Hip Replacement

Try to get your home ready for your return from the hospital, as it will help to make your recovery easier. You might need to think about rearranging your furniture so that you can move around safely. You should make sure that everything is accessible, such as making your bed, chairs and toilet seats higher so that you can avoid straining your hip when you sit down.

You could also stock up on frozen or tinned food before your surgery, so that you will not have to go shopping while you recover for the first few weeks. If possible, ask friends or family to stay with you for a couple of weeks after the surgery.

Around eight-to-12 weeks after hip replacement surgery, you can begin to return to most light activities, but you should avoid any high-impact sports such as cycling and tennis until you have fully healed.

For six-to-12 months, pivoting or twisting on the involved leg should be avoided. You should also not cross your leg past the midline of the body, turn the involved leg inward, and you should not bend at the hip past 90 degrees. This includes both bending forward at the waist and squatting.

Once you have made a full recovery, you can have a more active lifestyle. Try not to run on hard surfaces at first, avoiding sports such as squash and tennis. You should also avoid sports with a high risk of falling, such as skiing.

Hip revision surgery is not very common but is sometimes needed to replace your artificial joint if it becomes loose, wears out or breaks. This can be a much more complicated operation than your original hip replacement.

Your surgeon will need to remove the original implants, as well as any cement used to hold them in place. Then they will be able to insert the new implants. Some implants are more difficult to remove than others. If your thigh bone has grown onto the implant, this can also lead to the implant being difficult to remove.

As our bones thin as we age, they are more likely to break (fracture). Your surgeon might need to use a hip replacement part with a longer stem to get a stronger fix into the bone. Your surgeon may have to rebuild the bone in your hip using bone from another part of your body or from your thigh. This is called a bone graft and it may mean that your recover period is extended.

Most surgeons no longer use metal-on-metal implants during hip replacement surgery, as they are known to cause problems for some people. Metal debris from the implant can get into the blood, which causes bone loss and loosening of the implant. If you do have a metal-on-metal implant, you should have it checked every year. If you are concerned or if your implant is causing you pain, contact your GP in the first instance.

During your stay in hospital, our care team will try to get you out of bed and on your feet as soon as possible. This might be the same day as your surgery. You will be able to walk with crutches and will be able to go home when our care team are satisfied that you are able to move around safely. This is generally after a few days.

Most people are able to drive again after six-to-eight weeks, but you should check this with your surgeon first.

If you have a desk-based job, you should be able to return after six-to-eight weeks but, if your role requires any heavy lifting or manual labour, you may need to wait for around 12 weeks before returning to work.

You should be able to get back to most daily activities including light chores after six weeks, although you should avoid any heavy lifting or strenuous activity for around three months after your operation.

You should discuss this with your GP, as your chance of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) increases after surgery. Airlines also have their own regulations regarding passengers who have recently had surgery, so you should check with them in advance of any proposed journey.

The type of hip replacement that you might have depends on the extent and cause of the damage.

Total hip replacement: also known as full hip replacement, this is where both the ball and socket are removed and replaced with prosthetic parts. It is the most common type of hip replacement surgery.

Partial hip replacement: also called a hemiarthroplasty, this is where only the femoral head (the ball of the hip) is removed and replaced. This is not usually recommended when the cause if damage is a degenerative condition such as arthritis.

Hip resurfacing: this involves reshaping and replacing damaged surfaces of the bone rather than removing them and is usually carried out on younger patients.

Transform provides outstanding care right from your initial consultation, through to surgery and your aftercare. All of our expert surgeons are registered with the General Medical Council and have extensive experience in offering individual care to every patient.

All of our private hospitals include leading facilities and are registered with the Care Quality Commission so you can be sure that you’ll receive only the highest standard of patient care and service.

Hip replacements can last a long time. Data from the NIHR from 2019 suggests that more than 50% of hip replacements last for 25 years, with 85% of total hip replacements lasting for 15 years.

A hip replacement usually takes between one and two hours but this can be dependent upon the type of surgery. Your surgeon will explain for how long you can expect to be in theatre during your consultation.

Your surgeon will make an incision over your hip to enable the removal of the damaged bone. The prosthetic parts will then be implanted. Your surgeon will explain to you the details of the operation and the exact procedure will depend on whether you have a total or partial hip replacement.

After around six weeks of recovery, you should be able to get back to your normal daily activities. However, everyone recovers at their own pace, and this will also depend on your age, fitness level before the operation, and the condition of your hip. Your surgeon will be able to talk you through what your hip replacement surgery recovery time is likely to be.

Many patients ask about walking unaided after a hip replacement and, although everyone is different, this can usually be achieved after around six to eight weeks.

The length of your overall recovery will depend on the extent of your surgery and your individual health. Generally, the total time to recover from hip replacement surgery is up to 12 months.