Hip replacement surgery may be a fairly routine operation these days, but it can still be a very stressful time for you if you are currently on the waiting list.
Preparing for hip replacement surgery, not only helps you to feel more in control and reduce your nerves. It can also make a huge difference to your recovery time after hip replacement surgery, and enable you to get back to doing the things you love quickly!
In this blog, you'll learn more about your upcoming hip replacement and discover several ways our patients have prepared to make post-surgery recovery much easier, and faster.
How Long Does Hip Replacement Surgery Take?
Hip replacement surgery typically lasts up to two hours, and should involve minimal invasive surgery which reduces the damage to the muscles and tendons around your hip joint.
This is safer and leads to less pain after surgery.
Hip replacements are common, as our aging population grows, so this is a fairly safe operation however there is always an inherent risk in any surgery.
Hip Replacement Surgery Recovery Time
Recovery time for hip replacement surgery varies from person to person, but on average, our post-surgery patients should recover within four to eight weeks. There are a lot of factors that influence your recovery time, such as age, medical history, nutrition, pre-surgery activity levels and other lifestyle factors.
However, we know everyone's definition of recovery is different.
Some people are happy with being able to walk freely, and take care of themselves in later life.
For them, they may feel that they have recovered to their desired standard within six weeks.
Other people want much more capacity - to be able to exercise lots, stay very active and have a busy social calendar. For these people, a full recovery may take far longer.
If you are the latter, then your recovery will naturally take longer, but our physical therapy team have worked with lots of hip replacement patients and helped them maximise the speed of their recovery so they can get back to doing what they love.
What To Expect After Hip Replacement Surgery
After hip replacement surgery, you will typically spend several days in hospital. Initially, there will be some discomfort in your hip, groin, thigh and sometimes your knee which may require short term use of painkillers.
However, we know using painkillers is something people wish to avoid, and natural pain relief is something our physical therapy team can help with in the longer term.
Once you've been discharged, the next stage will be using a walking frame or crutches for additional support and stability when walking, and starting an exercise program designed to increase the strength, and mobility of your hip.
In our experience, the standard of post hip replacement surgery care is poor, and leaves many people frustrated as they aren't able to achieve the results they'd hoped that the surgery would provide.
After a significant operation, and dealing with pain, discomfort and inconvenience, it can be extremely annoying when you feel like you haven't received the help you need.
That's why a lot of hip replacement patients visit us - to help them get a full recovery so they can get back to doing the things that they love - which they can't do alone, or without expert support.
If you are worried about your upcoming hip replacement surgery, don't suffer in silence. Reach out to our physical therapy team and take charge of your health by calling us on 859-303-6393.
Preparing For Hip Replacement Surgery
Preparing for hip replacement surgery can help to relieve any anxiety, and also make it much easier for you to recover.
First of all, preparing your travel arrangements to and from the hospital is essential.
After hip replacement surgery, you will not be able to drive, and walking will be a challenge so ensuring you have a friend or relative collected you from the hospital can make the journey home a much easier experience.
Another thing to consider is your home care afterwards. With hip replacement surgery, you'll struggle in the early stages of recovery to prepare food, maintain your personal hygiene and get around the house.
Having a friend or relative visit regularly, or even stay with you during your recovery, can make things far easier for you, and help with the more challenging tasks.
Finally, before you go into hospital, consider the layout of your home and think about how you will manage after surgery.
Making sure that things that you need are within reach, not too high, or too low.
Also, check that you are able to move around with a walking frame or crutches unobstructed and without a risk of falling or tripping can reduce the risk of a potentially dangerous fall.
What I Wish I Knew Before Hip Replacement Surgery
In our Lexington clinic, patients who come to us often share things that they wish they'd known before hip replacement surgery.
One of the most common things is making sure they have the right support for their recovery.
In the vast majority of cases, standard aftercare after hip replacement surgery is simply not good enough.
It's rushed. It's not detailed enough. It's not personalised enough.
This leads to far longer recovery times, meaning that pain lasts longer after surgery, and people aren't able to get back to work, to their hobbies, or take care of their usual responsibilities.
After surgery, if you want to get back on your feet quickly, here's what you should do according to our past patients.
Be Proactive With Your Surgery Preparation
We are currently offering a limited number of free pre-surgery screenings where you can speak to a member of our team, and get tailored advice on how you can prepare effectively to massively reduce your recovery time.
As well as lifestyle and home advice, we can also help you identify ways you can prepare your body - by fixing existing injuries, strengthening your muscles, and improve your balance and coordination, you drastically increase your chances of a full recovery, at a much faster rate.
To arrange your free pre-surgery screenings, complete our simple webform or call us on 859-303-6393.
Arrange Your Recovery Plan Before Surgery
As well as helping you prepare for surgery, you can discover proven strategies for natural post-surgery pain relief, and the best ways to improve your strength so you can get back to moving without a walking frame or crutches quickly.
Once you're back on your feet, our team can then help you achieve a full recovery so you can live pain-free, and doing the things you love.
Arrange your free pre-surgery screenings, complete our simple webform or call us on 859-303-6393.
Other Free Resources To Help You Stay Active, Healthy and Pain-Free
Arrange a FREE telephone consultation or take our Fall Risk Quiz.
Read Our Blog - 9 Ways To Stay Healthy And Reduce Your Fall Risk
Read Our Blog - How To Improve Balance
You can also read some of the other fantastic free tips and quick guides on our website, or follow us on social media for regular top tips on Titan Physical Therapy Facebook.