Hip replacement surgery is a common procedure used to relieve pain and restore function in people with hip joint problems. During this surgery, a damaged hip joint is replaced with an artificial joint. While hip replacement surgery is highly successful, there are certain things you should avoid doing after the procedure to ensure proper healing and avoid complications. In this article, we will discuss what you can never do after hip replacement surgery.
Avoiding Complications: What You Shouldn’t Do After Hip Replacement
What to Avoid After Hip Replacement Surgery: 7 Things You Should Never Do
Never cross your legs
Crossing your legs after hip replacement surgery can increase the risk of dislocation. This is because crossing your legs can cause your new hip joint to rotate outward, which can cause the ball of the joint to come out of the socket. To prevent this from happening, it is important to avoid crossing your legs for at least six weeks after surgery.
Never bend your hips too far
Bending your hips too far after hip replacement surgery can also increase the risk of dislocation. To avoid this, you should avoid bending your hips more than 90 degrees. This means you should not sit in low chairs or on low toilets. Instead, you should use a raised toilet seat and chairs with armrests to help you sit and stand up without bending your hips too far.
Never twist your hips
Twisting your hips after hip replacement surgery can also increase the risk of dislocation. This means you should avoid twisting your feet and hips when you turn around. Instead, you should pivot on your feet and turn your whole body together.
Never lift heavy objects
Lifting heavy objects after hip replacement surgery can put too much strain on your new hip joint and increase the risk of dislocation. You should avoid lifting anything heavier than 10 pounds for the first six weeks after surgery. After six weeks, you can gradually increase the weight you lift, but you should always avoid lifting heavy objects if possible.
Never engage in high-impact activities
High-impact activities such as running, jumping, and high-impact aerobics can put too much strain on your new hip joint and increase the risk of loosening or dislocation. You should avoid these activities for at least six months after surgery. Instead, you can engage in low-impact activities such as walking, swimming, and cycling to improve your fitness level without putting too much strain on your hip joint.
Never ignore warning signs
It is important to pay attention to any warning signs after hip replacement surgery, such as pain, swelling, redness, or fever. These could be signs of an infection or other complications. If you experience any of these symptoms, you should contact your doctor immediately.
Never stop physical therapy
Physical therapy is an important part of the recovery process after hip replacement surgery. It can help you regain strength, flexibility, and range of motion in your hip joint. You should never stop physical therapy without your doctor’s approval, even if you feel like you have fully recovered.
In conclusion, there are several things you should avoid doing after hip replacement surgery to ensure proper healing and avoid complications. These include crossing your legs, bending your hips too far, twisting your hips, lifting heavy objects, engaging in high-impact activities, ignoring warning signs, and stopping physical therapy. By following these guidelines, you can help ensure a successful recovery after hip replacement surgery.
This article is published and approved by Next New Steps medical editorial board.