If you have had atotal hip replacement surgery, there are certain precautions you need to take while you are recovering. This is especially true if your surgery was done via a posterior approach (at the back of the hip, near the buttocks).
These precautions are important in order to avoid ahip replacement dislocation. When this happens, the artificial ball of the upper leg (femur) slips out of the artificial hip socket.
This article will explain the three precautions you need to take after your surgery and for how long.
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According to research from the University Hospital of Cologne, around 2% of people with a total hip replacement will experience a dislocation within a year, while 28% of those with a second hip replacement will experience the same.
1:32Click Play to Learn More About Hip Replacement Exercises to Avoid
1:32
Click Play to Learn More About Hip Replacement Exercises to Avoid
Precautions After Hip Replacement
For at least the six weeks after surgery, and sometimes up to six months, you’ll need to take extra precautions as your mobility returns. For example:
Recommendations
Sometimes the very exercises you may do as part of aphysical therapy program after hip surgerycan be risky. Your physical therapist can show you how to do them so they don’t result in a dislocation.
When to Call Your Healthcare ProviderCall your healthcare provider if you experience signs of hip replacement dislocation, including:Intense pain in the hip and groinA popping sound when you moveDifficulty walking or an inability to walkFeeling like the hip joint “catches” with movementInability to move the hip jointNoticing that the leg with the prosthetic hip is suddenly shorter than the other
When to Call Your Healthcare Provider
Call your healthcare provider if you experience signs of hip replacement dislocation, including:Intense pain in the hip and groinA popping sound when you moveDifficulty walking or an inability to walkFeeling like the hip joint “catches” with movementInability to move the hip jointNoticing that the leg with the prosthetic hip is suddenly shorter than the other
Call your healthcare provider if you experience signs of hip replacement dislocation, including:
Duration of Precautions
Most people need to follow the precautions for approximately 90 days after surgery.Some healthcare providers may want you to follow the precautions for about six months. Others may only have you follow them for 60 days. It all depends on your health and mobility level before the surgery and how complex the surgery was. It will also depend on the intensity of your post-operative rehabilitation and recovery.
Your healthcare provider will tell you when you no longer need to follow your total hip precautions.
A 2011 study in theJournal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapyreported that most people experience rapid recovery in the first three to four months following a total hip replacement. After that, improvements continue at a slower rate for up to a year.
How Long Do Hip Replacements Last?
Lifetime Precautions
Depending on your age and physical condition, you may also need to adopt some lifetime precautions after hip surgery, including:
Talk to your healthcare provider about whether these precautions are necessary in your situation.
Summary
After a total hip replacement surgery, you will do rehab with a physical therapist. You will also need to avoid certain movements in your everyday life to avoid the possibility of dislocating your new hip ball and socket.
Remember that each person heals differently after total hip replacement surgery. Working with yourphysical therapistis the best way to ensure a safe and rapid recovery.
Frequently Asked Questions
Learn MoreManaging Hip Ailments
Yes. The hip should be treated with a technique called reduction within 6 hours of the displacement to avoid permanent complications or the need for additional surgeries or invasive procedures.Learn MoreWhat Is Hip Range of Motion?
Yes. The hip should be treated with a technique called reduction within 6 hours of the displacement to avoid permanent complications or the need for additional surgeries or invasive procedures.
Learn MoreWhat Is Hip Range of Motion?
