What to Expect After a Hip Replacement: A Recovery Timeline

There’s one area where advancements in the medical field have delivered significant gains: hip replacements. Today, the vast majority of people start walking the same day they get their new hip. Recovery often tends to go fairly quickly and easily from there. 

That’s particularly true when you choose a seasoned surgeon like Karl Siebuhr, MD. With extensive experience performing both total and partial hip replacements, he can set you on the road to walking comfortably — and often sooner than you might expect. Visit our team at Reconstructive Orthopaedics of Central Florida in Ocala, Florida. We can help you determine if you need a hip replacement and, if so, what type. This shapes your recovery timeline.

Generally, though, you can expect the following after your hip replacement surgery: 

Day one: walking and heading home

Typically, we want to see a patient walk before we send them home from hip replacement surgery. We’ll help you get out of bed and take a little stroll around with the assistance of a walker.

The majority of people go home the same day as their hip replacement. To make sure you’re set up for success, we recommend:

• Getting a walker and practicing a bit with it beforehand
• Arranging for someone to drive you home and help you for the first few days
• Removing tripping hazards around the house (e.g., cords and rugs across walkways)
• Putting some ice packs in the freezer
• Arranging a couple of comfortable spots to rest with your leg elevated
• Arranging to have someone pick up your pain management prescriptions

Our team gives you more specific prep instructions in the lead-up to your procedure. 

Days 2–14

You should plan to take at least a couple of weeks off work. If you have a physically demanding job, we might recommend taking longer.

During the first couple of weeks, movement plays a critical role in helping your hip heal properly and avoiding blood clots. Every couple of hours, get up and walk around for at least a few minutes. Use your walker until you’re confident you’re stable on your feet. Tripping and falling could be a serious setback that dramatically extends your recovery timeline.

Physical therapy also plays a huge role. Make sure you don’t miss any of your physical therapy appointments. Stay consistent with any at-home exercises your therapist gives you, too. 

During the first week after surgery, make sure you take your pain medication. People often think they feel fine so they stop taking what was prescribed. Then, they have to essentially chase down the pain once their last dose wears off. It’s easier to keep pain controlled if you’re consistent with your dosage. 

Stay in touch with us during the early days. Anesthesia and pain medications can cause side effects like constipation or nausea. We can help you control any issues that pop up. 

Weeks 3–8

In the following weeks, life should return to normal — minus the hip pain you had before. 

You should be able to drive within a month (or even sooner if you replaced your left hip). Most people get back to low-impact activities like cycling or golf within a week or two. Wait at least six weeks for higher-impact activities. 

We stay with you along your recovery journey. Our goal is to help you get back to the things you love as quickly and comfortably as possible. 

To get a better idea of what your recovery would look like based on what your hip needs, schedule a consultation with us. Call our Reconstructive Orthopaedics of Central Florida office or request an appointment online.