sets:
 Lie down on your back, keeping
operated leg straight
 Tighten thigh muscle of operated
leg.
Sessions/day: 2 times/day
Hold 5 sec Repeat 10 times
3.) Glut Sets 5.) Short Arc Quads
 With operated leg straight  Lie down on your back with
 Squeeze buttock muscles tightly. towel roll underneath operated
Sessions/day ____ knee
Hold 5 sec Repeat10 times  Straighten leg by lifting heel off
of floor toward ceiling
Sessions/day 2 times/day
Hold _5 sec Repeat 10 times

4.) Long Arc Quads

 Sitting in reclined position
6.) Heel Slides
 Straighten operated leg  Lie down on your back sliding
Session/day 2 times/day heel of operated leg toward
Hold 5 sec Repeat 10 times buttock
 Then slide back until knee is
completely straight
(Maintain heel on floor, do not lift heel
at any point throughout the exercise)
Sessions/day 2 times/day
Repeat 20 times
7.) Hip Abduction: \
 Lie down on your back with your • Climbing Up Stairs
legs straight and a pillow  Lead with non-operated leg
between your legs.  Then step up with operated leg
 Tighten your thigh muscles, and and assistive device
slowly slide your leg out to the
side and then back in
 REMEMBER -- do not slide
your leg too close to other leg!
Session/day 2 times/day
Repeat_20 times____

• Going Down Stairs

8.) Standing hip

Abduction/Extension
 Make sure to keep operated leg • Descending Stairs
and body completely straight
 Hold onto stable surface
 Lead with assistive device and
(i.e. table/countertop) operated leg
 Abduction: Lift straight leg out
 Then step down with non-
to side
operated leg
 Extension: lift straight leg
 Use railing if accessible
backwards
Session/day2 times/day each
exercise Hold 3 seconds.
Repeat 2 times/day_____