“I always tell patients, ‘Don't expect too much, too early. Recovery takes time,’ says Ivan Tomek, MD, an orthopaedic surgeon at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center.
Tomek and fellow surgeons, Alexander R. Orem, MD, MS, and Wayne Moschetti, MD, MS, answer these common questions about what happens during hip replacement surgery and the recovery process.
How does a hip replacement work?
A hip replacement surgery works by replacing the ball and socket of your hip joint. To begin, the surgeon makes an incision on the front of the hip in what is called an anterior approach. Then the surgeon removes the old arthritic ball at the top of the femur, replacing the ball and socket. Next, they snap in a polyethylene liner. Through robotics, they are able to make sure leg length and the position of the implants are perfect and ready to use for running, skiing, and different activities.
What is recovery like?
Recovery takes time. By three months after surgery, after the implant and the bone have connected, you should be about 60% recovered and at one year, about 95% recovered. Once muscles and all of the associated soft tissues recover, it may take two years for full recovery to occur.
Meanwhile, the first month after hip replacement also may be achy. That is when the soft tissues heal. Some days will feel great. On other days, if you overdo it, the hip will hurt afterward. You should not do exercises more times than your physical therapist advises. A month after surgery is when the real work begins.
Will I have a big scar?
Typically, a patient will not have a big scar after surgery. For a hip replacement, that scar is in the front of the thigh and usually heals without issue.
What does a hip replacement feel like?
Because a hip is a ball and socket that rotates, most people will feel over time that the hip is normal. You may even forget that you have had your hip replaced and can get back to all the activities that you like to do.
When can I run and do other activities after a hip replacement?
Running can be tricky after hip replacement. You should probably wait at least three months before you do any vigorous activity and you may have to wait a year to 18 months before you can run. Some may never feel comfortable running after a hip replacement and instead choose low-impact activities like swimming, biking, riding, and hiking. You can return to driving anywhere from two weeks to six weeks after the surgery. You should never take narcotic pain medicine before driving. A shower? You can do that the first day after surgery, just don’t saturate or submerge the bandage in water.
How can you help a loved one after hip replacement?
There are probably a couple of things you can do. First is to be supportive. There are going to be good days and bad and it's helpful to have someone saying it's going to be good at the end.
Patients after hip replacement are generally pretty self-sufficient, but it is helpful to have someone around to heat up a meal, do laundry, or help a loved one in and out of the shower.
Find out what people ask when considering a hip surgery.
Watch the whole interview about hip surgery.