Getting Into Bed After Hip Replacement

When Will My Hip Incision Heal

The incisions for a hip replacement surgery nowadays are very small and are closed up with absorbable sutures, explains Thakkar. The incision is covered with a dressing and takes about six weeks to heal. During this time, its OK to shower, but to reduce the risk of infection, bathing and swimming should be put off until the wound fully heals.

Best Sleeping Positions After Total Hip Replacement

The best position to sleep in after total hip replacement is on your back with a pillow between your legs. You can also sleep on your non-operative side with two pillows lined between your legs. When youre sleeping on your back, make sure you dont cross your ankles or legs. When youre sleeping on your side, avoid bending your knees.

Here are a few other tips to ensure you have a safe nights rest:

• Use pillows between your knees, ensuring that one is supporting your foot if youre lying on your side.
• Avoid putting pillows under your knees as you sleep.
• Avoid sleeping on your stomach.
• Sleep on a firm mattress or bed.
• Change positions if you become uncomfortable.
• Avoid turning or twisting your leg or toes inward in any way.
• Do not cross your legs or ankles.

How Soon Can I Return To Regular Activities After A Hip Replacement

The goal of physical therapy is to get you back to your normal life, whether its going to work, playing with kids, or engaging in your favorite sport or hobby. Depending on the amount of physical activity a task requires, the amount of time it will take to be able to perform that task differs.

• Driving. If you had surgery on your right hip, it may take up to a month to be able to drive safely again. If it was your left hip, then you might be back in the drivers seat in one or two weeks. Start in a parking lot and slowly move to rural roads, working your way up to the highway. Taking medications that may impair your coordination, such as opioids, might delay how soon you can go back to driving.
• Work. If you have a desk job with minimal activity, you can return to work in about two weeks. If your job requires heavy lifting or is otherwise tough on the hips, it is recommended to take off about six weeks to recover.
• Sports. For sports with minimal activity, such as golf, you can return when you feel comfortable. For high impact contact sports you should wait about six weeks to get back in the game. Before getting into a pool, you should also wait about six weeks until the incision completely heals.
• Sexual Activity. You can return to sexual activity whenever you feel comfortable.

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How To Sleep After Total Hip Replacement Surgery

Sleep is an important part of the healing process after any major surgery. However, one of the most common complaints we hear after someone has a total hip replacement is about difficulty or trouble sleeping. Whether youre unable to sleep in the position youre used to or you wake up with pain, the issue likely contributes to restless nights. Also, for several weeks after your surgery, youll need to take extra precautions when you go to bed to avoid dislocation.

To ensure you get some crucial shut-eye, in this post, well discuss some tips on how to sleep after youve had total hip replacement surgery.

Dont Drive Until Youre Cleared By Your Doctor

Driving after hip replacement is different for everyone. Some people are able to drive within a couple of weeks of their hip replacement surgery, and others need more time to heal and drive safely. Before you drive, its important to discuss it with your doctor so that you know youre safe on the road and that doing so wont disrupt your healing process.

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Following The Pain Management Plan:

Before understanding the sleeping posture and getting discharged from the hospital or a person needs to understand their pain management plan. This plan will help them to know about all the precautions they need to take and how they can continue with activities during the recovery duration. The surgeon will help you to know about everything considering the sleeping posture so that there will be no problem at all.

When the surgeon is explaining the things related to the hip replacement aftercare, makes sure to ask about all the doubts that might be in your mind.

Hip Safety: Getting Into And Out Of Bed

Your new hip needs extra care while it heals. Follow your hip precautions and the tips on this sheet to help keep your new hip safe. The steps below help you get into bed. Reverse them to get out of bed.

Note: Your operated leg should enter the bed first and leave the bed last. If you need to, remake the bed so the pillow is on the other end.

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Bed Mobility After Hip Replacement Step : If Planning On Laying On Side Place Pillow Between Legs

If you plan to lay on your side while in bed, or you tend to roll in your sleep, you should place a pillow between your legs to prevent accidental crossing of your legs. This is very important because crossing your legs can cause dislocation following a hip replacement.

The pillow you select should be long enough and thick enough to support a normal gap between your legs while also keeping your feet from crossing accidentally.

