It’s normal to feel anxious about the prospect of recovering from a hip surgery. A typical hip surgery involves:
2-3 days of in-hospital recovery
You will most likely be in the hospital under supervision. During this time, you’ll be given painkillers to help manage the discomfort of hip surgery.
1-6 weeks after surgery
The initial weeks after returning home are a vital recovery period. During this time, you should experience the sensations of pain and discomfort steadily lessening.
6-12 weeks after surgery
You should be undertaking gentle mobility exercises and regaining hip function. You should also be able to drive.
6 months to one year after surgery
You should be able to resume your normal activities, including high-impact sports, with no pain or discomfort. If you are still experiencing pain and discomfort symptoms, consult with your orthopaedic specialist.
Of course, the week-by-week estimates will vary depending on the type of surgery and your pre-existing health.
With a few adjustments, you can make your home a comfortable place to recover from your hip surgery.
Though the vast majority of hip surgeries involve pain and discomfort being phased out in the weeks following the surgery, it’s essential to consider how best to support yourself when your mobility is limited just after recovery. In this article, we’ll share a few practical tips about preparing your home to be ready for your surgery.
5 Tips for Preparing Your Home for Post-Hip Surgery Recovery
You can ask your family and friends for support in the following:
Moving your Essentials to Waist Height
To avoid bending or any other potentially painful movements, before the surgery, move all your essentials to waist height. These include essentials like tea and coffee, and soap. You might also acquire a perching chair or stool, which can make daily activities, like food preparation, more straightforward.
Find The Right Exercises for You
Despite the temptation to stay still that people often feel post-hip surgery, gentle exercise is an important part of recovery. Engaging with physical therapy will help you find the right exercises to coax a range of motions gently. Similarly, gentle exercises like swimming and walking can encourage steady progress in flexibility. Regular exercise builds endurance and supports overall recovery without placing excessive strain on your healing hip.
Plan for taking time off and travelling to work
It’s essential that you give yourself sufficient time to recover before returning to work to avoid risking a return of pain and discomfort. Consider planning how you travel to work – would it be possible to work from home? If you work a physically demanding job, it may take longer than three months before you return to your duties.
Planning for travel
For the first six weeks after surgery, you will be unable to fly. However, for 3 months after surgery, you will be able to fly short-haul flights (flying longer-haul flights means sitting still for long periods of time, which can increase your chances of developing Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) in your legs).
Consider recovery-forward nutrition
While you’re recovering from hip surgery is not the time to be attempting to lose weight. Instead, consider packing your diet full of the vitamins and minerals that your body will need to heal fully. For example, consider preparing:
- Meals and snacks rich in calcium to fortify your joint and bone health. As well as dairy products, foods high in calcium include kale, spinach and chia seeds. To ensure your body can metabolise this calcium, spend 15-20 minutes outside in the sunlight to top up your Vitamin D levels.
- Complex carbohydrates. Due to recovery, your body’s metabolism will have increased. Complex carbohydrates can nourish the body – starchy vegetables, legumes and whole grains will ensure you feel full and meet your body’s increased calorie requirements.
- Vitamin C-rich foods. Vitamin C promotes the production of collagen, which the body uses to strengthen ligaments and muscles. Citrus fruits contain high levels of vitamin C, as well as vegetables like capsicums and cauliflowers.
Ultimately, by taking a proactive approach to your hip surgery recovery, you can maximise your chances of a quick, successful recovery. It may also be helpful to work alongside a specialist.
Contact Dr David Slattery for Personalised Advice About Post-Hip Surgery Recovery
The team at Victorian Bone & Joint Specialists can support you throughout your hip recovery surgery. With our expertise and empathy, we promote better outcomes for our patients. Get in touch to find out more about how we can help you through your recovery journey.
