Your Hip Replacement Recovery Timeline: What to Expect Week by Week

Hip replacement surgery is a common procedure with high success rates, but it can still be scary to take this big step. Knowing what to expect in the days and weeks after can help you feel better and more prepared.

Patients often have a lot of important questions, like “How long after hip replacement can I return to work?” or “What is normal pain after hip replacement surgery?” Here, NCSH surgical and hip experts answer those questions and others, while going through the week-by-week recovery time for total hip replacement.

Your Hospital Stay: The First 24-72 Hours

The first stage of your recovery begins in a hospital. How long you’ll stay depends on individual factors. Your surgeon will talk to you about what to expect, but it shouldn’t be more than 72 hours. Many patients go home the same day.

The good news is that, even if you need to stay one or two nights, NCSH patients recover in spacious, private rooms. You won’t have to share space with other patients, and you will be in a safe, monitored environment.

The main areas of focus for this early stage of recovery are pain management and beginning to move. You’ll receive medications for pain, which may include prescriptions or over-the-counter medications like acetaminophen or NSAIDs.

Many patients want to know when to start physical therapy after hip replacement, but often it begins right away, in the hospital. One of the most important total hip replacement precautions is preventing blood clots. Movement helps with this, so you will get help moving as soon as possible. You might also be asked to breathe deeply or blow into a special device regularly to help keep fluid out of your lungs.

Recovery at Home: A Week-by-Week Guide

Once you go home from the hospital, your full recovery becomes a weeks-long process. From resting and healing to getting back to normal, here’s what you can expect.

Weeks 1-2: Rest and Protected Movement

For your first week or two at home, your goal should be to rest and heal. This includes incision care and watching for signs of infection or other issues, like worsening pain. Some pain and swelling are normal after hip surgery, but report to your surgeon worsening pain or pain that doesn’t improve after a week or two.

During this time, you’ll also need to move but in limited and safe ways. You should be doing physical therapy sessions. Follow your PT’s guidelines for movement outside of their sessions. They will recommend exercises you can do at home and explain how active you should be right now.

In addition to physical therapy, you’ll be gently increasing your walking. Expect to rely on mobility devices, like a walker, as you build strength and mobility. Take all necessary precautions to avoid a fall at this time. Use your devices, even if you don’t think you need them.

Weeks 3-6: Regaining Independence

By approximately three weeks, you should be gaining more independence. You’ll be attending regular outpatient physical therapy sessions and doing more exercises and walking at home. You can begin to put your mobility devices aside and start walking unassisted more frequently until you don’t need them at all.

If you have stopped using pain medications that might interfere with your ability to operate a vehicle, you can probably start driving again during this period. You can do more chores around the house and rely less on another person to help you.

Weeks 7-12: Returning to “Normal”

Many patients feel significantly better after six weeks. You’ll start to feel ready to return to a more normal routine. You should be very mobile. Your physical therapy will focus on building more strength. Your PT and surgeon can advise you on when you can begin more vigorous activities and low-impact exercises.

For patients who have jobs, returning to work is a top concern. Your surgeon will advise you when you can work again. For sedentary work, like desk jobs, it could be two to four weeks. For more active jobs, you might need six or more weeks. Your surgeon will help you plan a safe and phased return to work after hip replacement.

Why Your Hospital Choice Matters for Your Recovery

You have options when it comes to hip replacement surgery. Remember to consider recovery in your decision process. NCSH is a top choice for both the surgery itself and a healthy recovery. Because we are a specialty hospital, our surgeons and staff focus only on specific procedures. This allows them to provide better patient outcomes in a safe and comfortable setting.

Some of the best and most experienced hip surgeons in the state operate at NCSH. Here, they have access to advanced technologies, like the MAKOplasty robotic system that improves precision, joint placement, and patient recovery outcomes.

Working with a specialty hospital means you get special care, not just during surgery but also during the recovery period. Unlike at many general hospitals, NCSH provides recovering patients with their own rooms, so you can begin your recovery in privacy and comfort.

Are you ready to take the next step with expert surgeons in a specialized setting? Meet our board-certified orthopedic surgeons and contact us to set up an appointment.