Hip Replacement Recovery: Q&A with a Hip Specialist

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There are a lot of moving parts when information technology comes to recovery later surgery, especially a major one such as hip replacement. How should you prepare? What challenges should y'all expect? Will you need a caregiver?

All of this takes careful planning among your care squad, you and your family unit members.  Johns Hopkins orthopaedic surgeon Savya Thakkar, M.D., an practiced in minimally invasive and robotic-assisted total joint replacements, answers some common questions and shares tips about hip replacement recovery and rehabilitation.

When can I go habitation after a hip replacement?

"Most patients tin get-go walking and tin can go home the mean solar day of the surgery," says Thakkar. Most people don't demand bed balance. In fact, moving your new joint keeps information technology from becoming stiff.

If you have a preexisting condition (a middle or lung condition that needs monitoring), or if no one can give you a ride and assist around the house correct after the surgery, you might demand to spend the night at the hospital. People who had circuitous surgeries or lack back up at habitation may benefit from starting their recovery in an inpatient rehabilitation unit.

Will I need to apply a walker at start?

Your care team, which includes your surgeon, therapists and main intendance medico, will evaluate the need for any assistive devices. To reduce falls, y'all might need a pikestaff or a walker if you feel unbalanced walking on your own, but information technology'due south more often than not non necessary to keep weight off the hip that went through surgery.

When will my hip incision heal?

"The incisions for a hip replacement surgery nowadays are very small and are closed up with absorbable sutures," explains Thakkar. The incision is covered with a dressing and takes well-nigh six weeks to heal. During this time, it'southward OK to shower, merely to reduce the adventure of infection, bathing and swimming should be put off until the wound fully heals.

How soon does rehabilitation therapy start after the hip surgery?

"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 habitation," says Thakkar. Rehabilitation will continue a few days after the surgery, with visits with physical and occupational therapists two to iii times per week, too equally 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 than difficult tasks, such equally climbing stairs and getting in or out of the automobile.

Musculus strength plays a big role in being able to perform these and other tasks. This is why resistance grooming of hip muscles and knee muscles in the legs is a major component of rehabilitation.

Hip and Knee joint Replacement at Johns Hopkins

The Johns Hopkins Hip and Articulatio genus Replacement program features a team of orthopaedic specialists highly skilled in joint replacement procedures. Our squad volition guide you through every step, from presurgical education to postsurgical care and physical therapy. Our goal is to return you lot to your desired level of activity equally soon as possible.

What is considered a "normal" amount of pain subsequently a hip replacement surgery?

Some swelling and initial pain at the joint are normal after hip replacement. To help reduce pain:

  • Take time to residual between therapy sessions.
  • Water ice the leg and the incision site.
  • Have anti-inflammatory medications, after consulting with your doctor, to help with these symptoms.

"Keeping the leg elevated above the middle when you lay down can likewise assist the swelling to recede," advises Thakkar.

It's important to pay attention to your pain levels. If you lot feel like you are consistently at a 6 or more than on a one–10 hurting scale, mention it to your medico, because it could be a sign of infection or another complexity. Every bit you continue physical therapy, your pain levels should slowly decrease to almost one or 2 in 12 weeks later the hip replacement.

How long does it take to recover after a hip replacement?

"On average, hip replacement recovery tin have around two to four weeks, but everyone is different," says Thakkar. Information technology depends on a few factors, including how active you were earlier your surgery, your age, nutrition, preexisting weather condition, and other health and lifestyle factors.

"Achieving a certain level of action before you accept the surgery can assist you bounce back more quickly," shares Thakkar. "Nosotros utilise a regimen called prerehabilitation, or prehab, to help patients make it a physical shape that will set them up for a successful recovery."

Preparing for Hip Replacement Surgery | Q&A with Savya Thakkar, Thousand.D.

Savya Thakkar, a hip and genu replacement specialist, talks about which atmospheric condition may require a hip replacement and what to expect before and after the surgery.

How soon tin I render to regular activities after a hip replacement?

The goal of physical therapy is to become you back to your normal life, whether it'due south going to work, playing with kids, or engaging in your favorite sport or hobby. Depending on the amount of concrete activity a task requires, the amount of time it volition take to exist able to perform that job differs.

  • Driving. If you had surgery on your right hip, it may have upwardly to a month to exist able to bulldoze safely again. If information technology was your left hip, then you might be back in the driver's seat in one or two weeks. Beginning in a parking lot and slowly motility to rural roads, working your way upward to the highway. Taking medications that may impair your coordination, such as opioids, might delay how presently yous tin can go dorsum to driving.
  • Work. If yous accept a desk-bound job with minimal activity, you lot tin render to work in near two weeks. If your chore requires heavy lifting or is otherwise tough on the hips, it is recommended to take off near six weeks to recover.
  • Sports. For sports with minimal activity, such as golf, you can return when you lot feel comfortable. For high impact contact sports you should await about six weeks to get back in the game. Before getting into a pool, yous should also wait virtually half dozen weeks until the incision completely heals.
  • Sexual activity. You tin return to sexual practice whenever you feel comfy.

What could dull down my recovery?

"As with whatever surgery, there is some risk of complications during and after a hip replacement, which may include infection at the incision site, os fractures and hip dislocations," explains Thakkar. If yous discover a fever, drainage from the incision site, difficulty moving your hip or astringent pain that is not relieved by your medication, contact your doctor immediately.

Taking rehabilitation at a comfortable stride and avoiding sudden, sharp movements can help preclude dislocations and falls that may delay the recovery.

How long will my hip replacement implant concluding?

Different 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 crusade fewer problems. These implants tin terminal 20 to thirty years, and the risk of failure and the need for repeat surgeries is depression.

How long afterward replacing i hip should I expect to supervene upon the other?

"If you suffer from severe arthritis in both hips, you lot could become both joints replaced at the same time (double hip replacement). This might actually be safer and atomic number 82 to quicker recovery in some patients," says Thakkar.

Having a double hip replacement reduces the risk of many complications that come up along with anesthesia. Recovery is actually shorter simply may require double the effort, because you would demand to strengthen both legs at the aforementioned time. Information technology may also be more than challenging to get around the house initially, so you might need more than support at dwelling.

If yous desire to accept ii separate hip replacement surgeries, it is all-time to wait at least vi weeks betwixt the replacements to lower the risk of blood clots.