TL;DR
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A Sixty and Me report describes how many people return to activities such as walking, swimming, cycling and golf after hip or knee replacement, while stressing that recovery and clearance vary. It advises gradual increases in activity and a discussion with the surgeon before returning to higher-impact sports.
A Sixty and Me report on staying active after hip or knee replacement says many patients return to low-impact activities, but the timing depends on recovery and medical clearance. The guidance outlines early walking and rehabilitation milestones and recommends discussing higher-impact sports with the surgeon because their effect on implant longevity is not settled.
In the first months after surgery, patients commonly begin standing and taking steps on the day of the operation with assistance, the report says. A walker or cane can help reduce fall risk while strength and balance return; the surgeon or physical therapist advises when it is appropriate to stop using one. Regular walking, extended gradually, is part of early recovery and helps rebuild movement and strength around the joint.
For knee replacement, the report says most bending and straightening ability returns within about six weeks. It recommends doing prescribed exercises daily during that period, even if the knee feels stiff. Swimming can generally resume after the surgeon confirms the incision has healed. The report says many other activities return at around three months, subject to the surgeon’s clearance; progress can vary from week to week.
After recovery, activities commonly pursued include walking, hiking, swimming, cycling, golf and doubles tennis. Kneeling is not thought to damage a knee replacement, according to the report, though it may be uncomfortable at first; a cushion or folded towel can make it easier to try. The report says running, singles tennis and pickleball are higher-impact activities for which surgeons do not have a definitive answer on whether participation shortens implant life.
Activity Depends on Recovery
For people considering or recovering from joint replacement, the guidance addresses a practical concern: whether surgery can help them return to valued routines. It describes walking and other lower-impact activities as realistic goals for many patients, while making clear that recovery is not identical for everyone and does not follow a guaranteed timetable.
The distinction between lower- and higher-impact exercise matters because patients may weigh the benefits of returning to a sport against uncertainty about the implant. The report does not establish that any particular activity will damage a replacement. Instead, it advises patients to discuss their plans with their surgeon and to build up activity in response to how the joint feels.
It also points to rehabilitation as an ongoing process rather than something that ends with formal physical therapy. Continued strengthening and gradual activity increases may support mobility over time, while new pain or swelling can signal a need to ease back and seek guidance.
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Recovery Milestones After Surgery
The report focuses on practical activity guidance, rather than comparing surgical procedures or reporting new clinical research. Its advice covers the transition from assisted walking soon after surgery to exercise and recreation later in recovery. The stated milestones—daily knee exercises during the first six weeks and possible return to many activities around three months—are presented as general guidance, not a timetable that applies to every patient.
Long-term strengthening remains part of the report’s advice. Muscles around a replaced hip or knee may continue gaining strength for a year or more after surgery, it says. Activity should be increased in small steps, adding time or distance and checking how the joint responds the next day. If new pain or swelling appears the following morning, the report advises reducing activity temporarily before building up again.
The report also notes that the opposite hip or knee and the lower back may carry more load before surgery and during recovery. Patients are advised to mention new aches in those areas to their surgeon or physical therapist.
““For many, the answer is yes.””
— Sixty and Me report
Sport Risks Remain Unsettled
The report does not provide clinical-study findings or quantify the risks of specific sports. It says surgeons continue to debate the effect of running, singles tennis and pickleball on implant lifespan, and that there is no definitive answer on whether those activities shorten it. The report also does not specify a single timetable for all patients; healing, strength and medical clearance can differ.
It does not set out individual exercise limits for particular patients or describe complications that might change a recovery plan. Its recommendations should not replace instructions from the treating surgeon or physical therapist. Anyone with new pain, swelling or discomfort in the replaced joint, the other joint or the back should raise it with their care team.
Follow the Care Team’s Plan
Patients should continue prescribed rehabilitation, ask their surgeon when to stop using walking aids and get clearance before resuming activities that require a healed incision or place greater impact on the joint. For a planned return to a sport, the next step is to discuss that specific activity with the surgeon rather than assume general guidance applies.
Over the longer term, the report recommends maintaining strengthening exercises after formal therapy ends, aiming for activity on most days and increasing duration or distance gradually. A rise in pain or swelling the following day is a reason to scale back for a while and seek advice if symptoms persist or concern the patient.
Key Questions
When can someone walk after hip or knee replacement?
The Sixty and Me report says many patients stand and take their first steps with assistance on the day of surgery. A walker or cane may be needed at first, and the surgeon or physical therapist should advise when it is safe to stop using it.
When can swimming resume after surgery?
The report says swimming can generally begin once the surgeon confirms that the incision has fully healed. Patients should follow their own care team’s instructions.
Which activities are commonly possible after recovery?
The report lists walking, hiking, swimming, cycling, golf and doubles tennis as activities many people return to. Individual readiness and medical clearance vary.
Can people return to running or pickleball?
The report describes running and pickleball as higher-impact activities and says there is no definitive answer on whether high-impact exercise shortens implant life. It recommends discussing a planned return with the surgeon.
What should someone do if pain or swelling increases after activity?
The report advises easing back if new pain or swelling appears the following morning. Patients should contact their surgeon or physical therapist about concerning or persistent symptoms.
Source: sixtyandme.com
