Hip Replacement and Doing the Program

[Justin Smale]

Hey coach,

I've got a friend who's expressed some interest in doing the program who is overweight (covered many times here) but also is waiting for a hip replacement. He's youngish (37) but moves a lot older (walks with a noticeable limp). I've searched the forums and website but couldn't come back with much relating to PRE hip replacement rather than POST, and I've read through this article as it pertains to his situation (Training the Emergency Weight Loss Trainee | Andy Baker). Due to his weight and mobility, I'm not sure if squats are going to happen. I'm going to try to sell him on it anyway starting light and just seeing where it goes, but would you recommend anything as a backup plan if squats don't work out (i.e. more deadlifts at a lower weight? etc.). Is there any care that should be taken for someone awaiting hip replacement surgery that you've encountered before?

Any advice would be appreciated!

[Mark Rippetoe]

I would not have him squat until after his hip is replaced. He can wait that long, and he can use the time to get his diet straightened out.

[Rajtar]

Hi Justin, I know your question was for Mark but I have some experience with training clients in similar situation to your friend. I trained a lady in her 50's who was waiting for a hip replacement surgery, she was not overweight but she had no previous training experience. She could not squat at first so we did box squats above parallel with an empty bar, she quickly progressed do below parallel box squats, and to low bar squat, I thing she was squatting on her own after 3 weeks, this is when we started adding weight and after 3 months she did squats with 60kg. The other exercises we did as I would normally do with anyone else, I believe within 4 months she was pressing over 30kg for sets, benching 42,5 for 5 and deadlifting 75-80 kg for 5. She decided to stop taking pain medication because she no longer felt pain in her hip. So if your friends is still thinking if doing the program will benefit him I say yes, start today and do what you can, definitely sort out the diet and do the program before and after surgery. If squats bother him don't do them, just like Rip said but he will definitely benefit from deadlifts, presses and bench.

[Brian Harlin]

I got as strong as I could before surgery and I believe that helped a lot with recovery. I couldn’t squat to full depth either so did box squats as mentioned above to a depth that didn’t hurt.