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Hip Replacements: Put The Spring Back In Your Step

By Alexander Mason

Republish: EasyPublish™
Published: 30Jan2012
Word count: 505
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It can take as little as two months or as much as two years to recuperate from hip replacement surgery, so a little preparation won't go a miss. Because hip surgery is a major procedure, a lot of care has to be taken post surgery, and will involve your family and friends. What's more, undergoing such a procedure will have an effect on the way you go about your daily activities and will potentially limit your movement, but that doesn't mean it should ever hold you back from leading a full and happy life.

Once you come out of the operating room, you'll be monitored closely and the medical staff will pay particular attention to your legs and feet, looking for changes in body temperature, circulation, and sensation in the area. It is also sometimes appropriate to wear compression stockings which help to increase blood flow and inhibit the formation of blood clots which can occur through lack of movement.

The next day, you will see a physiotherapist who will recommend some exercises for you to carry out whilst you are still restricted to your bed. These will normally include gluteal sets (tensing and relaxing your buttock muscles); quadriceps sets (tensing and relaxing your thigh muscles); and ankle pumps (flexing and stretching your ankles). These exercises help you to strengthen the hip joint without having to move the hip itself. Your physiotherapist will see you two to three times a day whilst your are still recovering in hospital and they will show you how to carry out the exercises properly in order to regain full hip movement. When you return home within three to five days, you should be given a physiotherapist or nurse who will check up on your progress at home. Because your hip is brand new, you will have to learn to use it again and get used to the prosthetic joint. However, your physiotherapist will go over how to carry the basic movements such as:

Getting in and out of bed

Going from a lying position into a sitting position

Getting from a sitting position to a standing position

Getting in and out of a car

In order to speed up your recovery time, it is important for you actively engage in the exercises and take a proactive approach to your rehabilitation. In some cases, you may be given a walking stick or frame to help you during this period.

With regard to preventing further injury and damage to your new hip, there are some necessary precautions you should take whilst you are still recovering from hip replacement surgery. These include, high impact activities such as running, skiing, bending downwards and carry heavy loads. The best tip, however, is to listen to your body. If you feel that something doesn't feel quite right, refrain from doing it. All in all, it should take about 6 weeks to recover from your surgery and start performing your routine activities again.

We offer high quality, effective hip replacement surgery in Hertfordshire, helping patients get back to their daily life in no time.

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