What is the hip replacement recovery time for people older than 70?
Everyone’s recovery time from a hip replacement surgery is different. Even your age doesn’t guarantee your recovery will be quicker or take longer than someone else’s. People older than 70 can sometimes take longer to recover than people younger than 70, but there’s no set rule that guarantees how long your body will take to heal.
The most important part of your recovery is how you feel. As you progress through physical therapy and your body heals, you should notice that it’s easier to move and use your hip than it was before your surgery.
Does a hip replacement cure arthritis?
Arthritis is a broad term that healthcare providers apply to more than 100 conditions that cause inflammation in your joints. There’s no cure for arthritis. It’s not the same kind of condition as a bacterial infection that a healthcare provider can cure by prescribing antibiotics.
Your surgeon will remove and replace the damaged parts of your hip during a hip replacement. It’s not technically curing the arthritis, but symptoms like pain, stiffness and inflammation that affect your hip should be gone once you’ve recovered.
A note from Cleveland Clinic
Having any surgery can be scary, especially when it’s to replace a part of your body with a prosthesis. But hip replacements are extremely safe, effective and successful surgeries. If you’re experiencing symptoms like pain, stiffness and trouble moving your hip, ask your provider if a hip replacement could be a good option for you.
After your surgery, you’ll need time to strengthen your muscles and heal your body. Take your recovery slow and don’t rush yourself. Talk to your surgeon or physical therapist about your movement goals and which activities you’d like to participate in after your hip replacement.
FAQs
Risks in a hip replacement include blood clots in the leg or pelvis, or a hip dislocation. But the most serious risk, however, is of an infection. You should ask your surgeon what the surgical infection rate is for hip replacements at the hospital or facility where you will have your surgery.
What are the negatives of having a hip replacement? ›
Risks associated with hip replacement surgery can include:
- Blood clots. Clots can form in the leg veins after surgery. ...
- Infection. Infections can occur at the site of the incision and in the deeper tissue near the new hip. ...
- Fracture. ...
- Dislocation. ...
- Change in leg length. ...
- Loosening. ...
- Nerve damage.
Loosening of the joint
This is the most common complication of hip replacement and occurs when the shaft of the prosthesis becomes loose in the socket of the thigh bone or the bone surrounding the implant starts to thin. This can lead to pain and a sensation that the joint is unstable.
What is the 90% rule with hip replacement? ›
I typically recommend avoidance of bending the hip more than around 90 degrees (a right angle) for the first six weeks and 130 degrees (a six-inch gap or less between the knee and the chest) thereafter.
How long does it take to walk normally after a hip replacement? ›
How long does it take to walk normally after hip surgery? This depends on your general health and fitness, as well as the condition of your joints and muscles. However, in most cases, you will be able to walk without a walking aid after 10 to 14 days.
What are lifelong restrictions after hip replacement? ›
High-impact exercises and activities can put a lot of stress on your body – including your hip replacement. Avoiding high-impact activities like running, jumping, or lifting heavy weights can lessen the risk of damaging the replacement.
Who should not have hip surgery? ›
People who have a greater-than-average risk of post-surgical complications may be told they are not currently eligible for hip replacement surgery. An existing infection is an absolute contraindication, and patients who are prone to infection may not be eligible for this surgery.
What do I wish I knew before hip replacement? ›
What I Learned and Wish I knew, Before Hip Replacement Surgery
- It was ok to be choosy about the surgeon for my hip replacement. ...
- Preparing for surgery would feel like a part-time job. ...
- My recovery would be 2-steps forward and 1-step back. ...
- At times, I would question my hip replacement recovery.
Use your free hand on the opposite side to wipe without twisting your upper body.
What happens if you wait too long for a hip replacement? ›
If you delay hip replacement surgery, it's likely the damage to your joint will worsen. This could make the eventual surgery more difficult, increasing the risk of complications. Another risk of delaying surgery is a possible decrease in mobility.
Some general rules for any activity you do are:
- Do not cross your legs or ankles when you are sitting, standing, or lying down.
- Do not bend too far forward from your waist or pull your leg up past your waist. This bending is called hip flexion. Avoid hip flexion greater than 90 degrees (a right angle).
But despite this, you're never “too old” to have your hip or knee replaced. “There is no age cutoff for joint replacement,” says Dr. Piuzzi. “Studies have found that people in their 80s and 90s benefit from hip or knee replacement as much as younger people.”
Can you ever kneel again after a hip replacement? ›
After a hip replacement, many patients can kneel down after completing the precautionary period of three months. The safe way to do this is to perform a single-legged kneel whereby the patient kneels on the knee of the operated side only. This means that the other hip has to bend whilst the operated hip stays extended.
What is the newest procedure for hip replacement? ›
The surgical technique for a SUPERPATH® Hip Replacement was developed as an advancement to traditional total hip replacement. The SUPERPATH® technique is a tissue-sparing procedure which aims to get patients back on their feet within days (possibly hours) instead of weeks or months.
What are the odds of surviving a hip replacement? ›
The chance of patient survival at 15 years is 57.6%, at 20 years is 34.6% and at 25 years is only 11.6%.
Who should not have hip replacement surgery? ›
People who have a greater-than-average risk of post-surgical complications may be told they are not currently eligible for hip replacement surgery. An existing infection is an absolute contraindication, and patients who are prone to infection may not be eligible for this surgery.
Is hip replacement considered high risk surgery? ›
While hip replacement surgery isn't considered a risky procedure, as with any major operation, there are risks of complications.
What percentage of people regret hip replacement? ›
Results. Seventy-two percent of patients reported that their joint replacement and concomitant infection had a severe ongoing impact on their quality of life, although only 28% of respondents regretted their choice to undergo index TJA, and 65% would undergo TJA again.
