Hip Replacement Recovery Week by Week

Hip replacement surgery replaces a damaged or worn hip joint with a prosthetic one to relieve severe pain and restore mobility. Recovery time varies with the extent of surgery and your overall health, but most people follow a broadly similar week-by-week path.

Week 1: Immediate Postoperative Period

The first week is spent under close monitoring for complications such as bleeding or infection, with medication to manage pain. A physical therapist helps you get out of bed and take short walks with a walker or crutches, and you begin gentle exercises to activate the muscles around the new joint.

Week 2-3: Early Recovery

Mobility and strength improve. You walk longer distances and often progress from a walker to a cane or crutches, adding range-of-motion and flexibility work such as leg raises, hip stretches and ankle pumps.

Week 4-6: Mid-Recovery

Many patients can walk unaided and may return to driving. Physical therapy continues with more demanding exercises — a stationary bike or resistance bands — to build endurance and overall fitness.

Week 7-12: Late Recovery

Significant gains in mobility and function are common. You can resume many normal activities while still avoiding high-impact loading of the prosthetic joint, and often transition from supervised therapy to a home exercise programme.

How Long Does the Surgery Take?

The operation itself usually takes one to two hours, followed by a hospital stay of one to three days. The short procedure time contrasts with the substantial, lasting improvement in quality of life that most patients gain.