The first weeks after a hip replacement can be hard, for you and your family. Rest alone is not enough. These five practical tips can help you recover safely and get back to daily life.
Tip 1: Keep moving with gentle exercise and physio
Movement is the key to recovery. Exercise with a physiotherapist builds muscle, helps blood flow and prevents stiffness. Start with short walks at home, ankle pumps (moving your foot up and down) and leg lifts while sitting. Build up slowly.
Your physio starts in hospital. Dr Malik's team checks your progress at each follow-up visit.
Tip 2: Control pain and swelling
Take your pain medicine as prescribed. Use an ice pack wrapped in a cloth for 15–20 minutes at a time, never directly on the wound or dressing. Skin near the wound can be numb, so check it often. Raising the leg while sitting also eases swelling.
Tip 3: Make your home safe before surgery
Remove loose rugs, put down non-slip mats, and fit handrails on stairs and in the bathroom. A raised chair, a raised toilet seat and long-handled grabbers make each day safer.
Tip 4: Eat well and drink enough water
Good food helps your body heal.
- Protein at every meal: daal, eggs, chicken, fish, milk or yoghurt.
- Calcium and vitamin D for bone healing: milk, yoghurt, eggs and oily fish. Ask Dr Malik whether you need a vitamin D supplement.
- Vitamin C: fruit and vegetables.
- Plenty of water, which helps avoid constipation from pain medicines, unless your doctor limits fluids.
- Diabetes? Keep your sugar well controlled to help the wound heal.
- No smoking or tobacco, including naswar and chewing tobacco. It slows bone and wound healing.
Tip 5: Rest, and listen to your body
Listen to your body: rest when you are tired, as rest helps healing. Sleep on your back, or on the side that was not operated on, with a pillow between your legs. This protects the new hip.
How family can help in the first weeks
- Help with bathing, dressing and the toilet.
- Keep floors clear of rugs and wires.
- Remind them about medicines and exercises.
- Watch for the warning signs below.
What to expect, week by week
Days 1–3: Right after surgery
- Gentle movement starts early: ankle exercises, sitting up and short walks with help.
- Medicines, ice and raising the leg ease pain and swelling.
Weeks 1–6: Walking and daily exercises
- You walk a little more each day, with a walker or stick as advised.
- Physio builds strength and flexibility.
Weeks 6–12: Getting stronger
- Most people move more easily and feel more comfortable.
- Gentle walking, swimming and light housework can restart. Keep following your hip precautions.
Months 3–6: More independence
- Low-impact exercise such as walking, swimming and light cycling is usually safe.
- Many people return to hobbies and social life.
Months 6–12: Full recovery for most people
- Most people recover fully in 6–12 months, depending on age, health and the type of surgery.
- Once your surgeon says it is safe, build up to longer walks and favourite activities.
Staying safe: precautions and warning signs
Follow these steps while you heal:
- Follow your care team's instructions to prevent infection.
- Prevent blood clots: do ankle pumps often and wear compression stockings (tight elastic stockings) as instructed. You may be given blood-thinning medicine to take at home for some weeks. Take it exactly as prescribed.
- Protect your new hip. In the early weeks, do not cross your legs, and avoid deep bending, sudden twisting and low seats such as a low sofa or charpai. Do not squat or sit cross-legged on the floor. Use a raised toilet seat or commode, and pray sitting on a chair at first. Dr Malik will tell you when it is safe to stop.
- Know the warning signs in the box below.
Go to the nearest emergency department now or call Rescue 1122 if you have:
- Chest pain or sudden breathlessness
- Sudden severe hip pain or a clunk, with a leg that looks shorter or turned, or you cannot stand on it. The hip may have dislocated. Do not try to push it back.
Call or WhatsApp +92 300 4890692 the same day if you have:
- A fever, or a wound that is more painful, swollen, red, warm or leaking
- Calf pain or swelling, or a warm, red leg (a possible blood clot)
If you cannot reach the clinic, go to the nearest emergency department.
The key points
A hip replacement can make walking easier and daily life better. In large joint registries, about 9 in 10 total hip replacements are still working after 15 years. Be patient, keep up your physio and follow your surgeon's advice.
Dr Malik performs total and half (bipolar) hip replacement, with a planned physio programme and follow-up. He has more than 20 years of experience in orthopedic surgery.
From the clinics of Dr Imran Salim Malik, orthopaedic and trauma surgeon. MBBS (Allama Iqbal Medical College) · MS (Trauma & Orthopaedics) · PMDC Reg. 39646-P. Every patient is different: Dr Malik will tell you what applies to you.
