TL;DR
Get health and wellness essentials delivered free with Prime
- Fast, free delivery on millions of items
- Prime Video, Amazon Music and more included
- Member-only deals all year
A Sixty and Me report describes how activity after hip or knee replacement typically increases over the first months, with walking and prescribed exercises central to recovery. Many people return to lower-impact activities, but timing varies, and the effect of higher-impact sports on implant life remains uncertain.
A Sixty and Me report on staying active after hip or knee replacement says many patients can return to activities such as walking, swimming and cycling, but recovery and clearance for exercise vary by person. The guidance stresses gradual increases in activity and consultation with a surgeon or physical therapist, particularly before resuming higher-impact sports.
In the report, patients are described as often standing and taking their first steps on the day of surgery, with help and a walker or cane. The walking aid supports balance and reduces fall risk while strength and coordination recover. A surgeon or physical therapist advises when it is appropriate to stop using it. Regular walks that increase in duration over time are presented as an important part of early rehabilitation.
After knee replacement, the report says much of the ability to bend and straighten the knee returns within about six weeks. It recommends doing prescribed exercises daily during that period, even when stiffness remains. Swimming can generally start after the incision has healed and the surgeon confirms it is safe; many other activities may resume around three months, subject to the surgeon’s clearance.
For longer-term activity, the report says people commonly return to lower-impact options such as walking, hiking, swimming, cycling, golf and doubles tennis. Kneeling is not thought to damage a knee replacement, but it can be uncomfortable initially; beginning on a cushion or folded towel may help. The report advises discussing the specific sport with a surgeon before trying running, singles tennis or pickleball, since the effect of high-impact activity on implant longevity is unsettled.
How Activity Can Shape Recovery
Returning to movement matters because joint pain may have limited a person’s daily life and activities before surgery. The report describes walking and continued strengthening as ways to rebuild mobility and muscle strength, while emphasizing that progress is not always steady. A slower week does not, by itself, establish that recovery has stalled.
The guidance also highlights the need to balance activity with the body’s response. It advises adding time or distance in small increments and checking how the joint feels the following day. New pain or swelling the next morning is a reason to ease back temporarily rather than keep increasing effort. That approach makes the advice relevant beyond formal rehabilitation sessions, when patients are managing their own routines.
Activity can also affect other parts of the body. The opposite hip or knee and the lower back may carry extra load before surgery and during recovery. The report recommends telling a surgeon or physical therapist about new aches in those areas, rather than focusing only on the replaced joint.
Products Worth Considering
BowFlex Results Series SelectTech Adjustable Dumbbells (Pair)
Levoit Vital 100S-P Air Purifier with Washable Pre-Filter
Fitbit Sense 2 Smartwatch – Blue Mist / Pale Gold
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Recovery Milestones and Activity Choices
The report frames activity around several stages rather than a single return-to-sport date. Early walking begins with assistance; prescribed exercises and regular movement support the first weeks; and, after surgical clearance, patients may build toward broader activities over the following months. These are general guideposts, not a guarantee that every patient will follow the same schedule.
Strength gains may continue for a year or more after surgery, according to the report, so it encourages people to keep doing physical therapy strengthening exercises after formal sessions end. It recommends aiming for activity on most days, while recognizing that short sessions count and may be easier to maintain over time.
Not all sports carry the same impact, and the source distinguishes lower-impact activities from sports involving repeated hard jolts. It does not give a universal rule for higher-impact exercise. Rather, it identifies this as an area where surgeons differ and says patients should discuss their own sport and circumstances with their surgeon.
““Progress over the first three months is not always even; some weeks may feel faster than others.””
— Sixty and Me report
Individual Timing and Sports Risks
The report offers broad recovery milestones, but it does not establish a schedule that applies to every patient. The point at which someone can stop using a walking aid, swim, or return to a particular activity depends on their recovery and their care team’s advice. The source also does not provide study data or quantify how often patients return to each activity.
The long-term effect of higher-impact sports on implant life remains unclear in the report, which says surgeons debate the issue. It gives no single threshold for safe running, singles tennis or pickleball. Whether a specific activity is appropriate should be discussed with the surgeon; the article’s general guidance is not a personal medical assessment.
Build Activity With Clinical Guidance
The report’s practical next step is to increase activity gradually, continue strengthening exercises beyond formal therapy and follow the surgeon’s instructions on wound healing and return to sport. Patients should use a walker or cane until their care team advises that it is no longer needed, and seek guidance before starting activities that place greater impact on the joint.
Over time, the report advises watching for next-day pain or swelling and reducing activity temporarily if these appear. New discomfort in the opposite joint or lower back should also be raised with a surgeon or physical therapist. The source does not set out a new clinical guideline or a universal timetable; decisions remain tied to each patient’s progress and professional advice.
Key Questions
When can someone return to activities after a hip or knee replacement?
The report says many activities may resume around three months, but patients should wait for their surgeon’s clearance. Timing varies with recovery and the activity.
Which activities are commonly resumed?
The report lists lower-impact activities including walking, hiking, swimming, cycling, golf and doubles tennis. It advises discussing higher-impact sports with a surgeon.
Is kneeling harmful after knee replacement?
The report says kneeling is not thought to damage a knee replacement, though it may feel uncomfortable at first. It suggests starting on a soft surface and following the care team’s advice.
What should someone do if pain or swelling appears after exercise?
The report advises easing back if new pain or swelling appears the next morning, then increasing activity again gradually. Patients should contact their surgeon or physical therapist with concerns or new aches.
Source: sixtyandme.com