Getting In And Out Of The Tub To Take A Shower

Have someone nearby the first few times you use the tub or shower to provide balance assistance if needed. It is a good idea to have hand rails or grab bars to help with your balance and support. There are two ways you can get in and out of the tub to take a shower.

Side-step transfer:

• Side-step into the tub with your nonsurgical leg first. Hold the walker, wall or grab bar for support. Next, bring your surgical leg over the tub edge.
• Side-step out of the tub with your surgical leg first. Hold the walker, wall or grab bar for support. Next, bring your nonsurgical leg over the tub edge.

Seated transfer

• Using a shower chair with a backrest may make it easier to get in and out of the tub.
• Getting into the tub:
• Reach back for the chair, sit down, scoot back and carefully swing each leg over the tub edge.

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Follow Your Pain Management Plan

Before youre discharged after your surgery, your doctor will lay out a pain management plan. Appropriate pain management protocols, such as narcotic medications and anti-inflammatories, can help inhibit pain and discomfort experienced after total hip replacement. Youll need to follow your doctors prescribed plan for several weeks after surgery. Doing so will help you sleep along with contributing greatly to your recovery.

How Soon Does Rehabilitation Therapy Start After The Hip Surgery

Patients will have physical therapy before the hip replacement surgery, and then work with a physical therapist right after the surgery to reinforce exercises before they go home, says Thakkar. Rehabilitation will continue a few days after the surgery, with visits with physical and occupational therapists two to three times per week, as well as home exercises.

Rehabilitation begins with getting used to regular movements and practicing daily activities, like getting out of bed or a chair, and progresses to practicing more difficult tasks, such as climbing stairs and getting in or out of the car.

Muscle strength plays a big role in being able to perform these and other tasks. This is why resistance training of hip muscles and knee muscles in the legs is a major component of rehabilitation.

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Tips For Making Your Home Life Easier After Hip Surgery

Are you scheduled for hip surgery? It can be a good choice for people living with chronic hip pain from inflammation, arthritis, or injury.

Hip surgery includes procedures like hip resurfacing and total hip replacement, both of which have the goal of reducing pain and improving mobility. Chris Boone, MD specializes in orthopedic surgery for hip pain, and our team is here to help you understand what to expect.

When you choose hip surgery, its normal to have questions. Learning what happens during surgery can help you feel confident before heading into the operating room, but preparing yourself for recovery is just as essential.

Hip surgery is a major procedure, and full recovery can take several months. Take time in the weeks before your hip surgery to prepare yourself and your home. Making adjustments now will make your life easier once you return from the hospital.

Which Side Of Bed To Get Into After Hip Operation

vickie1976

I’ve received my pre op letter and been advised that within 22days of having this I should have had op.

my only worry is, that I need the operation this time on left side but due to us having the small bedroom in the house giving the kids more room I cannot change where the bed is and can only get in bed one way,which would mean getting in left/operated side first this time. I’m sure someone out there would have had same issue and want to see how they managed

For me in dec when had right hip done wasnt an issue as straight away i was getting in bed good side first.

thanks vickie

• push the bed up the other end?

How To Get Into Bed After Hip Replacement:

Be very careful when you get into and out of bed. So that you dont stress your hip injury any further than it already is. In order to climb into bed without risking injury, you will need to:

• Make use of the walking aid you have and slowly move backward until you feel the edge of your bed behind you.
• Position yourself so that you are sitting on the edge of your bed and extending the leg that has the hip replacement.
• Make yourself stable by propping yourself up with your arms, then slide your bottom forward.
• Raise each of your legs onto the bed one at a time.
• Adjust your body so that you can sleep in a secure position.

Getting In Bed After Hip Replacement

To ensure you dont cause further injury to your hip, be careful when youre getting into and out of bed. To safely get in bed, youll need to:

• Use your walking aid and back up until you feel your bed behind you.
• Sit on the edge of your bed while extending the leg which received the hip replacement.
• Support yourself using your arms and scoot your bottom back.
• Bring one leg at a time up onto the bed.
• Position yourself in a safe sleeping position.

