Getting out of bed.
Step 1.
Get out of bed on the affected leg side of the bed. The physical therapist will show you how to move the surgical limb and help you how to use the walker.
Step 2.
Support the hip with the elbow joint, keeping the surgical limb in line with the trunk and prohibiting twisting of the affected limb.
Step 3.
Move the non-operative leg to the bedside and keep the affected leg straight. Support standing by holding the walker and do not lean forward when trying to stand up.
Sitting.
Step 1.
Sit in a high, straight-backed seat with armrests, avoiding a low seat and a thick, soft cushion. Back out of the walker until you feel the back of your leg touching the seat.
Step 2.
Grasp the armrests of the seat after freeing the hands from the walker to support the slow lowering of the body, keeping the surgical side limb straight in front.
Step 3.
Bend the healthy side leg first and slide the body backward to sit, using this same method for the bathroom.
Walking.
When you are able to stand, you can balance with the help of a walker. Initially, the affected limb can only walk partially weight-bearing. When the limb is strong, your doctor will tell you when to increase the weight-bearing capacity of the affected limb.
Step 1.
Place the walker a few inches in front of you, hold the walker firmly with both hands, keep the hip joint straight and place the healthy leg in the middle of the walker.
Step 2.
With the walker supporting the weight, step the operated leg forward with the walker, being careful not to touch the walker leg.
Step 3.
Lift the walker (if the walker does not have wheels) and be sure to place all four legs of the walker firmly before stepping forward again.
Crutches.
When the muscles are strong enough, the physical therapist may recommend the use of crutches instead of a walker. The physiotherapist will develop a protocol for walking real time and distance. When using a cane, the weight of the body is carried on the palm of the hand rather than under the armpit. The body should not be twisted, but rotated with a small step instead. The physical therapist will tell you how much weight you can carry on the affected limb.
Step 1: Hold the crutches properly and place them in the hand, not under the armpit.
Step 2: Move the affected limb and crutches forward at the same time.
Step 3: Look ahead and step with the crutches and the affected limb first, followed by the non-operative leg.
Walking up the stairs with crutches.
Hold the crutches upright on the floor, place the healthy foot on the stair step first, lean your body forward, use the crutches to support your body upward, use the crutches and the healthy leg to support your weight, then lift the affected foot and place it on the step.
Crutches for stairs.
Place the crutches and the affected foot on the next step, use the crutches to maintain balance and move the body, move the crutches again and move the affected foot at the same time, the first few times can be assisted by another person.
Avoid dangerous movements as a rule.
Avoid excessive movement at the beginning, as this can lead to joint dislocation. The physiotherapist will explain what movements to avoid and what the most dangerous ones are.
Sitting should not cross your knee over your midline.
Mistakes
Keep your feet on the floor with 6 inches between your knees.
Correct
Turning.
Avoid rotating the affected hip by holding the foot in place.
Incorrect
The trunk and affected foot should be rotated simultaneously.
Correct
Bending.
Full bending is not possible.
Incorrect
The correct approach is to extend with a long-handled grappling hook.
Correct