No matter how long you’ve waited for your hip replacement, you’re likely looking forward to life after surgery, when you’ll have greater mobility and less pain. But how long does it take to fully recover from a hip replacement?
The answer depends on many factors, including the type of hip replacement, your health, how you prepare for surgery and what you do during the recovery process. (Hint, patience is extremely important.)
Below, we share a typical recovery timeline after hip replacement and steps you can take to ensure the best recovery process after hip replacement surgery.
Hip replacement recovery timeline: What to expect
Everyone is different, and that means there are no hard and fast rules about how long recovery takes after hip replacement surgery. For example, how long a person uses assistive devices such as crutches or a walker can vary based on their overall health, healing process and preferences.
The following is a general timeline for hip replacement recovery, but talk to your care team about what you can expect based on your personal health factors.
| Timeframe | Walking and mobility | Daily activities |
|---|---|---|
| Day of surgery | You’ll start walking with the help of a walker or crutches. | You’ll need help moving around and using the bathroom. |
| Days 1-2 | You’ll walk short distances with help. You’ll learn how to move safely. | You’ll need help with washing, dressing and going to the bathroom. |
| Week 1 | You’ll walk more each day, still using a walker or crutches. | You’ll still need help with most things at home. Pain and swelling should start to get better. |
| Week 2 | You might switch from a walker to a cane. Walking gets easier. | You may be able to dress and use the bathroom on your own. Stitches or staples are usually removed. |
| Weeks 3-4 | You’ll walk longer distances and feel steadier. | You can do light chores and may be able to drive if your doctor says it’s okay. |
| Weeks 4-6 | You may walk without a cane. You can start gentle exercises like walking or biking. | You might go back to work if your job isn’t too physical. Most daily tasks should be manageable. |
| Weeks 6-12 | You’ll walk more easily and for longer. You’ll feel stronger. | You can do most normal activities. Keep doing your exercises to stay strong. |
| Week 13 and beyond | You’ll keep getting stronger and more active. | You can return to hobbies, travel and low-impact sports. Full recovery can take up to a year. |
Physical factors that can affect the hip replacement recovery timeline
The type of surgery you get and your overall health can impact the recovery timeline. Here are specific factors:
The type of hip replacement
Generally, the more extensive the surgery, the longer it might take to heal. During a total hip replacement, both the ball and the socket of the thigh bone and pelvis are replaced with artificial components. This is the most common form of hip replacement surgery, and recovery time is generally fastest.
Recovery typically takes longer after a double hip replacement in which both hips are replaced at the same time. For this reason and others, this surgery is rare.
Healing also takes longer after revision surgery, which is performed when artificial components need to be replaced. Artificial hip replacement components last a long time, and many people never need a revision, but when revision surgery is required, recovery is usually slower than after an initial total hip replacement.
The reason you needed a hip replacement
Your recovery after hip replacement can depend on what caused your joint problems to begin with. If the cause was osteoarthritis, recovery tends to be smooth and predictable. With rheumatoid arthritis, healing might take longer because of inflammation or medications that can affect healing.
Recovery may also take longer if there’s a lot of bone damage because of osteonecrosis or a traumatic injury. Your doctor can provide more information about what you can expect based on your joint and what you can do to support recovery.
Overall health
Your overall health can greatly impact the recovery timeline. Being overweight or having health conditions like diabetes or heart disease can slow healing.
Fitness levels matter too. People who are less active may need more time to rebuild strength and mobility, and people who are more active often recover faster.
What you can do before surgery to affect the hip surgery recovery timeline
While many of the factors that affect the hip replacement recovery timeline are outside your control, there are things you can do before surgery to set yourself up for a successful recovery.
Make healthy lifestyle choices
It’s challenging for the body to recover from major surgery, so it’s helpful if you’re at your healthiest before your procedure. Exercise is a great starting point. You’ll also want to eat a healthy diet, get enough sleep and monitor your mental state in the weeks leading up to your surgery date.
Start pre-surgery physical therapy as recommended
At least one physical therapy session with a physical therapist is often required before surgery. A physical therapist can work with you to identify stretches and movements to help improve strength and flexibility before your surgery.
These exercises will help prepare your body for the recovery process. Immediately after your surgery, you’ll need to rely more heavily on other parts of your body as your hip heals. To prepare for this shift, your physical therapist will help you focus on exercises that strengthen your core, upper body and legs before your surgery.
