← Back to osteotomy

What kind of sports can I do after an osteotomy?

Over the past few years, the list of restrictions has changed considerably. Exercise is good for you for many reasons:

Your cardiorespiratory function

Your well-being

with the release of endorphins

Proprioception

or standing-stability to prevent falls

Reinforce the muscular strength of the operated limb.

We know that good muscles can absorb shock and act like springs. They protect the cartilage.

However, shocks are likely to cause damage to joint cartilage, especially if they exceed the muscles’ capacity to absorb them. There are also three elements to consider when making recommendations.

  • A patient who is good at a sport is more likely to return to it than a patient who is new to it. The effort exerted on the knee is not the same in a smooth and harmonious swing as in a jerky and bumpy movement.
  • Some patients (20%) do not follow their surgeon’s recommendations.
  • The types of sports recommended, tolerated or prohibited by the surgeon evolve over time and are sometimes even influenced by the surgeon’s own sporting habits.
osteotomy book
These are all data that can be used to make personalised recommendations. Nevertheless, in very general terms, sports that involve swinging and contact, such as football, rugby, basketball, volleyball or judo, are possible on an occasional basis, while walking, even in the mountains, sitting cycling, elliptical cycling or swimming with a foot strike are recommended.

If you need to temper your passion for lifting weights or heavy loads, tennis, golf or skiing are now possible. Again, the benefits and enjoyment must be weighed against the expected survival time of the osteotomy.

So, even if your knee allows it, be cautious and don’t take too many risks. Living a normal life doesn’t really mean living like you did when you were 30!

We advise you to take certain precautions, to rearrange your life, to set new priorities, in line with your new situation. The choice is yours. Do it deliberately.

Orthopaedic Studio

Education

Shoulder

Coming soon

Tutorials

Podcasts

Who we are

Why these books