Hip replacement operation.

I had mine done 16 years age. Delayed it through fear. It was the best decision I ever made. Was pain free immediately, no pain after the op. Did all the exercises and walked daily. Still works! I can’t remember how long I had to wait, I think 3 months. I’m in the East Midlands. Hope all goes well for you.

ALongColdWinter, please do have a look at the Hips and Knees Forum with the dancing girls, now on its 7th edition. There’s a wealth of experience and help on those pages which helped me no end through my THR at the back end of 2024. I can’t join in on this present discussion. I’m afraid, as at my advanced age (mid 80s) I’m too old to hang around on waiting lists, and was blessed with the ability to go private. All the very best. Having the op is well worth it however you arrive there!

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I've not had a hip operation but I have had (6-months apart) two TKR's (which I was told had a much longer recovery time as it was a more serious procedure than the hip - difficult to believe but that's what my Consultant said!).

Anyway, I think the same advice would apply that others have given ....

Gentle walking for a few weeks - I just went to the end of my crescent and back. NEVER on my own. I didn't have the confidence. After a few weeks I went around the corner where the road was hilly. That was REALLY tiring and I could only do it on every third day.

What is good is to use your stairs as often as you can. I started with two flights (one up, one down) and progressed from there. Make sure that there's someone in front of you on the way down, and behind you on the way up. For safety of course, but will add to your confidence.

Good luck. Hope that you're sorted, fit and healthy for Christmas.
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I’ve had both hips replaced, virtually no pain after and my life changed for the better - wonderfully so! Contact your GP and ask about ‘Right to Choose’, with the possibility of going out of area and putting the appointment forward. You’ll be in for 2 nights only and can go home by car (not self driven!). Go for it!

If you know the name of the consultant, look his name up on the internet and the hospital where you are hoping to have your op. It should give you the details.

My consultant said modern hip replacements can last 40 years. Fine by me.
Incidentally, my poor daughter had a hip replacement at aged 40! Obviously not too young but really needing it done

It really is a brilliant operation. No pain afterwards and was home the next morning with two crutches for 10 days. Then one crutch for 10 days then freewheeling! Good luck to you

I am in the West Mids and only waited less than 3 months but it was a revision. A neighbour was given 12 months but complained to secretary about the pain and managed to bring forward about 9 months. I have had 3 replacements as my 17 year old hip was coming a bit loose and I stayed in hospital 2 nights and walking down the road the day after discharge. I only managed a few yards but muscle wastes so quickly and you will feel so much better doing the exercises, painful at first but quickly gets better. I'm 75 and was swimming 2 months later.
Good luck

I was referred in 2006 at the age of 50 to see a consultant orthopaedic surgeon but couldn’t have my hip replacement done as I was considered to be too young. 3 years later I was referred again, although my GP considered I was still too young, and actually offered a surgery date at my appointment. 10 weeks the op was done and tbh I’ve never looked back. My consultant said my new hip had a 15 year lifespan so if I needed a revision it wouldn’t be a problem. It’s coming up to 17 years and I’ve had no issues and been pain free. I followed all of the advice from the physios and was able to discard my arm crutches 9 wks post op then resume working. It’s given me back my life and I’m forever grateful to the NHS.

I'm exactly the same despite absolutely no exercises beyond walking which legs are helpfully designed for!

As your GP about NHS referral to a private hospital and you won't have to wait, if your practice has that arrangement.
Do lots of physio pre- and post-op.

I agree with Youngerthanspringtime. I call it a miracle operation. I had no pain when I came round from the op, I couldn’t believe I was pain free. I walked on crutches that day, did stairs the next day and was home on third day. Occupational health should come to your home to assess what you need in recovery. I worked very hard at my exercises and also had some hydrotherapy. That was 13 years ago and I am still bouncing around and pain free.

I had a THR in 2019, then the other side done in 2021 and have had no bother since. Had local anaesthetic for both, you recover quicker that way and I slept through them anyway.
Did all the exercises and had no bother since, but as one poster said my stamina isn't great but I think that's more due to aging and having other arthritic parts. I use a walking aid if I have to do a lot of walking, such as at a large airport but apart from that I think its an amazing op, I was housebound both times before I had them done.

The physiotherapist I saw at my local health centre a fortnight ago, said if I was prepared to travel 40 miles I could have a hip op next month. Closer to home (south coast) was approx 4 months.

