You have a window of time immediately after your surgery in which you can restore the range of motion in your new joint. If you don't move and engage in physical therapy, however, scar tissue develops that restricts movement and your muscles weaken.
If you do not get physical therapy after you have surgery, your joint or muscle group may not heal properly or operate at the level it did before your injury or surgery. Also, you will miss out on all of the benefits we just talked about. You're likely to experience a loss in your range of motion.
Regular exercise to restore strength and mobility to your hip and a gradual return to everyday activities are important for your full recovery after total hip replacement.
Activity. It is important to gradually increase your out-of-home activity during the first few weeks after surgery. If you do too much activity, your hip may become more swollen and painful.
A crucial part of successful rehabilitation is physiotherapy. The NHS recommends that patients have a minimum of six weeks' physio after a hip or knee replacement but, according to a new study, the amount of physiotherapy people actually receive depends on where they live.
As you continue physical therapy, your pain levels should slowly decrease to about 1 or 2 in 12 weeks after the hip replacement.
Everyone recovers differently, but it's often possible to return to light activities or office-based work within around 6 weeks. It may take a few more weeks if your job involves heavy lifting. It's best to avoid extreme movements or sports where there's a risk of falling, such as skiing or riding.
Typical symptoms that you may have failed total hip replacement are pain in the hip, groin, or thigh as well as limited mobility. Some people describe feeling that the hip joint might “give out.”
Your hip implant may wear out or loosen over time. It might also become damaged if you have an injury or dislocation. You may need a revision surgery to replace the damaged parts of the prosthesis.
The second complication we try to avoid is loosening of the implants. This can happen when patients do too much walking and stress the implants prior to the ingrowth process. Generally, I advise patients to walk only a few hundred yards a day total until they get to around six weeks.
The Don'ts
Don't cross your legs at the knees for at least 6 to 8 weeks. Don't bring your knee up higher than your hip. Don't lean forward while sitting or as you sit down. Don't try to pick up something on the floor while you are sitting.
You can expect to experience some discomfort in the hip region itself, as well as groin pain and thigh pain. This is normal as your body adjusts to changes made to joints in that area. There can also be pain in the thigh and knee that is typically associated with a change in the length of your leg.
If you don't get physical therapy, you're more likely to experience muscle atrophy or poor circulation, causing muscle weakness and making it difficult to do the things you love.
Without exercise and therapy, a patient might never regain their full range of motion again. This is, perhaps, one of the most important reasons you shouldn't skip your therapist in the recovery stage of your surgery. It might be difficult and painful, but it will be worth it in the end.
Repetitive motions and high-impact activities can damage an implant over time. These types of activities include running, heavy weightlifting, jumping, and more. You may need to avoid sports, such as soccer, cross-country running, racquetball, or basketball, which involve these repetitive motions.
One of the most common serious medical complications related to joint replacement surgery is blood clots. Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) refers to a blood clot in the leg and is called a deep vein thrombosis.
Implants that are sized too large can cause your tendons to become overstretched and irritated. Conversely, implants that are sized too small can cause your tendons to be under-tensioned and lead to dislocation. Impingement can cause pain of the groin, front of your hip, and even into your thigh or buttock.
Around three months after your hip operation, most things will go back to normal, and the pain goes away for most people. You need to look out for signs of complications and continue being careful with how you move your hip. After 6 to 12 months, the recovery is considered complete.
After having a hip replacement, contact your doctor if you get: hot, reddened, hard or painful areas in your leg in the first few weeks after your operation. Although this may just be bruising from the surgery, it could mean you have DVT (deep vein thrombosis) – a blood clot in the leg. chest pains or breathlessness.
Current guidelines do not recommend more than one follow-up visit (including radiographs) within the first year and one follow-up visit (including radiographs) between 2 and 10 years after surgery.
Noise from normal hips as well as hip replacements is not uncommon. Normal hips may click or clunk on certain movements and these noises are usually associated with a tendon catching over a muscle. Noise coming from a joint replacement itself is often described as a 'grinding' or 'ratchety' sensation.
Housework such as vacuuming can be resumed as comfortable after six weeks.
Best Sleeping Positions After Total Hip Replacement
The best position to sleep in after total hip replacement is on your back with a pillow between your legs. You can also sleep on your non-operative side with two pillows lined between your legs.
Avoid soft chairs, rocking chairs, stools, or sofas. Avoid chairs that are too low. Your hips should be higher than your knees when you are sitting. Sit on a pillow or cushion if you have to.
Instructions after first postop visit (6-8 weeks after surgery): You should now be comfortable in walking with a cane or nothing at all, placing full weight on the operated leg. At this point, if you haven't already done so, you may wean to using 1 crutch or cane in the opposite hand/arm.