Getting ready to have a total hip replacement on my left side in a few weeks. It would be nice to hear some real world insight from people that have actually been through it. How is recovery after the surgery, how long to get back to normal, back to work, etc. A little background, I’m 57 and have been a bartender for 38 years. I have a labral tear, my arthritis is probably a 3-4, and I’ve worn a flat spot on my femoral head so (I’m told) my hip buckles when I move in certain ways and that’s what’s causing the labral tear. The doctors have told me that a hip replacement is inevitable but left it up to me when to do it. I’ve decided to go ahead with it. I could probably go a couple of years with cortisone and put it off but that seems like more pain in the long run. My decision was based primarily on the quality insurance I have, feeling I’ll recover easier being “younger”, and possibly moving to the Florida panhandle and switching to part time work in a few years so I wouldn’t be earning as much money then. Thanks in advance!
Upcoming hip replacement surgery
- Thread starter PW01
- Start date
No hip replacement here, but spent 8 months recovering from an accident some years back. I'm sure your recovery will be quick, unlike mine was.
Do what your doctor(s) and physical therapists tell you to do. Don't cheat. If they tell to do a certain exercise - do it. If they tell you not to do something - don't do it. You'll be glad you followed their directions when you make full recovery.
Best wishes to you. You'll be fine.
Wife had her right hip replaced several years ago. What follows is some of her advice about the experience. She had an overall good experience and her hip now works as it should. Of note, the surgeon said that the highest percentage of patient satisfaction is with hip replacements.
1. The hospital provided a group briefing about the surgery experience run by a dedicated orthopedic nurse a couple of weeks beforehand. It was very informative. Strongly encourage you to attend it, or ask for something like it before the surgery.
2. After surgery, make sure you do all the mobility exercises they prescribe daily.
3. Gradually walk more each day, making sure you do over-do it.
4. Once the would heals, use lotion and massage techniques. She uses a tennis ball and rolls it over the wound. This technique works well and she continues to do this every day even now.
5. Make an effort to keep your toes pointed straight in front when walking. Most likely your muscles got trained to work differently as you favored one hip over the other and this effort helps correct any of those issues that arise.
1. The hospital provided a group briefing about the surgery experience run by a dedicated orthopedic nurse a couple of weeks beforehand. It was very informative. Strongly encourage you to attend it, or ask for something like it before the surgery.
2. After surgery, make sure you do all the mobility exercises they prescribe daily.
3. Gradually walk more each day, making sure you do over-do it.
4. Once the would heals, use lotion and massage techniques. She uses a tennis ball and rolls it over the wound. This technique works well and she continues to do this every day even now.
5. Make an effort to keep your toes pointed straight in front when walking. Most likely your muscles got trained to work differently as you favored one hip over the other and this effort helps correct any of those issues that arise.
Hip replacement is not the torture it used to be unless you go to the VA. Most people will be walking within a week post-surgery and be fully rehabilitated after 6 to 12 months.
Owen Lucas
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Make sure to have an actual Anesthesiologist DO or MD Doctor perform the anesthesia. Some CRNAs are "doctors" but those are administrative degrees IIRC. They do not go to medical school like and MD or DO. Pay extra to have an MD at your side as opposed to having a Dr. bounce between operating rooms observing 3 or 4 CNRA's. You deserve the best attention.
Yes, anterior approach
Thanks for the responses!
Yep, physical therapy is extremely important after surgery.
Theres a few PT that might be able to chime in.
Triple_Se7en
$50 Site Donor 2024
Hip replacements are a walk in the park, compared to knee replacements. I am witness to that. My left hip will be 20 years old in late January. My right hip will be 16 years old in late October.
I just had my first knee replacement in January. Everything is fine except taking steps either up or down without acting-out like a 90 year-old.... also kneeling could become a problem-child for the forseeable future..
Your new hip will limit your shower ability to mechanically wash anything by hand below your ankles, while standing. No crossing of your affected leg anymore and don't try doing any catcher squats anymore either. Doing so could send you inside an ambulance and a quick ride to the hospital.
My latest hip replacement had me walking with a cane the next day and without a cane in 3-4 days. I went back to walking 2-3 miles per day in a couple months. I started with a half-mile - then a little longer - then longer. The only time I slowed down was when I took the dog. Then we stopped at every bush, large landscape rock and fire hydrant.
RIP Dewey (1999-2009) not pictured
RIP Roscoe (2009-2023) pictured
I just had my first knee replacement in January. Everything is fine except taking steps either up or down without acting-out like a 90 year-old.... also kneeling could become a problem-child for the forseeable future..
