Do I need a wheelchair after hip replacement?

For a joint replacement to succeed, patients need at least 3-4 months of a successful recovery. In the first few days after surgery, mobility is difficult without help, but not all patients need a wheelchair. Based on the procedure, patients can walk immediately for short distances with a cane or walker.

What equipment is needed at home after hip replacement surgery?

A cane, crutches, or a walker. A reacher to help you pick up things from the floor, put on your pants, and take off your socks. A sock aid to help you put on your socks. Handle bars in the bathroom to allow you to steady yourself.

When can you walk unaided after hip replacement?

3 to 6 Weeks After Hip Replacement Surgery

You'll likely be able to walk without a walker or crutches.

Does the hospital give you a walker after hip replacement?

During your hospital stay, you'll work closely with our physical therapists. They'll get you up and walking with either a walker or crutches, have you practice climbing stairs and provide instructions for a gentle home exercise program.

What kind of mobility do you have after hip replacement?

You'll be able to walk in the week after the surgery but be sure to rely on a walker or cane to avoid putting your full body weight on your hip. An experienced, knowledgeable surgeon that you trust can make all the difference throughout the hip replacement process.

Top 3 Mistakes After Total Hip Replacement

How long are you on bed rest after a hip replacement?

How do I safely rest and sleep after a hip replacement? Elevate both of your legs when sitting to minimize swelling. When resting or sleeping in bed, lie on your non-operative side for the first four to six weeks following surgery.

How long do you need a caregiver after hip surgery?

Talk with a Senior Living Advisor

After three to six weeks, they may be able to resume light activities, such as driving a car and walking without crutches or a walker. Many people can return to normal activity 12 weeks after their procedure.

Can you go home same day after hip replacement?

Same-day surgeries, also called outpatient surgery, are when a patient safely leaves the hospital to recover at home the same day as the surgery. About one-third to one-half of my patients with a knee or hip replacement surgeries can go home the same day as their procedures.

How painful is hip replacement surgery?

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.

How do you poop after hip surgery?

Be sure to drink plenty of fluids and eat foods high in fiber, such as fruits and vegetables, to prevent constipation. Use a stool softener while taking pain medication. Take a laxative if you do not have a bowel movement within two to three days. Notify your doctor if you don't have results after taking the laxative.

Is it OK to sit in a recliner after hip replacement surgery?

Try to sit in a straight back chair (avoid low sofas, recliners, or zero-gravity chairs) for the first 6 weeks. Do NOT sleep in a recliner. Your hip will get stiff in a flexed position and be harder to straighten out.

Can you climb stairs after hip replacement?

Using Assistive Devices to Climb Stairs After Hip Surgery

After the operation and throughout the early stages of recovery, you will need some form of support when ascending or descending stairs, such as using the handrails and a cane. At home, your stairs should have some handrails or banisters already installed.

What can you never do again after a hip replacement?

How do I prepare my house for a hip replacement?

How do you shower after hip surgery?

Do not shower until 3 to 4 days after your surgery, or when your provider told you to shower. When you can shower, let water run over your incision but do not scrub it or let the water beat down on it. Do not soak in a bathtub, hot tub, or swimming pool. You may have bruising around your wound.

Can you drive 2 weeks after hip surgery?

Some patients may drive as soon as 2 weeks after surgery¹, while others may need as long as 8 weeks. Importantly, drivers must not be taking any pain medications that impair driving skills—this is unsafe and illegal. In addition, reflexes and muscle strength should have returned to their pre-surgical levels.

What happens first week after hip replacement?

Patients are up walking (with the walker for balance) and starting to resume activities of daily living, such as showering, getting the mail, and walking through the house. A list of basic exercises to start will be in the discharge paperwork, patients typically start 1-2 days after surgery.

How far can I walk 2 weeks after hip replacement?

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.

Is hip surgery considered major surgery?

Hip replacement is a major surgery and some complications, such as infection and blood clots, can be life-threatening. Experts estimate³ 0.35% (35 in 10,000) patients die within 30 days of hip replacement surgery. That rate changes to 1% (1 in 100) within 90 days of surgery.

How many hours does it take to do a hip replacement?

Total hip replacement surgery takes about one and a half hours. Most patients also stay in the hospital for one or two days after the procedure.

How long does a hip operation take?

The surgeon makes a cut (incision) into the hip, removes the damaged hip joint and replaces it with an artificial joint or implant. The surgery usually takes around 1 to 2 hours to complete.

Can I take care of myself after hip replacement surgery?

People are typically able to take care of themselves and resume most activities 6 weeks after surgery, and are 90% recovered after 3 months. It can take up to a full year before they are 100% recovered.

When can you put full weight on leg after hip replacement?

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.

Is hip replacement a permanent disability?

Social Security does recognize hip replacements as a disabling impairment under Section 1.03 in its Blue Book though hip replacements are not mentioned specifically. You may qualify if certain conditions are met.

How should I sleep after hip surgery?