Post-Hip Replacement Physiotherapy

All About Hip Replacement

Hip replacement is an open and minimally invasive surgical technique in which a prosthetic hip joint is attached to the bones of the thigh by means of a post-surgical implant, which is, usually a metal post inserted directly into the hip joint.
Hip replacement surgery may be done as a partial replacement or as a full-blown replacement. The full replacement involves repositioning of the hip after the patient has healed from the hip surgery so that it can better serve the patient’s needs. This also takes about a year and a half for an outpatient procedure while a local procedure may take just six weeks or even less for an in-clinic procedure. The time it takes depends on the hip replacement surgeon as well as the extent of the hip fracture and the amount of work required by the patient.

After a successful hip replacement surgery, the patient would need several weeks or months of rest. Physical therapy exercises are recommended both during and after the surgery. One of the main goals of physical therapy is to achieve good postoperative muscle strength so that patients can perform their daily activities without any restrictions.

If during the course of the hip replacement procedure, a hip joint condition develops, then a period of physical therapy is needed to address the issue. The doctor or surgeon removes any excess tissue from around the area of the hip replacement and performs exercises to build up the bone around the injured area. This builds up the bone structure and ensures that the damaged joint heals properly. However, if the hip replacement procedure did not correct the problem, then the patient would need to consult with a hip replacement surgeon to decide whether a hip replacement operation should be performed again.