A District nurse will call at your home to change the dressings and when all has healed, remove the staples. (They use tiny staples to hold the wound closed rather than stitches!)
After that, you do some exercise for a few weeks, and after a month they'll see you again to x-ray it to see if it's OK, and if it is, it's simply a case of %26quot;keep taking the pills%26quot; until you feel fit enough to work again - but don't tear the ar-se out of it for a while - patience is a virtue ! !What to expect after a hip replacement?Been there, done that, bought the 'T' shirt TWICE!!!.
Ok, the Hospital will ensure you're mobile and can climb up and down stairs BEFORE they let you go home. Even though you may be able to accomplish this in a hospital environment, things will be different outside. DO NOT attempt to walk too far (for instance to the local shops unacompanied).
I would expect your Surgeon to confine you to your home environment for the next SIX WEEKS. You will NOT be able to drive, nor should you attempt travelling by bus or train for this period. If you need to attend hospital appointments you will need proper hospital transport and lay on a trolley stretcher NOT a sitting car ambulance. In hospital, you will be given a 'cradle' pillow for your leg. At home you might find that when laying in bed, one or even two pillows under your knee will be the most comfortable position to lay in.
The Physio-terrorists will give you a set of exercises to do even in hospital and you will recover that much sooner if you continue those exercises at home.
In all, your leg will be weak for approx 6 MONTHS so don't try lifting things too heavy.
Good luck my friend - if you need futher advice on this - come back to me - geoff.chaplin@btinternet.comWhat to expect after a hip replacement?You should call your doctor who is doing the surgery and ask to speak to the nurse. You can ask the nurse questions and if there are some she can't answer, then you can talk to the doctor. Some of the answers depend upon the reason you need a replacement and what other medical conditions you have. It would be best to get the info from your doctor. Also, you could do a search on the web to see what people in general have to say or what the medical sites say about recovery time and limitations, etc..What to expect after a hip replacement?i can tell you exactly what to expect as i had 1 in 2004....
your body weight is significant,,ie are you heavily built,or medium?light the heavier you are takes longer to sort out out,
i weigh about 11 and a half stone.
i went into hospital they told me i would be there 12 days(sent home in 6)they said off work 12 weeks(back at work in 8wks)
after the op they have you up and about asap,firstly up and down the ward on a zimmer,then to crutches and going up and down stairs
while in hosp you are kept on your back with your legs apart,
few weeks after you go home a nurse comes and removes dressings etc from the wound,
you do what they tell you and you will be fine,,
having limped for 15years its like a new lease of life,,,dont worry
they know what they are doing,,,
they dont want you driving for a certain period after the op(1 idiot while i was there,came back with a dislocation 3 times,,,he was driving a mini before they said he could resume driving,,i assume you have more sense)
i was nervous of a relapse for about 12 months after the op,,,,,but now i dont give it a second thought,,,i run,swim,climb ladders and all sorts,What to expect after a hip replacement?Hello,at 80,my dear old Mum had a total new right hip replacement. Prior to this,Mum was in constant pain and couldn't walk more than a few steps without having to stop and rest.
Because of her age,she was in hospital for 3 weeks.The initial pain of the operation goes with each day until the Specialists deem fit to release her. Once she was home,I looked after for three weeks by which time she was able to get around with the help of a zimmer frame.
The one major thing I can tell you is that recovery is slow but steady. You should always sit down in such a way that your hips are just slightly higher than your knees. Any chair you have MUST be measured from the foot to the back of the knee. That way,when you get up,you will not be putting undue strain on the hip. You must NEVER sit in any chair with your knees higher than your hip.You risk damaging it.
For car travel,make sure you get a useful device that is best described like a 'record turntable'. You sit on this device and turntable yourself into a suitable position without having to shuffle and twist and turn. Lastly,if you are upstairs and wish to come down,make sure you have grab rails down the entire length of the staircase.Then please,please,please learn how to come down these stairs backwards! Its well worth learning this! If you have to lift anything you drop,get a long 'grabber' like those used by park-keepers. Never bend with the knees to retrive anything you drop,or kneel down as there is a real risk of 'popping' the hip out.
For anything else, I urge you to contact Arthritis Care in the UK at www.arc.org.uk.
All the very best for a new lease of life!
Alan L.What to expect after a hip replacement?my best friend had a hip replacement and he has recovered very well he was in hospital for a bout a week and it took about 6 weeks for him to be mobile properly he was really worried about contracting mrsa but thankfully he was ok
his pain basically dissapeared straight away as it was painfull for him to walk any distance atall but when he came home the nurse came every day and now hes fine epcept that he does still have a limp when he walksWhat to expect after a hip replacement?It is just like any other surgery...generally 6-8 weeks if there are no complications. You will be able to tell what you should avoid because it will hurt....especially the physical therapy after, but it is necessary.
after your surgery you will susceptible to infections, bloodclots, dislocation, and joint stiffening. Your doctor should explain all this to you before your surgery.What to expect after a hip replacement?My mom at 72 spent week in hospital came to where i worked in rehab facility. She left in a week. Doing great
