Movement and sport after the operation

Sport is basically to be recommended in many respects. It keeps you fit, strengthens the musculature, is good for the heart and circulation, is good fun and it is a social activity. Start your sport programme carefully and in appropriate doses. Take breaks and build up gradually. Stop your programme as soon as you feel pain. Building up musculature around the operated joint is an important goal. The musculature provides stability for the joint and resilience for the prosthesis. Clinical studies have shown that endurance sports with at least partial joint strain do not result in any increase in loosening of implants. Sports with unphysiological peaks in strain (such as jumps o ball games) tend to lead to a loosening and a premature failure of the artificial joint, as does a lack of movement.

Suitable sports are those with a steady rhythm that place a low amount of stress on the joint:
• hiking/running/walking
• cross-country skiing
• cycling
• swimming
• dancing

Suitable under certain conditions:
• golf
• bowling
• sailing
• table tennis
• alpine skiing
• horse-riding
• tennis
• badminton

Unsuitable sports are those with major impact strains, extreme fluctuations in direction and abrupt changes in direction:
• football
• handball
• volleyball
• basketball
• squash

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