If you have osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, or have had a hip injury that wore down the joint, you may undergo partial or total hip replacement surgery to alleviate your discomfort and mobility issues. Older adults between the ages of 60 and 80 typically have this type of surgery.
While a hip replacement can help you get back to living a robust and active lifestyle, you’ll likely have to implement some new habits in your life to take care of your new hip. You can take both short-term and lifetime precautions after a hip replacement to avoid dislocation and keep your hip replacement healthy.
Some short-term precautions after surgery include:
- Get dressed sitting down instead of standing
- Use devices, like a reacher, to pick up items off the ground
- Adjust your sitting position after 30 to 40 minutes
- When you sit, keep your knees facing straight ahead
- Don’t sleep on the side of your hip replacement
- Don’t sit in a low chairs or sofasFollowing these precautions will help with your recovery and avoid injury with your new hip.
Lifetime Precautions After a Hip Replacement
When you do get past the recovery period for your hip replacement surgery, you’ll want to follow these lifetime precautions so your hip joints stay as healthy as possible.
Don’t Bend Your Hips Beyond 90 Degrees
You should avoid bending your hips beyond 90 degrees. It may take some getting used to adjusting to this range of motion, but bending past your hip can risk dislocation.
Avoid Crossing Your Legs
Don’t cross your legs on the side of your hip replacement. Lifting your knee to cross the leg over the other can harm your hip replacement.
Stay Away From High Impact Activities
Avoid high-impact activities that use a lot of repetitive motion. You should also avoid activities that involve twisting or pivoting at the hip joints. High-impact activities typically include running and jumping. Sports like basketball, soccer, squash, football – anything that puts a lot of stress on your hips – aren’t safe when you’ve had a hip replacement.
It’s also important to avoid activities that increase your risk of falling. This includes skiing and snowboarding, ice skating,rollerblading, and weightlifting can also increase fall risk that results in a hip fracture. Falls cause more than 95% of hip fractures in older adults.
Engage in Low Impact Exercises
When you’ve completed the recovery process and you’re able to safely engage in physical activity, you’ll need to find the ones that will benefit you the most. Here are some activities you can do so you can lead an active lifestyle without risking injury to your hip replacement:
Low-impact aerobics, swimming, hiking, and cycling are all activities you can engage in after a hip replacement.
You can also ask your physician about practicing yoga, pilates, or tai chi.
Rehabilitation After a Hip Replacement
The road to recovery looks different for everyone. While it’s common to want to get back to doing the things you love, you’ll need to give your body the time it needs to heal.
Rushing the healing process will not benefit you in the long term and could involve another injury, which could result in you needing corrective surgery.
In some cases, you may need rehabilitation services to help you through the healing and recovery process.
“We understand how the recovery process is a combination of physical and mental healing,” said Tish Rey, Marketing Director at The Village, a senior living community in California. “Our community offers Rehabilitation services to older adults recovering from surgery, illness, or injury.”
Rehabilitation services are open to non-residents. Offering physical, occupational, and speech therapies, the care team at The Village will work closely with you to identify your recovery needs, goals, and lay out the path to help you regain your strength, balance, and mobility.
These therapies will also provide you with the following benefits:
- Pain management
- Fall prevention
- Improvement of motor skills and range of motion
- Regained ability to complete activities of daily living (ADLs) like dressing, cooking, and grooming
- Familiarize you with assistive technologies that will enhance your life
You’ll have peace of mind knowing that your comprehensive care plan will attend to all aspects of your recovery. The Village also has a 24-hour emergency call system and on-site Skilled Nursing if you need it.
The Rehabilitation amenities at The Village will promote your sense of well-being and help make your stay as comfortable as possible. You can enjoy amenities like:
- Three meals a day with a new menu daily
- Wi-Fi and basic cable TV
- Activity programming
- An outdoor patio with a fountain
- A beauty salon and barbershop
You’ll have everything you need at The Village to recover your strength and confidence after your hip replacement surgery.
Live an Engaged and Active Lifestyle at The Village
At The Village, we’re focused on health, wellness and the pursuit of your optimal lifestyle. Call us at (951) 365-6127 for a tour and see how our residents are making the most of their retirement.