Hip Replacement Recovery
Total hip replacement recovery follows a predictable, week-by-week trajectory. Physiotherapy at every stage drives gait, strength and confidence back to baseline — or beyond.
Common symptoms
- Reduced hip flexion or extension range
- Antalgic (painful) limping gait
- Hip flexor and abductor weakness
- Stiffness with stairs, dressing or shoes/socks
Common causes
- Total hip arthroplasty (anterior or posterior approach)
- Pre-operative deconditioning
- Post-operative precautions (case-by-case)
When to seek help
Hip replacements are one of the most successful surgeries in modern medicine. Most people walk out of hospital within a few days and feel substantially better than their pre-op hip within a couple of months. That said, "successful" doesn’t mean "automatic" — the rehab really does shape the result.
We help with:
- pre-operative strengthening if you’re on a waiting list
- in-home physio in the first two to six weeks post-op
- transition back to community walking, stairs and gardening
- longer-term strength and balance to make the hip robust
How we treat hip replacement recovery
The first two to four weeks are about pain control, swelling, walking aids, and getting comfortable transferring in and out of bed, the car, and the toilet. We work alongside whatever post-op precautions your surgeon set — they vary a bit between anterior and posterior approaches.
From around four weeks, the focus shifts to strengthening the muscles around the new hip — particularly the abductors and the glutes — and to extending walking distance week by week. By twelve weeks most people are walking comfortably for half an hour, sleeping normally, and back to most of what they want to do.
Week-by-week — what to expect
Weeks 1–2
Walking with crutches or a frame, with pain controlled by simple medication. Short, frequent walks through the day rather than one long one. Most people are surprised by how quickly the surgical pain settles compared with the pre-op pain.
Weeks 3–6
Walking aids reduce or come off. Sleep starts to normalise. Stair confidence improves. Driving usually returns around six weeks depending on which side was operated and what your surgeon says.
Weeks 6–12
Building real strength back. This is the phase that determines how robust your hip will feel a year from now. The work isn’t glamorous: single-leg sit-to-stands, step-ups, hip abductor work, balance challenges. Done consistently, it pays off for years.
Beyond 12 weeks
Most people are functionally normal by three months and feel "as good as new" between four and six months. Long-term, the most important thing you can do is stay strong, especially through the glutes. Strong hips don’t fall.
Common post-op precautions
Surgical approach matters. Posterior-approach hip replacements typically have precautions for the first six to twelve weeks: avoid hip flexion past 90 degrees, avoid crossing the operated leg over the other, avoid internal rotation. Anterior-approach replacements have fewer or no precautions in many cases. Check what your surgeon has set rather than assuming.
Things people wish they’d known earlier
A few patterns come up over and over in conversations with patients three months out from a hip replacement. Things that, in hindsight, would have been useful to hear before the operation.
- Constipation in the first week is almost universal. Drink water, eat fibre, and ask your GP about a gentle laxative if it’s causing discomfort.
- The operated leg can feel longer than the other for several months. It usually settles as the muscles around the hip rebalance.
- Sleep on your back with a pillow between the knees for the first six weeks. Side-sleeping can come back gradually after that.
- You’ll be tired for longer than you expect. The surgery is a real physiological event, and energy levels often take three months to feel "normal".
- A bit of swelling around the hip and into the thigh for the first two months is expected. Compression garments, gentle ankle pumps and a short afternoon rest help.
Common questions about hip replacement recovery
When will I be able to walk without a stick?
Most people are off the walking aids between two and six weeks, with some variation. Going off too early can be tiring and can lead to a limp that lingers; going off when you’re ready makes walking feel easier and more natural.
Can you visit me at home after surgery?
Yes — home visits are common for the first three or four weeks while getting to a clinic isn’t practical. We bring everything we need, including portable equipment for the early rehab work.
When can I go back to golf or bowls?
Walking and putting around three months; full rounds of golf and lawn bowls usually around four to five months. Confidence on uneven ground is often the limiting factor, not pain.
How long do hip replacements last?
Modern hip replacements last twenty years or more in around 75% of people, longer in many. They’re a different proposition from the replacements of thirty years ago.
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