I had my op 2011 I was 52 I had pain for months but a fall made it worse. I went to the doctors who said it was obviously osteoarthritis. The fall I had made it worse an xray confirmed what the doctor said. I was booked in for THR 7 weeks later.
I was encouraged to walk straight after the operation with no walking aids. My physiotherapist was an ex footballer who reckoned he was not needed as I was very agile.
I was in pain after the operation but pain relief does not suit me there is always a reaction to it so I had to do without. I could not drive for nine weeks that is when online shopping became my best friend.
Everyone is different go for the operation with an open mind and you will be fine.

The best thing about it, is the almost magical freedom from pain.
I had both replacements done about 15 years ago, waiting time about 3 months and the second one done 6 months later.
There isn’t much pain but you will be very tired when you first get home.
I agree with others, do the excercises and also walk. Even now after 15 years if I think I’m feeling a bit stiff, I’ll do the excercises for a few days.
To be honest, I look and feel younger now than I did all those years ago, when I was hobbling around with 2 sticks and in terrible pain.
It really is life changing!

Thank you everyone for your advice,it is much appreciated.

I remember standing in the shower the day after my hip replacement and being amazed to be standing there pain free and not needing to hold on to something.

I had my hip replacement done in 2015. I was told by a friend that after the operation the pain I had been in for what seemed like forever would go immediately. Guess what, she was right and it did! Get it done asap, you’ll never regret it.

Aveline That is basically the sum total of the exercise I'm able to do! I live in a second floor flat so I have to negotiate 28 steps if I want to go out,plus I probably walk about 4000 - 5000 steps most days. I also try to do the exercises recommended for pre-surgery like the foot slides whilst laying on my bed and sideways leg lifts although that one is becoming more difficult by the day.

I would say YES do all the exercises but walk as well.

It's not an either-or.

I had my THR about 18months ago. I'd referred myself to my GP, who sent me for an Xray. I was assessed not long after (our area does assessment by physio) and immediately offered 5 centres, 3 NHS and 2 private to choose from. None had a waiting list of more than 3 months.

I was offered 2 cancellations which I declined because of prior engagements, one of which was a holiday abroad, though looking back I'd have been better taking one of them because the post op discomfort was far less than the pain of daily life and walking that I was experiencing.

I'm in Co. Durham.

Although there was some pain and discomfort around the site of the operation for a week or two the grinding pain from the hip joint was gone immediately.

I was told that the NHS didn't offer post THR physio so I had a few paid for sessions with the physio at the private clinic where I'd had my op. They were very helpful as he picked up on areas which would need strengthening.

If you want to be able to do more than just walking and stairs I think you need to identify what needs to be strengthened and get help if possible. I wanted to be able to ride a horse again so the muscles in that leg and around the hip joint needed to be worked to accommodate that because they are used differently from just walking.

My physio said to ensure that I didn't let the operated leg become weak by always favouring the 'sound' leg for things like stairs, getting up from a seat or the floor.

I am utterly delighted with my new hip and a return to an active and pain free life.

Hello Alongcoldwinter. You have had good advice but there is a long ongoing hip,and knee thread which I started 4 years ago when I was in your situation with lots if us with information support and kind advice. Look out for the dancing girls 👯‍♀️ on the Hip and knee thread on the health forum.
Personally I had a 4 month wait in Kent. As for post op pain , for most of us it was a surprisingly fast recovery.
You won’t be disappointed.

I waited a very long time first to be assessed and then 2 years before I had my operation. I had it on New Year's eve, a cancellation. I'm near Edinburgh but was operated on at a hospital in the west of Scotland.
I was and still am, very pleased with the new hip.

I got lazy with the exercises and had a relapse and pain after 9 months. I went back to the hospital where an X-ray showed the hip was fine but my muscles needed building up so I have tried hard to exercise daily and am pretty much pain free.

Good luck to you.

I had both hips and a knee done. I didnt wait long for any of them, first hip about 3 months, that was 11years ago.
My last hip ( done about 2 years ago) only few months from referral my knee I did have to wait 6 months between Operations, advised better practice after major orthopaedic surgery.
In my area they do keep the lists down by sending some patients to the local private hospitals. There are about 4 not far from the main Hospital. I think I'm the only person I known who didn't have her knee replaced on the NHS at the Private hospital.
However, I boast mine was done by Robot assistance , very few private hospitals can afford them.