9 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Ärzteblatt DÄG Redaktion Deutsches.Dislocation following total hip replacement.Deutsches Arzteblatt. 2014;111(51-52):884-890. doi:10.3238%2Farztebl.2014.0884Dawson-Amoah K, Raszewski J, Duplantier N, Waddell BS.Dislocation of the hip: a review of types, causes, and treatment.TOJ. 2018;18(3):242-252. doi:10.31486/toj.17.0079Zahar A, Rastogi A, Kendoff D.Dislocation after total hip arthroplasty.Curr Rev Musculoskelet Med. 2013;6(4):350–356. doi:10.1007/s12178-013-9187-6Peters A, Tijink M, Veldhuijzen A, Huis in ’t Veld R.Reduced patient restrictions following total hip arthroplasty: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.Trials. 2015;16:360. doi:10.1186/s13063-015-0901-0Peters A, Tijink M, Veldhuijzen A, Huis in ’t Veld R.Reduced patient restrictions following total hip arthroplasty: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.Trials. 2015;16:360. doi:10.1186/s13063-015-0901-0Barnsley L, Barnsley L, Page R.Are hip precautions necessary post total hip arthroplasty? A systematic review.Geriatr Orthop Surg Rehabil. 2015;6(3):230–235. doi:10.1177/2151458515584640Eannucci EF, Barlow BT, Carroll KM, Sculco PK, Jerabek SA, Mayman DJ.A Protocol of Pose Avoidance in Place of Hip Precautions After Posterior-Approach Total Hip Arthroplasty May Not Increase Risk of Post-operative Dislocation.HSS J. 2019;15(3):247–253. doi:10.1007/s11420-019-09708-9Madara KC, Marmon A, Aljehani M, Hunter-Giordano A, Zeni J Jr, Raisis L.PROGRESSIVE REHABILITATION AFTER TOTAL HIP ARTHROPLASTY: A PILOT AND FEASIBILITY STUDY.Int J Sports Phys Ther. 2019;14(4):564–581.Teyhen DS, Robertson J.Total hip replacement: how long does it take to recover?.J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2011;41(4):240. doi:10.2519/jospt.2011.0502
9 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Ärzteblatt DÄG Redaktion Deutsches.Dislocation following total hip replacement.Deutsches Arzteblatt. 2014;111(51-52):884-890. doi:10.3238%2Farztebl.2014.0884Dawson-Amoah K, Raszewski J, Duplantier N, Waddell BS.Dislocation of the hip: a review of types, causes, and treatment.TOJ. 2018;18(3):242-252. doi:10.31486/toj.17.0079Zahar A, Rastogi A, Kendoff D.Dislocation after total hip arthroplasty.Curr Rev Musculoskelet Med. 2013;6(4):350–356. doi:10.1007/s12178-013-9187-6Peters A, Tijink M, Veldhuijzen A, Huis in ’t Veld R.Reduced patient restrictions following total hip arthroplasty: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.Trials. 2015;16:360. doi:10.1186/s13063-015-0901-0Peters A, Tijink M, Veldhuijzen A, Huis in ’t Veld R.Reduced patient restrictions following total hip arthroplasty: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.Trials. 2015;16:360. doi:10.1186/s13063-015-0901-0Barnsley L, Barnsley L, Page R.Are hip precautions necessary post total hip arthroplasty? A systematic review.Geriatr Orthop Surg Rehabil. 2015;6(3):230–235. doi:10.1177/2151458515584640Eannucci EF, Barlow BT, Carroll KM, Sculco PK, Jerabek SA, Mayman DJ.A Protocol of Pose Avoidance in Place of Hip Precautions After Posterior-Approach Total Hip Arthroplasty May Not Increase Risk of Post-operative Dislocation.HSS J. 2019;15(3):247–253. doi:10.1007/s11420-019-09708-9Madara KC, Marmon A, Aljehani M, Hunter-Giordano A, Zeni J Jr, Raisis L.PROGRESSIVE REHABILITATION AFTER TOTAL HIP ARTHROPLASTY: A PILOT AND FEASIBILITY STUDY.Int J Sports Phys Ther. 2019;14(4):564–581.Teyhen DS, Robertson J.Total hip replacement: how long does it take to recover?.J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2011;41(4):240. doi:10.2519/jospt.2011.0502
