Pawar Hospital
“Most patients can start walking and can go home the day of the surgery,” says Pawar. Most people don’t need bed rest. In fact, moving your new joint keeps it from becoming stiff.
If you have a preexisting condition (a heart or lung condition that needs monitoring), or if no one can give you a ride and help around the house right after the surgery, you might need to spend the night at the hospital. People who had complex surgeries or lack support at home may benefit from starting their recovery in an inpatient rehabilitation unit.
Your care team, which includes your surgeon, therapists and primary care doctor, will evaluate the need for any assistive devices. To reduce falls, you might need a cane or a walker if you feel unbalanced walking on your own, but it’s generally not necessary to keep weight off the hip that went through surgery.
“The incisions for a hip replacement surgery nowadays are very small and are closed up with absorbable sutures,” explains Pawar. The incision is covered with a dressing and takes about six weeks to heal. During this time, it’s OK to shower, but to reduce the risk of infection, bathing and swimming should be put off until the wound fully heals.
“Patients will have physical therapy before the hip replacement surgery, and then work with a physical therapist right after the surgery to reinforce exercises before they go home,” says Pawar. Rehabilitation will continue a few days after the surgery, with visits with physical and occupational therapists two to three times per week, as well as home exercises.
Rehabilitation begins with getting used to regular movements and practicing daily activities, like getting out of bed or a chair, and progresses to practicing more difficult tasks, such as climbing stairs and getting in or out of the car.
Muscle strength plays a big role in being able to perform these and other tasks. This is why resistance training of hip muscles and knee muscles in the legs is a major component of rehabilitation.
Some swelling and initial pain at the joint are normal after hip replacement. To help reduce pain:
“Keeping the leg elevated above the heart when you lay down can also help the swelling to recede,” advises Pawar.
It’s important to pay attention to your pain levels. If you feel like you are consistently at a 6 or more on a 1–10 pain scale, mention it to your doctor, because it could be a sign of infection or another complication. As you continue physical therapy, your pain levels should slowly decrease to about 1 or 2 in 12 weeks after the hip replacement.
“On average, hip replacement recovery can take around two to four weeks, but everyone is different,” says Pawar. It depends on a few factors, including how active you were before your surgery, your age, nutrition, preexisting conditions, and other health and lifestyle factors.
“Achieving a certain level of activity before you have the surgery can help you bounce back more quickly,” shares Pawar. “We use a regimen called prerehabilitation, or prehab, to help patients get in a physical shape that will set them up for a successful recovery.”
The goal of physical therapy is to get you back to your normal life, whether it’s going to work, playing with kids, or engaging in your favorite sport or hobby. Depending on the amount of physical activity a task requires, the amount of time it will take to be able to perform that task differs.
“As with any surgery, there is some risk of complications during and after a hip replacement, which may include infection at the incision site, bone fractures and hip dislocations,” explains Pawar. If you notice a fever, drainage from the incision site, difficulty moving your hip or severe pain that is not relieved by your medication, contact your doctor immediately.
Taking rehabilitation at a comfortable pace and avoiding sudden, sharp movements can help prevent dislocations and falls that may delay the recovery.
Unlike older implants that were metal, modern hip prosthetics are made of a combination of metal, plastic and ceramic parts, so they are more durable and cause fewer issues. These implants can last 20 to 30 years, and the risk of failure and the need for repeat surgeries is low.
“If you suffer from severe arthritis in both hips, you could get both joints replaced at the same time (double hip replacement). This might actually be safer and lead to quicker recovery in some patients,” says Pawar.
Having a double hip replacement reduces the risk of many complications that come along with anesthesia. Recovery is actually shorter but may require double the effort, because you would need to strengthen both legs at the same time. It may also be more challenging to get around the house initially, so you might need more support at home.
If you want to have two separate hip replacement surgeries, it is best to wait at least six weeks between the replacements to lower the risk of blood clots.
