A hip replacement procedure can alleviate pain and help you regain mobility and independence, but you can’t won’t be able to manipulate your hip in any direction you please. If you move incorrectly or put too much strain on your artificial hip while it is in a compromised position, it can cause the artificial ball to pop out of the joint. This is called a hip dislocation, and although it is a rare complication following a successful hip surgery, a dislocation can cause major issues for the health of your new hip, so you want to do what you can to avoid this type of injury. Below, we share some tips for avoiding a hip dislocation following a replacement procedure.
Avoiding Hip Dislocations After Replacement Surgery
The following is general information, so while it will likely fall in line with the recommendations put forth by your treating physician, you should take their individualized advice over anything you read below. With that said, here’s a look at some of the common recommendations for avoiding a dislocation after having your hip replaced.
- Sit In Higher Chairs/Avoid Low Seats – Sitting in a higher chair can make it easier for you to transition from sitting to standing and vice versa. When you are sitting in lower chairs or on an overly soft sofa, your hips will be excessively strained as you lean forward and push upwards in an effort to stand up. Make it easier on your hips by sitting in higher and firmer chairs.
- Don’t Bend Your Hip More Than 90 Degrees – Bending forward more than 90 degrees will put immense stress on your hips and can lead to a dislocation following a replacement procedure. Most doctors recommend that patients avoid bending more than 60-90 degrees for the first 6-12 weeks after their procedure. You may eventually be cleared for this action, but avoid bending over to tie your shoes or pick something off the ground until you get clearance from the doctor.
- Don’t Cross Your Knees/Ankles – Crossing your legs or knees will push your hip joints outward, which can lead to a dislocation while your connective tissues are working to recover from the trauma of surgery. Avoid crossing your legs or knees during your recovery.
- Weight Loss – Losing just a little weight can take a fair amount of stress off the hip joint, which may help to decrease dislocation likelihood. Weight loss may not be easy to come by if you’re physically limited during your recovery, so many doctors will just recommend that you eat healthily so that you don’t gain weight and put more strain on your hip.
- Pillow Between The Legs At Night – Your doctor will likely recommend that you sleep on your back or on your side on the hip that wasn’t replaced. When you’re sleeping on your side, putting a pillow between your legs can help to support your knee and in turn take pressure off your hip.
- Do Your PT Exercises – Finally, if you really want to reduce your risk of a hip dislocation after a joint replacement operation, make sure that you follow through with your physical therapy exercises. Physical therapy will strengthen the supportive soft tissues, strengthen nearby tissues that help to stabilize the hip, and increase your comfortable range of motion so that your hip can safely move in a number of different directions. Don’t skip your physical therapy exercises, and make sure that you’re doing any home-based exercises recommended by your PT.
If you follow the above tips and you trust your operation to Dr. Botero and his team, we’re confident that you can reduce your risk of a dislocation following a hip replacement procedure. For more information, or to learn more about hip or knee replacement surgery, reach out to Dr. Botero’s office today at (865) 558-4444.
