One of the biggest benefits of having joint replacement surgery is the ability to move with less pain. If you recently had a knee or hip replaced, you might be eager to return to the activities you once loved. But first, you'll need to strengthen your new joint. Safe stretching after a joint replacement helps your muscles heal after surgery and support your new hip or knee.

After a joint replacement, the muscles connected to your hips and knees can get tight, leading to pain. Stretching keeps those muscles loose and reduces pain and swelling in your new joint. It also helps improve circulation in your hips and knees, which reduces the risk of post-surgical complications such as blood clots. Over time, stretching also improves knee flexion and other indicators of range of motion, as well as strength and flexibility in your new joint.

After a knee or hip replacement, you will work with a physical therapist or rehabilitation specialist on an exercise plan designed to help you recover from your specific procedure and to account for your abilities and fitness level. Your therapist is the expert on safe stretching after your joint replacement. They will let you know when you should begin stretching and exercising your new joint and provide you with a guide to which stretches you should perform and how often. Always follow your therapist's recommendations to ensure you're doing the exercises and stretches correctly.

Most plans will likely include stretches for the hamstrings, quadriceps, and calf muscles, as these muscle groups can get tight after a knee or hip replacement. Stretches will keep these muscles loose.

Hamstrings. Your hamstrings are on the back side of your thigh (upper leg), behind your thighs. To stretch them:

1. Sit in a chair. Rest your leg on a stool or chair and keep it as straight as possible.
2. As you sit, reach forward toward your toes. Keep your back straight and try not to bend your knee. 
3. Hold this position for 30 seconds if possible. You should feel a stretch along the back of your leg. 
4. Sit back and repeat on the other leg.

Quadriceps. Your quadriceps muscles are on the front of your thigh. Stretching these muscles is very simple. Your physical therapist may even recommend doing this stretch in the recovery room just after your procedure.

1. Lie on your back with your legs straight in front of you.
2. Contract, or tighten the muscle in one thigh. 
3. Hold for five seconds, then relax. Repeat with the other leg.

Calf muscles. You have two muscles in your calf, and each requires different stretches.

To perform the first calf muscle stretch:

1. Stand facing a wall. Place your toes on the wall while keeping your heel firmly planted on the ground. Your toes will be a few inches off the ground. Straighten your knee.
2. Lean forward, keeping your knee straight until you feel a stretch in your calf.
3. Hold the stretch for 30 seconds if possible. 
4. Return to your starting position and repeat on the other leg.

To perform the second stretch:

1. Stand facing a wall. Place your hands on the wall and stagger your feet so one foot is closer to the wall, knee bent. Place the other foot behind you and straighten your knee, keeping your heel on the ground.
2. Lean forward until you feel a stretch in the calf of your back leg. 
3. Hold the stretch for 30 seconds. 
4. Return to your starting position and repeat on the other leg.

Your physical therapist or orthopedic surgeon will likely recommend other stretches for you to perform as your strength improves after surgery. Follow your exercise plan carefully so you can recover as quickly as possible. But be patient. Full recovery from a total knee replacement may take three to six months, and full recovery for some patients from a total hip replacement may take six to eight months.