What to Expect After a Hip Replacement

Hip replacement surgery is a common operation in the UK, but its effects are often life-changing. A new hip can significantly enhance your quality of life, allowing you to continue living life the way you want to, without the burden of pain or stiffness.

However, immediately after your surgery, it’s not uncommon to experience the opposite effect. You may need help with aftercare and wound management, as well as getting around the house and personal care.

Recovery from a hip replacement can take anywhere from 6 weeks to 12 months, so knowing what care options are available to you is essential. We’ll explore this today, along with what to expect after your surgery.

What is a hip replacement and why do you need one?

A hip replacement, otherwise known as a hip arthroplasty, is one of the most common orthopedic surgeries in the UK. The operation consists of replacing a damaged hip joint with an artificial one. There are many reasons why you may need a hip replacement, including:

• Osteoarthritis: Otherwise known as ‘wear and tear arthritis’, osteoarthritis occurs when the cartilage inside your hip joint wears away, allowing the bones to rub against each other.
• Rheumatoid arthritis: This type of arthritis is caused by the immune system mistakenly attacking the lining of your hip joint, resulting in stiffness and pain.
• Hip fracture: The National Hip Fracture Database reports that over 70,000 people in the UK fracture their hip every year. This damages the hip joint, potentially requiring a replacement to improve mobility.

Most causes for hip replacements are age-related, so they’re usually carried out in older adults between the ages of 60 to 80. However, they can be performed on younger people who have damaged their hip joint during sports or traumatic injuries.

What to expect immediately after hip replacement surgery

After surgery, you’ll wake up in a recovery room in the hospital, where you’ll be given medication to help manage your pain and time to get your bearings. You’ll be sore for a few days after your operation, so you’ll continue to be given painkillers. You may also have a tube inserted into your hip to drain away fluids from the surgical site.

Your healthcare team will encourage you to walk as soon as possible after the operation, as the quicker you walk with crutches or a walking frame, the quicker you can be discharged.

When can you go home?

One of the most common questions people ask when preparing for a hip replacement is: When will I be able to go home?

The answer depends on your personal situation and how well the operation went. Some healthy individuals can go home on the same day as their operation, but it’s more likely that you’ll be discharged around one to three days afterwards.

Before being discharged, your physiotherapist or occupational therapist will talk to you about managing daily activities at home and exercises to do to aid recovery. It’s essential that you follow these exercises as they’ll help with long-term strength and movement in the hip.

Dealing with pain at home

Once at home, you’ll most likely still be experiencing pain and swelling in the legs and feet. A moderate amount of pain is considered normal, and your care team will have prescribed you medication to manage this. Holding an ice pack to your hip may also reduce painful symptoms.

Pain usually peaks a few days after the surgery, so there may not be a reason to worry. However, if you find that your pain isn’t easing up within a few weeks, talk to your healthcare provider or carer for support and a post-operative review.

Using recovery devices after a hip replacement

Getting yourself around the house can be difficult, especially during the first few days when your hip is really stiff and painful. The hospital will have given you crutches to help you walk, but not everyone gets along with these and may prefer a cane or walker.

Consider the following recovery devices for after your surgery:

• A walker or cane
• Raised toilet seat
• Shower chair
• Grabber tool

These devices can all help prevent you from falling while recovering. Some people may be so nervous about falling or the pain while walking that they put it off and remain in bed as much as possible. However, getting up and walking can speed up recovery and prevent blood clots, so using recovery devices that make you more confident is a huge plus.

Exercising after a hip replacement

Most healthcare professionals recommend light physical activity during your recovery, as it can help reduce swelling and improve lower-body strength. Your physiotherapist will give you some exercises to perform each day, but you can also incorporate gentle cardio into your day-to-day routine:

• Walking: Walking is an excellent way to strengthen your hip. Start with short distances around the house, gradually increasing to outdoor walks when you’re able to without discomfort.
• Swimming: Swimming doesn’t require you to bear weight on your hip, reducing the amount of discomfort felt while exercising. Start slowly and only when your doctor agrees to avoid the risk of infection at the wound site.
• Cycling: Cycling is a good exercise to increase your range of motion after surgery. Early in recovery, a raised seat can limit the amount of bending needed. We recommend using an exercise bike to reduce the risk of falling.
• Resistance training: Resistance training can strengthen the muscles around your hip to prolong the life of your artificial joint.

