How Long Does It Take To Recover From A Hip Replacement?
One of the first questions patients ask when they are preparing for a hip replacement is how long the recovery takes. Understanding what the hip implant recovery period will be like and how long it will be until you start to reap the benefits of your new joint.
Although everyone is different, most patients are able to fully utilise their replacement joint between 3 to 6 months following surgery. Patients will need to reach certain milestones in the shorter and longer term, and this will gradually build over time to result in significantly improved mobility once the joint is fully healed.
In the shorter term, there will be milestones that kick in almost immediately, such as getting out of bed for the first time and going home. In time, weaning off painkillers is also a good sign that recovery is progressing well. Patients are encouraged to reach milestones such as this as quickly as possible, as it is important to get people feeling normal as quickly as possible.
As the shorter term moves to the more ‘medium’ term, milestones become things such as managing to have a full night’s sleep without waking due to joint discomfort and walking without the use of a frame or sticks. As time moves on, the milestones become slightly harder to measure, as they relate to how well the wound is healing and how the muscles and ligaments are repairing. This takes time and requires hard work and dedication to help the healing process along.
Hip implant recovery: making sure you help yourself
There are some important things that you can do to help ensure a thorough and timely recovery. The amount of effort that you put into your rehabilitation will have a direct impact on how quickly and how well you recover.
The first thing is something that you can do before the operation, and that is to ensure that your house is as best suited as possible to your needs when you are recovering. In the early stages, you will find getting around the house challenging, so having things on the ground floor and within arms’ reach will be extremely important. It is vital that you don’t over stretch for items and risk falling, so rearranging your key household items in advance is very sensible.
Make sure that (following your surgeon and physiotherapist’s advice) you begin exercising regularly. This is important to ensure sufficient blood flow to the healing area of your body and it is also key to start building the muscles back up and ensuring you are using the joint fully from the offset. Make time each day to do your leg exercises and stick to this. It will pay off in the longer term if you are strict with your physio.
About The Author
London hip surgeon Mr Simon Bridle specialises in hip and knee replacement surgery and is renowned as a leading London hip and knee surgeon; he performs primary hip and knee replacements, including MAKO robotic assisted cases, and continues to be involved in the management of complications following joint replacement. View his weekly clinics to book an appointment.