Hip Surgery DC: What to Expect
Since the goal with hip replacement surgery DC is to get patients back on their feet as soon as possible and moving around better than they could prior to the surgery, it’s no surprise that patients should expect their surgeons and medical teams to push them quickly after they have gone under the knife. Since the legs and hips are so often used throughout the day, you shouldn’t expect to be off your feet for too long; most patients are advised to get up and start moving around slowly and with the use of a walker within hours of surgery. Yes, you’ll need to stay in the hospital for anywhere up to 4 days to make sure that you’re able to do things like getting in and out of bed, going to the bathroom, managing your own pain and performing specific exercises that you have been instructed to do by your doctors, but in order to get he most out of your hip, you won’t be able to slack off. Expect some pain and an adjustment process, but your new hip will heal and integrate itself into your body best when it is used almost immediately, allowing you to regain strength and mobility over a period of time.
Coping With a Hip Replacement Surgery DC
This is a major surgery, but at the same time, it does not have the same “down time” that many other surgeries do. To stay positive throughout the time where you’re regaining mobility and allowing the surgical site to heal, there are many things that you can do.
- Celebrate the small victories. This means paying attention to how things look and feel. Make note of when you’re first able to move around without the walker, of the day where you don’t need to take multiple doses of pain medication, or when your hip surgery site doesn’t have to stay covered anymore.
- Work hard to get to the point where you can do your first workout or exercise routine after this surgery. It doesn’t have to be anything huge, even walking on the treadmill for 20 minutes is an improvement, because many patients had pain that was so severe that this was impossible before surgery.
- Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it. You’re trying to get better, not push yourself too far and potentially cause injuries that will set your recovery back.