How to recover successfully from hip replacement surgery
Hip replacement surgery is pretty common nowadays. If you (or a loved one) is having one, you don’t need to worry too much. However, you should plan for the recovery stage. Here’s how.
Prepare your home in advance
Your home will be your base during the recovery period. Prepare it in advance to make sure that you have everything that you need when you get back from the hospital. It’s a good idea to ask a friend or neighbor to help with this, so you don’t push yourself too hard in these early days. Make sure that you have enough furniture and supplies, such as bandages and anti-inflammatory medicines.
Consider hiring extra help
Staying at home and recovering will be tough, particularly with a demanding job or children that you need to take care of. This is where home care services can help. Whether it’s someone to look after the kids or overnight care for yourself, extra help will make the recovery process easier.
Plan for some time off work
You will need some time off work after your surgery. The date of your return to work will depend on the condition of your hip and the type of work that you do but allow for at least two months away from work. If you’re self-employed, this might mean losing a lot of money – but it might be worth your while to get back into work.
Balance rest and recovery with gentle exercise
As soon as your doctor allows it, you should start gentle exercise to stimulate your hip and improve blood flow. But make sure that you don’t overdo things. Gentle exercises include stretching, walking, and swimming. It’s important not to rush these early days of recovery, but rather take everything easy and slowly build up the time that you spend exercising.
Think about your nutrition to help speed up recovery
When you’re recovering from surgery, it can be difficult to eat well. You might not feel like eating and may find that your appetite is lower than normal. Plus, common anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin and ibuprofen can reduce the amount of stomach acid, making digestion more difficult.
However, it’s still important that you eat well. Aim to eat small amounts of healthy foods throughout the day rather than three big meals. This will help your body maintain a good balance of vitamins and minerals as you recover from surgery. Whole grains, eggs, and fruits are all good options.
Be mindful of your hip when in bed
At first, you may find it difficult to get a good night’s sleep after hip replacement surgery. This is because you will need a lot of pillows and support for your new hip joint so that it doesn’t move too much at night. Talk to your doctor about the best way to do this.
Return to your hobbies steadily
Hobbies are great for keeping your mind off the pain of surgery and keeping you active. However, it’s important not to rush back into doing your hobbies after hip replacement surgery. You might even find some difficult to do after a while, especially if you got used to doing them with two good hips! Start slowly and give yourself plenty of time to get used to your new hip.