Getting In And Out Of A Car

A large plastic bag on the car seat may help you move more easily. Also, a firm pillow under your buttocks may be needed to increase the seat height so your hips are higher than your knees.

Anytime you are getting in or out of the car, have the driver park about four feet out from the curb edge and not on an incline. Also make sure that the surface youll be walking on is free of ice and snow.

Before surgery, practice getting in and out of a car using the following instructions.

• Adjust the car seat as far back as possible and recline the backrest slightly.
• Back up to your car seat. Place your surgical leg forward.
• Reach back and find a stable hand hold .
• Slowly lower yourself onto the seat.
• Scoot back on the car seat. Lean back as you lift each leg into the car.
• Do not reach for a walking device until your balance is secure.

Getting On And Off A Chair With Arms

• To sit down, back up until you feel the chair against the back of your legs.
• Place your surgical leg forward.
• Reach back for the arms of the chair with both hands and sit down on the edge of the seat, then slide back.
• To get off the chair, slide to its edge.
• Place your surgical leg forward.
• Push up with both arms and your nonsurgical leg.
• Do not reach for a walking device until your balance is secure.

Make It Easy For Yourself

Make sure everything you need is easy to get to and on the floor where you will spend most of your time. Limit your stair use to once a day.

• Have a bed that is low enough so that your feet touch the floor when you sit on the edge of the bed.
• Set up your bed on the first floor if you can. You may not need a hospital bed, but your mattress should be firm.
• Have a bathroom or a portable commode on the same floor where you will spend most of your day.
• Stock up on canned or frozen food, toilet paper, shampoo, and other personal items.
• Make or buy single meals that can be frozen and reheated.
• Make sure you can reach everything you need without getting on your tiptoes or bending down low.
• Put food and other supplies in a cupboard that is between your waist and shoulder level.
• Place glasses, your teapot, and other items you use a lot on the kitchen counter.
• Make sure you can get to your phone. A portable phone can be helpful.
• Place a chair with a firm back in the kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, and other rooms you will use. This way, you can sit when you do your daily tasks.
• If you will be using a walker, attach a sturdy bag or a small basket. Put in it the things you need to have close by such as your phone, a notepad, a pen, and other necessary items. You can also use a fanny pack.

Other items that may help:

Getting Out Of Bed After Hip Replacement

When youre ready to get out of bed, follow these steps:

• Remove all sheets and pillows.
• Bend the leg that didnt receive the hip replacement, and use your elbows to support yourself.
• Slide your bottom until youre near the edge of the bed.
• Using your elbows and hands, push yourself up from a semi-lying position.
• Gently slide your hips and legs over to the edge of your bed and swing your body around to sit up.
• Extend the affected leg, and use your stronger leg for support as you stand.

Bed Mobility After Hip Replacement Step : Retrieve Walker And Stand

Once both feet are on the floor, retrieve the walker and place it in front of yourself.

When attempting to stand, make sure not to reach forward and break your 90 degree angle. Instead, keep your surgical leg extended and place your hand on the non-surgical side behind you and your non-surgical leg squarely underneath you. Push up from the bed with one hand while resting your surgical hand on the walker for balance.

Thatâs it. We have now covered how to get in and out of bed safely after a hip replacement. Hope this was helpful!

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When Can I Go Home After A Hip Replacement

Most patients can start walking and can go home the day of the surgery, says Thakkar. Most people dont need bed rest. In fact, moving your new joint keeps it from becoming stiff.

If you have a preexisting condition , or if no one can give you a ride and help around the house right after the surgery, you might need to spend the night at the hospital. People who had complex surgeries or lack support at home may benefit from starting their recovery in an inpatient rehabilitation unit.

Rehabilitation After Hip Surgery At Bella Vista Health Center

At Bella Vista, were dedicated to helping residents recover and rehabilitate from illness, injury, or surgery in the safe, nurturing environment of our 5-Star skilled nursing facility. Well work closely with your doctor and other members of your healthcare team to create a customized care plan designed to help you regain strength and learn to adapt to any permanent restrictions or lifetime precautions.

At Bella Vista, were committed to your recovery, and well help keep you comfortable every step of the way. Give us a call today at if you have any questions.