Preparing for hip replacement surgery

Surgery can be unnerving, no matter how straightforward it may seem. The more informed you are about the process, the easier it will be for you to prepare for your surgery and recovery. Regardless of the type of hip replacement surgery you’re having, you’ll want to prepare as thoroughly as you can to achieve the best outcome. These steps are appropriate for all kinds of hip replacement surgery, including robot-assisted hip replacement.

Your Penn Medicine care team will offer guidance on how to prepare for your surgery and what to expect during hip replacement recovery. This includes preoperative testing and fitness and weight management prior to surgery. We’re dedicated to helping you get back to your normal activities as soon as possible.

Your preoperative testing will be scheduled within 30 days of your surgery. Your testing may include a medical evaluation, blood samples, electrocardiogram, stress test, chest x-ray, and urine sample. The tests will tell us if your body is ready for surgery or if you have any conditions that may need special attention before moving forward.

During the appointment, you will discuss:

• Advance directives
• Dietary restrictions or allergies
• Medical conditions
• Medications and supplements you take
• Primary care doctor and any specialists
• Prior surgeries

You may lose some blood during your surgery, so your surgeon will make recommendations on how you can prepare. They may include taking iron supplements to help build your blood supply and lessen the need for transfusion. We also may encourage you to donate your own blood in case it’s needed during your surgery.

If you don’t wish to accept blood products, some locations offer a safe and unique bloodless surgery program. You can talk with your care team if you have questions about this program.

Carrying extra weight can increase your chances of getting an infection or encountering other problems after surgery. We’ll encourage you to get in better shape before your surgery if you can, but we know that your limited physical abilities might be part of why you need hip replacement surgery.

Our team will work with you to set a realistic weight loss goal. You can reach this goal by eating fewer calories and staying active. Here are some tips to help:

• Control your portion sizes
• Drink plenty of water
• Eat at regular times throughout the day
• Eat slowly
• Eat your calories instead of drinking them
• Check how many calories are in the foods you eat

Exercises can also help you prepare for hip replacement by strengthening the muscles around the hip joints to make recovery easier. We can provide you with a list of illustrated exercises, including:

• Quad sets
• Hip abductions
• Gluteal sets
• Straight leg raises

In addition to providing verbal and printed educational materials, your care team will register you for a free class where you can obtain detailed information about what to expect before and after surgery. Members of our orthopaedic team will outline what to expect, offer tips, and answer any questions you may have as your surgery date approaches. To help you digest what you learn in class, we encourage you to invite a family member or friend to join you. We’ll cover topics such as:

• Preoperative screening
• How to prepare the day of surgery
• What to expect after surgery
• Physical therapy and rehabilitation
• Plans for the return home