The hip is an essential joint for the body as it bears the upper body weight while standing, sitting, walking or running. It also allows for a wide range of motion as well as provide the body stability. Therefore, any challenges or complications faced by the hip could lead to pain and mobility constraints. Corrective remedies range from medication, physical therapy and, as a last resort, surgery. Some of the causes of hip pain are arthritis, tendonitis, bursitis or a hip fracture. These conditions may require a patient to undergo total hip replacement if medication and therapy are not viable options.Anterior hip replacement is a surgical procedure carried out on patients who are experiencing chronic hip pain. Such patients have significant problems with mobility because they cannot sit, stand or walk comfortably. For a patient looking to undergo a total hip replacement, some queries may arise before the operation. The questions include what the cost of the procedure will be, how long will the patient will be incapacitated or what is the total recovery period? Although answers to such questions are relative as it depends on the patient's general health condition, some of them can be estimated.
Recovery Period for Anterior Hip Replacement Patients
Hip replacement is a major surgical procedure but effective in restoring a patient's mobility. It helps them get back to their normal daily activities without the excruciating hip pain. Short-term and long-term recovery periods are both critical to any patient that has undergone surgery.
Short-term Recovery
It involves the early stages of recovery and includes the ability of a patient to get out of bed and be discharged from the hospital. It also consists of when the patient is at home but under pain medication while using a walker to manage pain and add stability. Typically, patients can get out of bed and be discharged after the first or second day of an anterior hip replacement operation. Once the patient can walk and sit without pain or without use of a walker, they can stop using pain medication and continue to exercise to gain full mobility of the hip. This process takes between 4 to 6 weeks.
