Why Rebuilding Strength Matters After Hip or Knee Surgery

Strength can be affected significantly after hip or knee surgery. Reduced activity, pain and changes in movement can all mean the muscles around the operated joint are working differently during the early stages of recovery. Rebuilding that strength is therefore an important part of restoring physical function.

This is not simply about making individual muscles stronger. It is about developing the physical capacity needed for everyday movement, from standing and walking to managing stairs and eventually returning to more demanding activities.

Following surgery, reduced activity can contribute to muscle weakness. How much strength is lost will vary between individuals and can depend on factors including the type of surgery, how active someone was beforehand and how much movement is possible during the early stages of recovery.

The muscles around the hip or knee may also be affected by changes in how the joint is loaded and used. This can make some movements feel more difficult, even when the surgical site itself is healing well.

University College London Hospitals highlights that muscle weakness is common after surgery or a prolonged hospital stay, and that resistance exercises can help rebuild strength and stamina. Its guidance also progresses exercises through different levels of difficulty, illustrating how physical capacity can be gradually rebuilt as recovery develops.

The important point is that weakness does not necessarily disappear simply because pain has improved. Physical capacity needs to be rebuilt as part of the recovery process.

Strength becomes particularly important when the body needs to generate or control force. Standing from a chair, climbing stairs and walking all require the muscles around the hip, knee and surrounding areas to work together.

This is why rehabilitation exercises are not simply about moving the joint. They are designed to help develop the strength and control needed to use the joint effectively during everyday activities.

For example, the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital’s total knee replacement exercise programme includes strengthening exercises alongside movements designed to support walking and functional activity. The programme includes sit-to-stand movements, squats, lunges and other exercises that progressively increase the demands placed on the muscles.

Strength is also an important part of physical stability. Walking involves repeatedly transferring weight between the legs, while stairs require the muscles to control the body as you lower and raise yourself. Even standing requires muscular activity to maintain stability, so rebuilding strength can help make movement more controlled and efficient as recovery progresses.

Rebuilding strength after surgery is a gradual process. Exercises may initially involve simple movements with little or no resistance before progressing as the muscles become capable of handling greater demands. The exercises can also become increasingly functional, reflecting the movements and physical demands that matter to the individual.

The appropriate level of challenge will depend on the individual and their stage of recovery. As strength develops, exercises can become more demanding through changes in resistance, repetitions, movement or the amount of weight being placed through the operated limb.

The objective is not to do as much as possible as quickly as possible. Muscles need an appropriate stimulus to become stronger, while the body also needs sufficient time to recover between periods of activity.

This is why progression matters. An exercise that is appropriate at one stage of rehabilitation may eventually become too easy to continue providing a meaningful challenge, while a more demanding exercise may not be appropriate earlier in recovery.

The amount of strength needed will depend on what you want to return to doing.

For someone whose immediate goal is to move around the home independently, rebuilding sufficient strength for standing, walking and managing stairs may be the priority. Someone hoping to return to work, longer walks or recreational exercise may need to develop greater strength and endurance.

The demands placed on the body can therefore increase as recovery progresses. A person may have regained enough strength for everyday activities but still need further rehabilitation before they are ready for something more physically demanding.

This is particularly relevant after hip or knee surgery because the goal is not simply to restore movement around the operated joint. It is to restore the physical capacity required for the activities that form part of someone’s normal life.

Strength is most valuable when it translates into what you can actually do. Being able to perform a strengthening exercise is one measure of progress, but the more meaningful outcome is whether that physical capacity allows you to stand more easily, walk further, manage stairs, return to work or resume activities that were previously limited.

Rebuilding strength is therefore one of the foundations of functional recovery after knee or hip surgery. As strength develops, it can provide the physical capacity needed to move with greater control and gradually return to the activities that matter to you.

If you are preparing for or recovering from hip or knee surgery, structured post-surgical rehabilitation can help you rebuild strength and physical capacity as your recovery progresses.

The 1150 Club provides specialist post-surgical rehabilitation in London, bringing together expert physiotherapy and a highly tailored recovery programme shaped around your surgery, individual needs and the life you want to return to.

Find out how The 1150 Club can support your rehabilitation and help you start rebuilding strength after surgery.