Make your home a healing environment
Before your surgery, designate a room in your home as your recovery area. It should be easy to reach using crutches or a walker, and be on the same floor as a bathroom so you don’t need to climb up and down stairs. Here’s how to make your recovery area as comfortable as possible:
- Put a bed in it if there isn’t one, and be sure to include plenty of pillows to use for elevating your leg and hip
- Stock up on entertainment like books and games, or set up a TV or other device to watch your favorite shows on and movies and listen to music
- Have a spot to keep essential items within arm’s reach of the bed, like water, pain medications, a pen and paper, the remote and your phone
You’ll also want to prepare a few meals ahead of time that you can store and eat later on, along with other ready-to-eat food.
What you can do after surgery to affect the hip replacement recovery timeline
Resting should be your top priority for one to two weeks after surgery because your body needs rest to heal. Give yourself permission to take it easy. The following are five more things to keep in mind as you recover.
1. Ask for help
For the first few weeks after surgery, you will need at-home help with things like cooking, laundry and pet care, plus assistance with transportation, grocery shopping and other errands. If you live alone, reach out to family members, friends or neighbors for help ahead of time.
2. Manage pain and swelling
Your doctor will work with you on a plan to help manage pain that may include prescription pain medications and over-the-counter medications like ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), naproxen (Aleve) and acetaminophen (Tylenol). You’ll also want to keep swelling to a minimum. Applying ice and keeping your leg elevated above your heart can help.
Your doctor can clarify how much pain and swelling you should expect, and what your incision should look like as it heals.
3. Move your body
Many people start rehabilitation almost immediately after surgery. When recommended, a physical therapist will lead you through exercises to increase flexibility and strength in the joint. They will also give you exercises to do on your own at home. Together, you’ll focus on your ability to perform daily tasks like getting in and out of bed and climbing up and down stairs.
If you have specific goals around movement or activities, your physical therapist can help focus and personalize your recovery.
4. Watch for postsurgical complications
Complications after hip replacement surgery are rare, but they can happen. That’s why it’s important to monitor your recovery and be able to recognize the signs that something is wrong. Your care team will provide education before you leave the hospital or surgery center, but blood clots and infection are two complications to look out for.
Blood clots
Hip replacement surgery can interfere with your natural blood flow and clotting, raising your risk for a blood clot in a deep vein of your leg or groin, a condition known as deep vein thrombosis. Signs of a blood clot include:
- Swelling in your leg that doesn’t improve when you rest or elevate your leg
- A blue, red or otherwise discolored hue to the skin
- Leg pain, tightness and discomfort, similar to a pulled muscle
- Warmth in the leg that you can feel
A blood clot in your leg can detach and travel to your lungs, causing a pulmonary embolism, which is a medical emergency. In order to prevent blood clots from forming, be sure to keep up with physical therapy and other exercises. Your doctor may also prescribe blood-thinning medication.
Infection
Usually, redness, swelling, drainage and warmth can be expected at the surgical incision site following surgery. The redness should start to fade after a couple of weeks, and by the time you pass the six-week mark, the swelling and warmth should be mostly gone. But it’s not uncommon to have occasional swelling for the next several months or even a year. This swelling may be worse if you’ve been very active or spent a lot of time on your feet. Wound drainage should stop within 2-3 days.
Only 1-2% of hip replacement patients develop an infection following surgery. Signs of infection can include slow healing and worsening symptoms, including rapidly worsening redness and swelling that gets rapidly worse even with rest, ice, compress and elevation. Other symptoms may include by new stiffness and pain in the joint, fever and whole-body chills. Infection can occur immediately after surgery or months, even years, down the line.
Contact your care team right away if you notice any signs of infection, or drainage that continues after the third day or so. Infections frequently require surgery as part of the treatment.
5. Be patient (it’s the most important part of hip replacement recovery)
After living with pain and limited mobility, it’s understandable to want to get back to your daily life and favorite activities as soon as possible. But being patient with your body during the healing process can ensure your new hip serves you well for years to come.
Your doctor and care team will be with you at every step
After your procedure and before you leave the hospital or surgery center, your care team will ensure that you have your first physical therapy appointments scheduled, you have a plan for pain management, you have someone at home to help you and you know how to use your walker or cane correctly.
Your follow-up appointment will be within the first couple of weeks after surgery.