You should always speak to your healthcare team before starting any exercise program after a hip replacement, as pushing yourself too hard can result in more pain and risk of another surgery to fix it.

Do I need professional hip recovery care?

Whether you need hip replacement care will depend on your individual situation and how you’re coping at home. However, most people will benefit from a degree of professional care to support them with daily living activities such as cooking, washing, and getting from room to room.

There are plenty of benefits from utilising post-operative care from an experienced carer, including:

Minimising your fall risk

A live-in carer offers round-the-clock care to make sure you have assistance on hand whenever you need to move from room to room. Your fall risk is much larger soon after surgery, especially when your new hip is still stiff or you’re still taking strong medication. A carer will keep an eye on your movements and help when needed, as well as move any trip hazards to keep the walkways clear.

Assistance with therapy

Your carer will liaise with your occupational and physiotherapist to make sure you’re completing the correct exercises for rehabilitation. They’ll gently encourage you to complete them to the best of your ability and report back to the professionals if they’re concerned about the exercises being too difficult or easy.

Confidence boost

One of the biggest concerns for people who undergo hip surgery is the loss of confidence they experience afterwards. You may struggle to do things for yourself, such as walking, standing for longer than a few minutes to cook or maintaining personal hygiene. A carer can encourage you to be independent throughout your recovery, with support only when necessary, to boost your confidence back up and keep you feeling your best.

Medication management

A professional carer will help keep track of all your medication prescribed by your doctor. They’ll follow a strict schedule to make sure you’re getting the correct doses at the right times, keeping your pain to a minimum while keeping you stress-free.

Support around the home

Home care comes with support around the home as well as personal care and medication management. A carer will assist with light housework, cooking and pet care. This lets you focus on getting better and recovering without letting your chores get on top of you.

Wound care and support with follow-up appointments

A trained carer can assist you with wound aftercare and checking for signs of infection. They can also transport you to and from appointments with your healthcare team. They’ll be able to contact your doctor if they notice any symptoms of infection or delayed recovery, giving you peace of mind that you’re being sufficiently cared for.

Companionship and emotional support

It’s not uncommon for you to have some anxiety surrounding your wound and recovery, which is when a carer can offer emotional support. You’ll have someone on hand to talk through your anxieties with instead of having to call and wait to speak to a doctor. Recovering from surgery can also be rather isolating, so a live-in or visiting carer may be an excellent companion.

How Trinity Homecare can help

Hip replacement surgery is a huge undertaking for most people, but the future benefits usually make the tough recovery worth it. The assistance of a professional and friendly carer can be a huge help with daily living, wound care and pain management. At Trinity Homecare, we’re committed to providing exceptional care to all of our clients, whether that be quick visits each day for companionship or more extensive support from a live-in carer.

The care we provide includes:

• One-to-one support at home
• Completely bespoke live-in care that has been tailored to you
• Specialist care for a number of different circumstances
• Home carers carefully matched to your needs
• CQC rated ‘Outstanding’ live-in care services

We’ll match you with a carer trained and experienced in caring for clients after hip replacement surgery. They’ll help you with mobility, transportation to and from appointments, wound care and much more, as well as providing companionship and a listening ear for emotional support.

Talk to us today

If your loved one requires home care, chat with one of our friendly care team today. We offer a free, no-obligation enquiry and assessment service and are happy to offer information and advice to help you find the perfect home care solution.

Call us on 020 4572 5583 in confidence for a free no obligation quotation. If enquiring outside of our opening hours, please complete our online form and we will contact you the next day.