What is Hip Replacement Recovery Time?
After a hip replacement surgery, the hip replacement recovery time is 6 to 12 months, although the implants can last 20 years.
Following your surgeon’s recommendations, maintaining a balanced diet, doing physical and occupational therapy exercises, and keeping an eye out for indications of infection or problems can all help you recover faster from a hip replacement.
What To Do 12 weeks after Hip Replacement?
Every person with hip replacement surgery will require a different recovery time, but most people will be fully recovered in 12 weeks after hip replacement. Even yet, it may appear to be a lengthy procedure; you must exercise patience and refrain from overworking yourself. Simultaneously, exercise builds muscle, enhances balance, and increases blood circulation.
Timeline for Hip Replacement Recovery
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The Surgery Day:
Several hours before surgery, you’ll check into the hospital. The procedure itself will take between 2 and 3 hours. After surgery, it will take another two hours to recover from anesthesia. The remainder of the day will be spent on a liquid diet. Different intravenous drugs will be given to you to avoid discomfort, blood clots, and infection.
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1-2 Days After Surgery
Physical therapists will teach you how to move in the least painful way possible. On the other hand, specific motions may not be feasible for several weeks.
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Four To Ten Days After Surgery:
This is a critical period for you to avoid illness. According to your doctor’s recommendations, you must take care of the incision—the first infection symptom, such as redness, fever, or seeping from the incision. To keep the incision clean, you’ll have to rely on sponge washes.
Moving around as much as possible while adhering to your physical therapy exercises can help you avoid stiffness, enhance circulation, and speed up your recovery.
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Approximately One Year After Surgery:
Within 10 to 12 weeks, most people can resume routine activities. However, complete healing might take 6 to 12 months. The discomfort typically goes away over this period, although some people may experience pain for more than a year.
The average hip replacement lasts 20 years. However, a small percentage of implants will fail sooner. Keep an eye out for loosening, instability, infection, or new discomfort. These symptoms may indicate that the implant is deteriorating or wearing out, necessitating total hip replacement surgery.
Make a Recovery Plan in Advance
If you prepare ahead in the weeks leading up to the operation, recovering after a hip replacement can be a lot simpler. If no one else is accessible, a social worker or another help may be required.
Overweight individuals may try lowering weight following surgery to reduce stress on the hip.
Immediately Following Surgery Recovery
Patients acclimate to their new hip and learn activities to aid their recovery during this period.
Doctors also give pain medicines like opioids and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to patients in discomfort just after surgery.
To prevent pneumonia, doctors may advise their patients to utilize a spirometer, a gadget that assists them in taking deep breaths.
At-Home Recuperation
Patients can begin mild activities in the home after leaving the hospital to enhance mobility. Most patients are given a walking program that progressively increases daily activity and a simple exercise regimen in physical therapy.
Most of the healing period is spent at home. During hip replacement recovery time, patients can take many actions to avoid common problems. It is critical to minimize falls and other hip injuries; thus, patients should use canes, crutches, or walkers as needed. During the first several months following surgery, they should avoid stairs and different steep inclines.
Hip Replacement Scar management
A large bruise on the outside thigh following hip replacement surgery may discourage patients from swimming or spending time in the sun. One method for reducing post-surgical scarring is to wear silicone gel pads or apply silicone adhering to the scar site.
Last Words
On AVG, hip replacement recovery time after surgery is 12 weeks, but it varies from person to person according to body structure. Many people turn to their normal life within 10 to 12 weeks. Rest other may take 6 to 12 months.