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Ärzteblatt DÄG Redaktion Deutsches.Dislocation following total hip replacement.Deutsches Arzteblatt. 2014;111(51-52):884-890. doi:10.3238%2Farztebl.2014.0884Dawson-Amoah K, Raszewski J, Duplantier N, Waddell BS.Dislocation of the hip: a review of types, causes, and treatment.TOJ. 2018;18(3):242-252. doi:10.31486/toj.17.0079Zahar A, Rastogi A, Kendoff D.Dislocation after total hip arthroplasty.Curr Rev Musculoskelet Med. 2013;6(4):350–356. doi:10.1007/s12178-013-9187-6Peters A, Tijink M, Veldhuijzen A, Huis in ’t Veld R.Reduced patient restrictions following total hip arthroplasty: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.Trials. 2015;16:360. doi:10.1186/s13063-015-0901-0Peters A, Tijink M, Veldhuijzen A, Huis in ’t Veld R.Reduced patient restrictions following total hip arthroplasty: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.Trials. 2015;16:360. doi:10.1186/s13063-015-0901-0Barnsley L, Barnsley L, Page R.Are hip precautions necessary post total hip arthroplasty? A systematic review.Geriatr Orthop Surg Rehabil. 2015;6(3):230–235. doi:10.1177/2151458515584640Eannucci EF, Barlow BT, Carroll KM, Sculco PK, Jerabek SA, Mayman DJ.A Protocol of Pose Avoidance in Place of Hip Precautions After Posterior-Approach Total Hip Arthroplasty May Not Increase Risk of Post-operative Dislocation.HSS J. 2019;15(3):247–253. doi:10.1007/s11420-019-09708-9Madara KC, Marmon A, Aljehani M, Hunter-Giordano A, Zeni J Jr, Raisis L.PROGRESSIVE REHABILITATION AFTER TOTAL HIP ARTHROPLASTY: A PILOT AND FEASIBILITY STUDY.Int J Sports Phys Ther. 2019;14(4):564–581.Teyhen DS, Robertson J.Total hip replacement: how long does it take to recover?.J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2011;41(4):240. doi:10.2519/jospt.2011.0502
Ärzteblatt DÄG Redaktion Deutsches.Dislocation following total hip replacement.Deutsches Arzteblatt. 2014;111(51-52):884-890. doi:10.3238%2Farztebl.2014.0884
Dawson-Amoah K, Raszewski J, Duplantier N, Waddell BS.Dislocation of the hip: a review of types, causes, and treatment.TOJ. 2018;18(3):242-252. doi:10.31486/toj.17.0079
Zahar A, Rastogi A, Kendoff D.Dislocation after total hip arthroplasty.Curr Rev Musculoskelet Med. 2013;6(4):350–356. doi:10.1007/s12178-013-9187-6
Peters A, Tijink M, Veldhuijzen A, Huis in ’t Veld R.Reduced patient restrictions following total hip arthroplasty: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.Trials. 2015;16:360. doi:10.1186/s13063-015-0901-0
Barnsley L, Barnsley L, Page R.Are hip precautions necessary post total hip arthroplasty? A systematic review.Geriatr Orthop Surg Rehabil. 2015;6(3):230–235. doi:10.1177/2151458515584640
Eannucci EF, Barlow BT, Carroll KM, Sculco PK, Jerabek SA, Mayman DJ.A Protocol of Pose Avoidance in Place of Hip Precautions After Posterior-Approach Total Hip Arthroplasty May Not Increase Risk of Post-operative Dislocation.HSS J. 2019;15(3):247–253. doi:10.1007/s11420-019-09708-9
Madara KC, Marmon A, Aljehani M, Hunter-Giordano A, Zeni J Jr, Raisis L.PROGRESSIVE REHABILITATION AFTER TOTAL HIP ARTHROPLASTY: A PILOT AND FEASIBILITY STUDY.Int J Sports Phys Ther. 2019;14(4):564–581.
Teyhen DS, Robertson J.Total hip replacement: how long does it take to recover?.J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2011;41(4):240. doi:10.2519/jospt.2011.0502
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