Collingwood is hopeful off-season surgery will minimise prized defender Heath Shaw's soreness between games.

Shaw, 26, had an operation to reduce impingements in his right hip shortly after the Pies' failed premiership campaign, in a bid to increase the freedom in his pelvic area.

Shaw managed lower back and groin soreness between games last season, with physiotherapy and specific recovery.

However, the Pies are hopeful the surgery - which Shaw's teammates Simon Buckley, Lachlan Keeffe and Daniel Farmer have undergone in recent years - will reduce his discomfort during the week.

"We were hoping it would increase the major movement in my hip and hopefully that would release a bit of tension through my back and hamstrings, which I had a little bit of problem with last year," Shaw told collingwoodfc.com.au this week.

"There was nothing actually wrong with the hips; it's just trying to do something to increase that range of movement and loosen up that area so that I'm more flexible and there isn't as much strain on the lower back and groin."

The recovery period from the surgery was eight to 10 weeks, but Shaw defied the odds and was running within six.

He was able to complete part of his recovery in Flagstaff, Arizona - his second trip in less than four months - and surprised the club's fitness staff with his speedy comeback.

"To his credit, he's come back really quickly," Collingwood director of sports science David Buttifant said.

"He's had a very comprehensive pre-season, he was outstanding in Flagstaff and he got his body in really good nick.

"He's probably more advanced than we hoped him to be, particularly in the pre-Christmas phase, and now he's up and going and moving really well."

Shaw will be rested against Adelaide in the third round of the NAB Cup on Friday night, but expects to play in the final pre-season game next weekend. 

Since his return to full training and in the three NAB Cup games (against the Western Bulldogs, Greater Western Sydney and Melbourne) so far, Shaw has been pain free and believes the operation has already made a difference.

"I was hoping it would change my running style but that didn't happen. It's still the same old waddle I've always had," Shaw said.

"It's helped to loosen me up and so far, so good. I've had no troubles with the back or anything and hopefully that can continue."

At this stage, there are no plans to operate on his other side, although Buttifant says it's something that may be looked at as the season progresses.

Meanwhile, Shaw said the opportunity to head to the US as his rehabilitation went up another gear was the "best result possible".

He heralded the success of the 14-day Arizona camp he went on in August when he still had five weeks of his eight-week suspension for gambling on a match remaining.

"I was still a bit worried about where I was going to be at because it was still eight weeks of football [I missed], at match intensity," Shaw said.

"I was still a bit nervous jogging into the first game, which happened to be our first final.

"But, I knew I'd done all the hard yards and I'd put myself in the best position to be right and those hard eight weeks on the track paid off in the end."

Jennifer Witham is a reporter for AFL Media. Follow her on Twitter @AFL_JenWitham.