Favorite Leg Strengthening Exercises

After surgery to the hip, knee, ankle or foot, the muscles of the leg often become weak from decreased use or from inhibition due to pain. For this reason, it is important to begin strengthening these muscles once your physician gives you the green light to do so. Gaining back strength that you have lost after injury or surgery is an important step in obtaining full functional mobility and a full recovery.

There are certain benefits of performing leg exercises after surgery. These may include:

• Start to build back strength
• Prevent blood clots (the contraction of your leg muscles acts like a sponge, moving blood through your veins)
• Improve your ability to move in bed after surgery

Working with a physical therapist to understand which leg exercises are safe for you can be an important step in getting moving again after surgery.

Initial exercises should target all the major muscles of the leg. Before you start this or any other exercise program, check in with your doctor to ensure that exercise is safe for you to do. Here are a few leg exercises to get you started on your rehab:

1. Gluteal Sets: While lying on your back, tighten your buttock muscles as if you were holding back flatulence. Hold your muscles tight for 5 seconds, and then relax. You can repeat the exercise for 10 to 15 repetitions. Gluteal sets can be done several times per day. Gluteal sets are an isometric form of strengthening your hips, your muscles work while no motion is occurring at your hip joints.
2. Heel Slide: While lying on your back, bend your knee as you slowly slide the heel of your operated leg up toward your buttock. Slide as far as you can and hold for five seconds. Slowly return to the starting position and repeat again.
3. Short Arc Quad: The short arc quad (SAQ) is a simple way to get your quad muscles working after injury or surgery. To do the SAQ, lie on your back with a bolster like a towel roll or basketball underneath your knee. Slowly straighten your knee, and then tighten your quad muscle on the top of your thigh. Hold this for 3 seconds, and then relax. Repeat the exercise for 10 to 15 repetitions.

If you have any lower extremity injury or have had surgery, or if you are simply having a difficult time walking or performing normal functional mobility, you may benefit from physical therapy to help you return to optimal mobility. Your PT may prescribe leg exercises much like these ones as part of your home exercise program. You may progress from simple leg exercise - like these - to more challenging advanced exercises. Don't forget the importance of working on your balance and how that can help your mobility as well.

Working hard doing these leg exercises in physical therapy and at home can help you return to your optimal level of function and mobility quickly and safely.

After surgery, you may feel like moving around a lot is difficult to do, or pain may prevent you from being able to move. As soon as you can, you should check in with your PT after surgery to learn which leg exercises are best for you to do. That way you can quickly and safely return to your optimum level of function.