Your therapist will show you exercises to build muscle strength, keep the muscle strength you already have, and build your energy. It’s important to start a muscle strengthening program within 1 to 2 days after surgery. It is also important to keep doing your exercises if you will be fit with a prosthesis once you are healed.

Your muscle-strengthening program may include exercises:

• to improve your sitting and standing balance
• improve the length of time you can exercise and how hard you work during exercise (called conditioning)
• that use a wall pulley, weights, elastic exercise bands, arm bike, and “resisted” exercise machines

When you are strong enough and if it is safe, your therapist may have you hop on the remaining leg while holding parallel bars or using a walker.

Take rest breaks between activities. As you get stronger, you will be able to exercise longer and work harder.

Mat or bed exercises

Your physiotherapist may give you the following exercises to do on a mat or lying on a bed. Stop the exercise and talk to your physiotherapist if you feel pain.

Hip stretch lying on your back

1. Lie on your back.
2. Hold your knee up to your chest with your hands.
3. Push your limb down flat against the mat or bed.
4. Hold for 30 seconds and repeat 3 to 5 times on each leg.​
   

Hip stretch lying on your stomach

1. Lie on your stomach with your legs straight.
2. Push your residual limb against the bed.
3. Hold for 30 seconds then relax.
4. Do this for 5 to 10 minutes total each day.

Hip flexion

1. Lie on your back with 1 leg flat against the bed or mat and the other leg bent up to your chest.
2. Slowly lower the bent leg back down to the bed or mat.
3. Do this 20 times on each leg.

Hip adduction

1. Lie on your back with a pillow (or rolled-up towel) between your thighs.
2. Squeeze your thighs together for 6 seconds, keeping your knee or knees flat on the bed or mat and your toes pointing towards the ceiling.
3. Do this 20 times.​
   

Hip abduction lying on your back

You can do hip abduction and hip adduction exercises together, switching between the 2.

1. Lie on your back with your legs straight.
2. Slide your legs apart, keeping your toes pointing towards the ceiling.
3. Do this 20 times.

Bridge

1. Lie on your back with a rolled towel under your thighs.
2. Push down on the roll and lift your hips up.
3. Hold your hips up for 10 seconds.
4. Do this 20 times.

Knee extension

You can do this exercise on both legs if you have a below-the-knee amputation or lower.

1. Lie on your back with a rolled towel under your non-amputated knee.
2. Straighten your knee by tightening the muscles on the top of your thigh.
3. Hold for 10 seconds.
4. Do this 20 times.

Hip abduction lying on your side

1. Lie on your side.
2. Keeping your top leg straight and in line with your body, lift your leg up towards the ceiling.
3. Rotate the leg inwards so your heels are pointing up and your toes are pointing down.
4. Do this 20 times on each side.

Hip extension lying on your side

1. Lie on your side with your bottom leg bent.
2. Move the top leg back behind you, but don’t arch your back or roll backward.
3. Hold for 10 seconds.
4. Do this 20 times on each side.

Hip extension lying on your stomach

1. Lie on your stomach.
2. Keep your hips flat against the bed and knee or knees straight.
3. Lift 1 leg up. If you feel any back pain, put a pillow under your hips.
4. Do this 20 times on each side.

Arm extension

Make sure your wheelchair brakes are on while doing arm extensions.

1. Sit in a chair with your hands on the armrests.
2. Push your weight into your hands, straighten your arms, and lift your bottom off the seat.
3. Do this 20 times.​
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