Your new hip will limit your shower ability to mechanically wash anything by hand below your ankles, while standing. No crossing of your affected leg anymore and don't try doing any catcher squats anymore either. Doing so could send you inside an ambulance and a quick ride to the hospital.
My latest hip replacement had me walking with a cane the next day and without a cane in 3-4 days. I went back to walking 2-3 miles per day in a couple months. I started with a half-mile - then a little longer - then longer. The only time I slowed down was when I took the dog. Then we stopped at every bush, large landscape rock and fire hydrant.
RIP Dewey (1999-2009) not pictured
RIP Roscoe (2009-2023) pictured
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Had my left femur ball separated from my hip back on Oct 1st 1998 because a lady didn't like the color of the stop sign in front of her while I was approaching the same intersection on my motorcycle at 30 mph. I was 24 years old at the time.
I had 3 bolts screwed into the hip to hold onto the femur ball for the next 11 years.
On March 12th 2009, I had the now deteriorated femur ball and bolts removed, and a proper hip replacement installed.
I've been mostly pain free since.
Riding motorcycles is comfortable again.
But, sitting in chairs for long periods can get uncomfortable.
Recovery from the hip replacement wasn't bad, all things considered.
Less time and pain in comparison to the original injury and repair.
The biggest issue that I have faced is because of 10+ years on the bolts and deterioration of the femur ball led to an improper measurement of my leg length, and now my left leg is over a full inch shorter than my right leg.
I can't comfortably run at full speed, because the distance between my knees and my hip is different between the left and right sides, and leads to an imbalance that I haven't been able to work out over the past 14 years.
Hello, I had a lower discs replaced in my back in 2007. My advice to you is, become the sort of patient who does all the right things. Take notes when you attend your preop appointments. Write a letter of thanks to your anaesthetist and surgeon (few do and it makes you stand out) and take things easy after the operation. I was quoted six weeks' recovery. This was not true. My physio said I needed to be thinking three to six months. She was correct. I don't think it's still possible in the US, but don't get addicted to painkillers.
Whilst recovering, try micro-adjustments of your posture to relieve pain. Be brave and Good Luck.
Whilst recovering, try micro-adjustments of your posture to relieve pain. Be brave and Good Luck.
This ^^^^^^^^^^ Looks a generally the case I would bet 80-90 percent of the time.
At my former hospital we had people up walking after hip replacement surgery within 2 hours after they left PACU aka recovery… And they did really, really quite well.
I would find out if possible if any of those surgical doctors have any history of infections after their surgery procedures.
We had two of them that routinely had issues with that. I remember our infectious disease doctor getting very frustrated because those two kept having post operative infections.
And the possibility of an infection becoming severe is certainly there. Sepsis is a very real danger. Grant Hill the former NBA basketball player got a severe infection after an ankle surgery. He became septic and it cost him a long time not playing.
Yes. I had my right hip replaced 5 years ago.. The one thing I noticed was how long it took for my right leg muscles to recover after walking with a limp for a few years. Once I was past the post-op pain, the rest was easy. Just give it time to heal and 'set' properly.
My cousin is married to a physical therapist and he did wonders for my tendonitis years ago. I called him today to discuss my recovery and he indicated that I’d be back to “normal” activities in 6 weeks. I’m concerned about my recovery time because I’m a bartender in a high volume place, I have a pretty physical job
My mom had hip replacement done slightly over 5 years ago. She was having a lot of pain and my sister has a boy who is a chiropractor (yea, my nephew) and she thought he could ease the pain. After two chiropractor sessions, he told my mom that she had more problems than he could fix. So after some X-rays and surgeon consultations, she had a hip replaced. After the surgery, the surgeon's assistant came into to talk to my mom and said he had been a surgeon's assistant for 30+ years and her hip was the worst one he had ever seen. They had her up very soon and was giving her PT. As already noted, PT is VERY important. I have some doctors and nurses in my family and they all stress that. My mom has had some other health issues, but the hip has been doing fine. She still lives alone, gardens, takes walks and is happy with the work this surgeon did. BTW, my mom is almost 95 and is completely clear in the head.
My mother had both done a couple years apart several years ago. Unfortunately both were done by the same quack doctor and as of today is almost cripple and in constant pain. Trying to get her into a new orthopedic doctor, but the hoops you gotta go through now...
Not trying to discourage you OP, but out of all the success stories you never hear much, if at all, unsuccessful hip replacements.
Grandmother at almost 90 is getting one done here in September. She let hers go way too long due to the fear of what my mother went (and is going) through.
Not trying to discourage you OP, but out of all the success stories you never hear much, if at all, unsuccessful hip replacements.
Grandmother at almost 90 is getting one done here in September. She let hers go way too long due to the fear of what my mother went (and is going) through.
