Recovery
and rehab post your hip replacement surgery
Hip replacement
surgery is performed when a person suffers from a hip fracture. In the
hip replacement surgery basically the diseased cartilage and bone of the
hip joint is surgically replaced with artificial materials. Patients suffering
from severe arthritis in the hip joint often undergo hip replacement surgery.
Osteoarthritis, the most common cause of hip replacement surgery often
occurs with aging, congenital abnormality of the hip joint, or prior trauma
to the hip joint.
After the surgery is over, the patient has to undergo hip rehabilitation
period. If the patient wishes the hip replacement surgery to be successful
then he should be an active participant in the rehabilitation period.
There is a physical therapist to assist the patient. In the beginning,
on the day of the hip replacement surgery, the person gets time to recover
from the surgery. The patient might be told to sit on the side of the
bed or on a chair apart from taking rest.
Patient will have to perform certain exercises like ankle pumps, leg lifts
and heel slides. In order to bear the pain the patient will have to take
proper pain medication. You would be meeting physical and occupational
therapists while you are hospitalized. Both will tell you to perform specific
tasks. Physical therapist would work over mobility, strengthening and
walking. The occupational therapist would help in walking, dressing and
other basic activities.
The patient would be discharged after 3-5 days of hip replacement surgery.
It would be vital for the patient to get involved in daily activities
like preparing food, getting to the bathroom and other likely activities.
Hip dislocation is one of the common problems that a patient might face
after hip replacement surgery. Thus certain precautions termed as hip
precautions need to be taken after the hip replacement surgery to ensure
that the ball remains in its position.
Certain patients may take the help of the walker in order to walk the
first steps. Some patients having good balance can also go for crutches.
Your surgeon might not want you to place your complete weight over your
leg. It would also depend upon your ability to regain your strength. It
may take the patient to walk with a cane for 2 to 4 weeks while 4 to 6
weeks assisted.
The patient may also have to use the stairs at their homes. Hence they
can be assisted by the therapist for this purpose. Most importantly the
patient might be worried about returning to work.
This will
completely depend upon the work you are required to do at your work place.
If you are engaged in a work that requires you to work in a sitting position
with limited walking then you can expect to return to week after 4 weeks
of hip replacement surgery. But on the contrary, if you are involved in
a work that demands more of physical activity then you would need more
time before you can completely return to your job. So, once you are through
the rehabilitation period you can actively participate in all the normal
activities.
