How to Prepare for Hip Arthroplasty

Hip arthroplasty, or hip replacement treatments, relieve your hip pain and improve your overall mobility. Before you undergo your treatment, you need to prepare yourself for what may come.

As you’re putting together your recovery plan, you can:

Discuss Your Surgery With a Medical Professional

You must consult with a medical professional before hip arthroplasty. After you’ve benefited from a consultation, you can reach out to a medical professional to ask any questions you believe to be relevant to your upcoming treatment.

Medical professionals can prepare you both for the procedure and what you should expect from your recovery. In many cases, orthopedic surgeons can help you take a holistic approach to your recovery. For example, while your hip arthroplasty may relieve your pain, it may not restore the entirety of your mobility.

When you know what to expect from hip arthroplasty, you can more effectively plan your approach to your post-surgery life.

Prepare Your Home For Long-Term Rest

Not every home is equipped to facilitate long-term recovery. Fortunately, you can take time before your surgery to make your home as recovery-friendly as possible. On your own or with the help of a loved one, you can:

• Keep important documents and belongings within easy reach of one another
• Remove essential items from high shelves or inaccessible locations
• Safety-proof any parts of your home that might endanger your recovery
• Make sure you have access to any entertaining materials you’ll want while resting your hip
• Secure pillows, weighted blankets, and other soft items to help cushion your hip throughout your recovery

After your surgery, you can slowly transition your home back to normal.

Alert Your Supervisor and Loved Ones

Hip replacement surgeries require significant recovery time. With that in mind, you need to let your supervisor and loved ones know on what day you will seek treatment. Ideally, your supervisor should allow you to take a leave of absence to undergo and recover from your surgery. You can work out what limitations you might face on the job after you’re back on your feet.

Your family members can also help you navigate the process of entering and leaving the hospital. You may even request that someone you care about stay with you throughout your recovery. These parties can help you navigate your home and see to your daily needs.

It is normal to request accommodations in the wake of hip arthroplasty. After your treatment, you can discuss to what degree you may require accommodations with a physical therapist and medical professional.

Prepare for Physical Therapy

Most medical professionals recommend that you pursue physical therapy after hip arthroplasty. Physical therapy helps you adjust to your new hip while regaining the muscle you need to move comfortably from place to place. More specifically, our team wants to help you:

• Rise and descend into bed
• Turn while on your back
• Walk with mobility aids

If you want to engage in traditional exercise at some point in the future, our team can be honest about the range of movement that may be available to you over time. We can also recommend methods through which you can increase your overall strength.

You have the option to meet with a physical therapist before your surgery. When you meet with a therapist ahead of time, you can get a feel for their treatment method. You can even engage in simple exercises that may simplify your post-surgery treatment.

Our Team Helps You Get Back on Your Feet After a Hip Replacement

Hip replacement surgeries restore your mobility after considerable strain. If you’re considering pursuing hip replacement or arthroplasty, you can consult with the team at Orthopedic & Laser Spine Surgery. We recommend individualized, compassionate treatment plans for each of our patients.

Let’s consider your circumstances and determine whether or not hip arthroplasty suits your needs. You can schedule an appointment through our contact form or call our office at (866) 464-5090.