After hip replacement surgery, recovery times can vary from person to person. How quickly you recover depends on many different factors such as your age, your general health, the strength of your muscles and the condition of your other joints. It is important to follow the advice the hospital gives you for your recovery. It is important to stay active on discharge and try to not do too much too soon. Expect small gradual improvements over time .

Your recovery may take longer than you want or expect. Stick with it! Keep following all the advice you’ve been given. You won’t be recovering forever. You will start to feel better soon.

It is normal to feel some pain while moving your hip. Your hip probably feels swollen and stiff. However, moving around a bit each day, and sticking with your physiotherapy exercises, will help with your recovery.

You can resume driving when your strength and reflexes have returned to a more normal state to enable you get in and out of a car and control the car properly. You must be free from the distracting effect of pain or any strong pain medication and be able to perform an emergency stop. This is usually around 4 to 6 weeks after your surgery. Getting in and out of a car can be difficult as a passenger and driver. Ask your therapist to give you some guidance on how to do so safely.

This depends on your job, but you can usually return to work 4 to 6 weeks after your operation. If you have a job that involves a lot of walking, you may need a bit more time to recover before returning to work. If you have a very heavy manual labour job, then you may want to think about changing to lighter duties. Set realistic expectations and speak to your employer about the possibility of phasing your return over a number of weeks

For the first 3 months, you should be able to manage light chores, such as dusting and washing up. Avoid heavy household tasks such as vacuuming and changing the beds. Do not stand for long periods as this may cause ankle swelling and avoid stretching up or bending down for the first 6 weeks.

During a fight, legs can swell up due to pressure changes and immobility. This increases your risks of developing blood clots. This risk is high within the first 3 months of surgery particularly with long haul flights. Also bear in mind that any metal components in your hip may set off very sensitive alarms at some airports so allow enough time to go through security.

Depending on the surgical technique used, you may be asked to sleep on your back with a pillow between your legs for a length of time. Check with your surgeon or physiotherapist before leaving the hospital.

You may find that having the operation gives your sex life a boost. Most people find it more comfortable to lie on their backs during sex. Due to hip precautions, there are some positions which your surgeon may discourage. Don’t be shy to ask your doctor or Physiotherapist about the safe positions.

Returning to normal everyday activities will take time. You must be an active participant in your recovery process to allow you to get there sooner and have a more successful outcome. Depending on your baseline, most patients are able to stop using crutches and resume normal leisure activities around 4 - 6 weeks after surgery. However, it may take up to 3 months for pain and swelling to settle down. Your new hip will continue to recover up to a year after your operation. During this time, scar tissue will heal and muscles will be restored by exercise. Even after you have recovered, it's best to avoid extreme movements or sports where there's a risk of falling, such as skiing or mountain biking. Your doctor or a physiotherapist can advise you.

National Health Service 2019, Overview: Hip Replacement, viewed 23 December 2020, <https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/hip-replacement/>

Versus Arthritis 2018, Hip Replacement Surgery, viewed 22 December 2020, <https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/treatments/surgery/hip-replacement-surgery/ >