After a life-changing operation, and what can be a painful and difficult time afterwards, many people are looking for the fastest way to recover from hip replacement surgery.
However, if you are currently awaiting hip replacement surgery, and worried about how well you will recover…
Or if you have already had hip replacement surgery and you are struggling to regain your strength, mobility and get back on your feet…
You can learn about the most successful strategies our physiotherapy team have used, to help our patients across the North East achieve the fastest recovery possible.
“What Should I Do Before Hip Replacement Surgery?”
There are two recommendations that can improve your recovery before you have your hip replacement surgery:
- Prepare your home, and get support arranged for after the operation
After a hip replacement, you are likely to be in some discomfort, have limited mobility and feel very tired.
To make this time as easy as possible, rearrange your home so everything you will need is easily accessible by placing things at waist level, and within easy reach.
If possible, ask friends or family to help out with household chores like cleaning, cooking and shopping during your recovery to ensure you don’t do too much, too soon.
By doing this before your operation, this can help reduce some anxiety.
- Prehab exercises for strength
You may be aware of the importance of rehabilitation exercises after surgery, and how much these can speed up recovery.
But prehabilitation is equally as important and can make a huge difference to your recovery time.
Depending on your situation, certain exercises may be more beneficial than others, and therefore we would recommend arranging a free physiotherapy taster consultation with a member of the team to find out about how we could help you before your hip replacement surgery.
“Will I Be In Pain After Hip Replacement Surgery?”
It is normal to experience discomfort after hip replacement surgery, and in the short term using medication to relieve pain may be required.
However, we understand that people are reluctant to rely too much on painkillers, due to the potential side effects.
That’s a big reason our physiotherapy patients come to us because we can offer natural, drug-free pain relief and speed up the recovery process.
“How Long Will It Take To Recover From Hip Replacement Surgery?”
We understand that after surgery, you are desperate to get back to doing what you love – that’s probably one of the main reasons that you chose to risk having surgery in the first place – and it can be a frustrating time when you are uncomfortable and unable to move freely.
Recovery times do vary from person to person, based on a large number of factors, such as age, general fitness and the activities you do.
Everyone responds differently, but for a general estimate, you can usually return to light activities or office-based work within approximately 6 weeks. If you do more strenuous activities, this will take a few more weeks.
Thankfully, there are things that you can do to give yourself the best chance of recovering from hip replacement surgery as fast as possible, and regain your independence, interests and hobbies.
If you enjoy any extreme activities or sports where there is a risk of falling or impact, such as contact sports, skiing or horse riding, it is recommended to get advice from a medical professional beforehand.
“What Is The Fastest Way To Recover From Hip Replacement Surgery?”
To maximise the speed of your recovery, physiotherapy is recommended and extremely beneficial.
Initially, you should receive NHS physiotherapy after your hip replacement surgery however this is usually for a very short time, and often gets you to the bare minimum of comfort and mobility – if that.
Seeking private physiotherapy is a way to ensure you recovery quickly.
We can deliver hands on treatment to reduce stiffness and pain, so you aren’t relying heavily on painkillers to get through the day.
In addition, our team are able to spend time with you tailoring a personalised exercise plan that will get you back to doing the things you love as soon as possible.
A common concern for people post-surgery is doing exercises alone and the fear of doing them wrong.
As a result, people tend to avoid their exercises, and don’t move often enough which delays recovery and makes the pain last much longer.
Alongside exercises, and hands on treatment, our team can guide you towards walking without the need for a walking aid, or crutches.
The next step would be moving onto light exercise such as swimming and progressively increasing your walking.
The most important part of this is monitoring your progress carefully, and our team are able to give you guidance on when it’s safe for you to take things to the next level of movement – which is a very difficult and confusing thing for you to determine on your own.
At Paul Gough Physio Rooms, we have four North East clinics (Darlington, Durham, Guisborough and Hartlepool) and we offer free physiotherapy consultations, where you can speak to a member of our team, ask any questions that you have, and find out what can be done to recover from your hip replacement as quickly as possible.
Arrange your free physiotherapy consultations in 30 seconds with our simple webform, or if you prefer to talk over the telephone, you can call us on 01429 866 771.
Other Free Resources To Help You Live A Pain-Free, Active Life
Click Here To Read – What To Do To Keep Up With Exercise – Even If You’re Having Problems With Arthritic Hips and Knees
Click Here To Read – Benefits Of Exercise For Elderly People Who Want To Keep Active
Click Here To Read – Orthotic Insoles – A Powerful Pain Relief Tool
We also have free, downloadable reports for people with Back Pain, Knee Pain, Neck And Shoulder Pain or Sports Injuries
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You might know Paul as an expert Columnist who writes weekly health articles for TWO of the North East's biggest daily Newspapers, The Northern Echo And The Hartlepool Mail, he is a regular Speaker at Industry Seminars around the globe and a Radio Personality, often heard on the BBC. Paul has been an expert guest on dozens of Radio shows and regularly interviewed in newspapers, magazines and trade journals all over the world, including the Guardian.
Paul’s background included working extensively in the Premier League with a Top Professional Football Team, and since quitting his job in Professional Football in 2007, his Physio Practice has become the fastest growing in the UK and biggest in the North East. So successful, that companies like BUPA, ASDA, The Vela Group And Coast & Country, repeatedly retain his Physio company's services to keep healthy their own staff and workforce. Paul Gough Physio Rooms is now a large multi-physio, multi clinic speciality practice in Darlington, Durham, Guisborough and Hartlepool.
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