Hip replacement patients relish the idea of a pain-free, active life. To prolong the life of your hip replacement, you must be proactive. Here are useful and reliable methods.
What Is Hip Replacement?
A hip replacement is a surgical procedure that fixes a broken hip joint. Surgeons replace damaged joints with prosthetics composed of plastic, metal, or ceramic after removing the old ones.
Who Needs Hip Replacement?
If your hip pain is severe, interferes with your daily life, and does not improve with medicine or other therapies (such as physical therapy), your doctor may recommend a hip replacement procedure. This pain might be the result of arthritis or an accident. The majority of people who require hip replacement surgery have arthritis-related pain.
What is an artificial hip?
A metal stem attaches to your thighbone, forming the new hip. An implanted metal cup fits into the socket of your hip joint, while a metal or ceramic ball at the end of the stem slides into that cup. Coating the space between the ball and cup with either plastic or ceramic makes the joint slide more easily. Your surgeon has two options for attaching the prosthetic hip to your bone: either cement it or use a hip that your body can naturally grow into.
What’s the Hip Replacement Life?
Your replacement hip should last a long time, but even that won’t be possible. You could have to have the same hip replaced again if you’re active and young.
Nearly all hip replacements have a long lifespan; 95% do so for at least ten years, 75% for 15–20 years, and slightly more than half for 25 years. Being physically active (but avoiding high-impact sports) and maintaining a healthy weight can help your prosthetic hip last longer and look great.
The Hip Replacement Surgery Process
The anesthesiologist will decide whether to put you to sleep with general anesthesia or to relax you while numbing your lower body for the procedure.
Typically, the operation lasts around an hour or two. Your surgeon will create an incision on either the front or side of your hip, then remove the damaged hip tissue and replace it with new hip components. Alignment may be improved via robotic placement. They’ll use surgical stitches or staples to seal them up.
Hip replacement after surgery
A hospital stay of one or two nights is probable. In order to facilitate rapid range of motion in the newly repaired joint, your nurses will give you pain medication. Recuperation depends on this. A physical therapist will meet you in the hospital to begin rehabilitation.
Returning home
You may have to rearrange certain things around the house to help your recovery go smoothly and without incident. Stay off the steps if possible; if that isn’t possible, make sure there are strong rails to keep you from falling. You will learn the proper way to climb and descend stairs from your physical therapist.
Take out any dangling carpets or anything else you could trip over. Keep commonplace objects at waist level to avoid bending or reaching as much. Improve your bathroom with a raised toilet seat and a shower bench.
A new hip can change your life
Staying active is vital throughout the whole healing period, which might take a few months after surgery. At first, you are going to have to use a walker or crutches. You should wait for your doctor’s instructions before driving or putting any weight on your injured leg. There will be restrictions on your mobility, such as the ways you may bend and reach in certain postures.
After most surgeries, patients are able to go back to their regular jobs in a matter of days or weeks.
Discover your new self
After your hip replacement and subsequent physical therapy, you should expect to have much less pain. You’ll feel stronger, more coordinated, and have more freedom of movement. There may be some initial stiffness, but it should subside as time progresses.
While your replacement hip may not be ready for sprinting and leaping, you should have no problems swimming, biking, golfing, or hiking. Hips may trigger metal detectors, so keep that in mind.
Healing After a Hip Replacement
Beginning immediately after surgery, this will take place in the hospital. Physical therapists and doctors will likely suggest inpatient or in-home treatment options.
To get your power and competence back, you’ll have to practice certain motions daily. In order to increase your flexibility and blood flow, the workouts will begin with easy ones. You will learn the proper form and when to progress to more complex exercises from your physical therapist.
Changes in Lifestyle
After hip replacement surgery, there are a few things you’ll need to do in order to get the most out of your new joint and avoid problems:
Keeping to a healthy weight
Being overweight raises the stress on the joint replacement implant, which speeds up its wear and tear.
Optimizing bone health
If you suffer from osteoporosis, it is important to take prescription medicine (such as bisphosphonate) and vitamin D and make sure you get enough calcium. This will help optimize your bone health.
Taking preventive antibiotics
Take antibiotics before, during, and after any invasive medical procedures to keep germs out of your hip replacement.
Skip high-impact activities
Do not engage in activities that put a high impact on the hip replacement. This includes running, leaping, and contact sports like football. While these may not be uncomfortable or challenging, they may accelerate the wear and tear of the components.
Avoiding some positions
Surgeons often tell their patients to stay out of certain postures for a few months after hip replacement surgery in order to reduce the risk of dislocation. These positions include lying on one’s side, crossing one’s legs, and sitting on low chairs or sofas.
Preventing falls
Preventing falls is of the utmost significance because they pose a risk of dislocating the hip joint or breaking the bones surrounding the implant.
Take measures to protect yourself from them, such as removing carpeting or wiring that might cause a fall, putting grab bars in the restroom and other high-risk areas, and continuing to use a walking aid until told to stop.
How about both hips at once?
Your surgeon may recommend doing the hip replacements simultaneously if they are both necessary.
The overall recuperation period will be shorter, and you will only need anesthetic once. But, with two new hips to rehab, the rehabilitation process will be more rigorous.
After surgery, you will have a harder time getting about and will need extra help at home. A minimum of six weeks must pass between each hip replacement procedure.
In the days, weeks, and months after hip replacement surgery, walking is the most effective exercise for restoring hip function. You should begin with short walks many times daily to focus on the correct form. Extend your walking distances as your strength increases. You may maintain your strength once you’ve completely healed by going for walks at least once a week.
Wrapping It Up
Hip replacement surgery can offer a new lease on life for those suffering from severe hip pain. By following post-operative care instructions, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and avoiding high-impact activities, you can help prolong the life of your hip replacement and enjoy a pain-free, active lifestyle for years to come.
