# 5 Essential Tips for a Successful Hip Replacement Recovery

- Link: https://brianejohns.com/2023/03/27/blog-5-essential-tips-for-a-successful-hip-replacement-recovery/
- Published: 2023-03-27T11:30:00-04:00
- Author: Brian Johns

## Hip replacement surgery is a major procedure that requires a significant amount of recovery time. As many know, this is a very common procedure for martial artists.

I’ve lost count of the number of martial arts colleagues who have had their hips
replaced. It is especially prevalent among those from kick-based martial arts. In
my case, I am 99% sure that my right hip problem stems from my days in Chung Do 
Kwan Tae Kwon Do. Anyway, the pain in my right hip significantly impaired my ability
to engage in physical activities. For example, I used to accumulate 10,000 steps
every day. By January, I was averaging only 1,760 steps per day.

## I tell you, the pain sucked.

Feeling my physical fitness was at stake, I pushed to get my hip replaced as soon
as possible. Thank goodness that [I went ahead with the surgery](https://brianejohns.com/2023/02/07/amazing-recovery-so-far/)
on January 26th.

I am 58 years old, so I am not content to recover from the surgery. [This is my life’s “now or never” inflection point](https://brianejohns.com/2023/04/11/blog-its-now-or-never/).
As mentioned above, I was dissatisfied with my fitness before the surgery. After
the initial recovery phase, I intend to rebuild myself from the ground up. More 
on that in an upcoming post.

Anyway, [recovering from my hip replacement surgery has been an interesting journey](https://brianejohns.com/2023/04/27/blog-reasons-to-suspend-martial-arts-training/),
and I’d like to share some tips with you.

## Here are five essential tips to ensure a 󠀁[successful hip replacement recovery](https://brianejohns.com/2023/12/29/a-look-back-on-2023/)󠁿:

**(1)** _Follow your doctor’s orders:_ Your doctor will provide specific instructions
on caring for your hip after surgery. You must follow these instructions closely
to ensure a successful recovery. Since I had the lateral approach done, this dictated
the extent of my activities for the first four weeks and four months. 
For the first
four weeks, I was instructed not to do any side lifts or sideways motions with the
operated leg. The reason is simple: the muscles next to and underneath the lateral
incision must heal.Next, the doctor firmly instructed me NOT to do the figure 4 
leg cross for four months for the same reason.

Click here to view the [video](https://youtu.be/2E8WWX4cOc4).

**(2)** _Do physical therapy exercises: _Physical therapy is essential to hip replacement
recovery. Your physical therapist will provide_ _exercises to strengthen your hip
and improve your range of motion. Doing these exercises as directed is essential
to help you recover faster.

In my case, the North York General Hospital’s (In Toronto) website has a series 
of [YouTube videos](https://www.nygh.on.ca/hip-knee-education) to prepare patients
for hip surgery. Included in those videos are recommended post-surgery exercises.
The in-house physical therapist visited me the day after my surgery and guided me
through the basic range of motion exercises. They advised me to do these exercises
two to three times a day for two weeks. Then, I was referred to the local physiotherapy
clinic.

## A word to the wise: strictly follow their instructions.

If they say, “_Do_ two sets of this exercise, ten reps each set twice a day.” Do
them and no more! They are pretty experienced at this. The last thing you need is
to have a massive setback. Slow and steady is the key.

Below is a snippet of the last physical therapy session, during which my therapist
noted how uneven my hips were. That will even out over time.

> View this post on Instagram
> [A post shared by Brian Johns, Instructor (@brianejohns)](https://www.instagram.com/reel/CqLYX5ys9Uf/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading)

## It’s a marathon, not a sprint.

**(3)** _Manage your pain_: Pain is a normal part of hip replacement recovery, but
it is important to manage it effectively. Take your pain medication as prescribed
and use ice or heat therapy as directed by your doctor.

During my pre-surgery consult, my surgeon advised me that a nurse would ask me regularly
to rate my pain. Indeed, within 5 minutes of waking up from my surgery, the nurse
asked me to rate my pain on a scale from 0 to 10, with 10 being the worst. The kind
of medication they will give you depends on the pain you report. In my case, my 
pain was, at most, 3. As a result, they selected extra-strength Tylenol, and I took
that for several weeks. I didn’t have to take the heavy stuff, thank goodness!

## To paraphrase Clubber Lang, I pity da fool who doesn’t take pain medication!

**(4)** _Take care of your incision_: After surgery, your incision will be covered
with a bandage. To prevent infection, it is important to keep the incision clean
and dry. Your doctor will provide instructions on how to care for your incision.

Listen to your surgeon and his/her team. My incision was closed with steri-strips.
Not staples, thank goodness! I took the bandage off seven days after my surgery,
and the steri-strips came off with the bandage. The incision was long but amazingly
clean and free of any infection.

**(5)** _Drink lots of water and nap frequently_: I tell you, you will need to drink
massive amounts of water. I woke up a few mornings with a dry mouth, indicating 
that I did not sufficiently hydrate myself the day before. Due to the invasiveness
of hip replacement surgery, hydration will be a key part of your recovery. Additionally,
you may feel the need to nap frequently. Snooze as much as you can, as that will
aid the recovery process.

## Following the above suggestions, you’ll return to what you love doing soon!

I can’t wait to get back to training!

> View this post on Instagram
> [A post shared by Brian Johns, Instructor (@brianejohns)](https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cb0wv8JvqQX/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading)

## Additional Reading

 * [Amazing Recovery…..So Far](https://brianejohns.com/2023/02/07/amazing-recovery-so-far/)
 * [Changes in Private Lessons](https://brianejohns.com/2020/12/21/blog-changes-in-private-lessons/)
 * [Counters to Disarms](https://brianejohns.com/2016/11/22/blog-counters-to-disarms/)
 * [Going Back To The Gym](https://brianejohns.com/2023/06/07/blog-going-back-to-the-gym/)
 * [The Geezer Phase of Being A Martial Artist](https://brianejohns.com/2022/03/23/blog-the-geezer-phase-of-being-a-martial-artist/)

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