Nordic poles help runners rehab after a hip replacement
Nordic trekking poles provide a major boost if you are a runner recovering from a hip replacement as they transfer some of the load to your upper body and increase the amount of energy you use. Get hold of a pair and practice before surgery if you can.You'll be training on trekking poles as soon as you can leave your crutches. Once you get the hang of them they’ll improve your posture and allow you to walk much further. Your sticks spread your body weight over multiple muscle groups and most importantly take the stress off your hip replacement, especially on the downhills. This is great for conditioning, and weight loss if that’s an issue.
I’ll post more details on rehab using trekking poles after a hip replacement in later posts but here’s a taster.
Are they 'Trekking poles' or 'Nordic walking poles'?
These are two terms used for the same sticks, although Nordic Walking refers to a specific walking style. There is a huge range of poles available in sports and outdoor stores so it's worth looking around to find a pair that feels comfortable in your hands. These walking sticks are going to help a lot after your hip replacement and you'll spend a lot of time with them. So along with developing skills with crutches practice on poles.Trekking poles get you walking upright and with confidence, in fact many runners wish they had been introduced to them when they were struggling to get around before their operation. Once you master them they are fantastic.
A great way for runners to work-out after a hip replacement
Nordic walking uses more major muscles than running, cycling or swimming.As you recover and start to walk for longer distances you’ll find you develop muscles in the chest, abdominals, lats, biceps, triceps, shoulder, spine and other core areas. You'll also burn nearly 50% more calories and improve your cardio efficiency.
I found them great on trails and they allowed me to get to places that would have been risky for my hip replacement otherwise. The last thing you want is to slip and jar your hip implant or fall on it - that could set your running back quite a chunk.
Tinhip tip: Get telescoping rather than fixed length poles as you can chuck them in your backpack when you don’t need them. As you regain your hip strength you'll be able to walk unassisted for parts of your workout.
Learn good technique with trekking poles
Many runners recovering from hip replacement surgery don’t get the most from their trekking poles because they use them inefficiently. It’s worth doing a bit of on-line reading to learn:- proper technique
- good grip and use of the hand-strap
- when to adjust the length of the poles
- maintenance, etc.
Tinhip tip: There are plenty of very enthusiastic walkers participating in on-line forums keen to offer advice on purchasing sticks. I won't include links here as these forums are quite fluid.
A running substitute after hip replacements
Some pre-surgery runners who discover they are not able to run after their hip replacement find nordic walking is a great substitute. It’s not unknown for them to place well in 5k or 10k runs.Next: A brief look at low-impact running.
