Recovery - what to expect after surgery

Prior to leaving hospital, you will be seen by  a specialist hip physiotherapist from the Wakefield Sports Physiotherapy group. 

They will give you advice on what things to do and what not to do over the next few days / weeks, as well as talk to you about making an ongoing plan for physiotherapy.

Recovery from hip arthroscopy is lengthy, and has to be guided by a well-informed physiotherapist; it is not advisable to undergo hip arthroscopy without formal physiotherapist involvement to guide recovery over time.

In general, it is adviseable to rest the joint for the first few days, and avoid too much standing until the pain from surgery starts to settle. You will be prescribed some pain killers on discharge from hospital. After the first few days most patients take only simple medications, such as Panadol, and anti-inflammatories. It is reasonable to take the anti-inflammatories (Ibuprofen, Neurofen, Voltaren etc) for longer if necessary, up to 4-6 weeks.

If you have had a torn labrum repaired with sutures, then we will ask you to avoid hip flexion beyond 90 degrees for 6 weeks, to protect the repair whilst it is healing.

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At 2-3 weeks after surgery patients should normally be starting to use an exercise bike

At 4 weeks after surgery most patients should be using a cross-trainer.

Instability work (such as jumping, running, side to side or oblique lunges and changes of direction at speed) are best avoided until after 8 weeks.

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​Most people are walking independently by 7 days after surgery, and comfortable for most day to day activities by 2-3 weeks. It will typically take at least 12 weeks however to feel close to “recovered”, and may take 6 months to get back to sport. The outcome scores often take as long as 12 months to stop improving. 

​Driving can typically be resumed after a few days if the left side has been operated on, and 2 weeks for the right side. It is important that you don’t drive unless you are comfortable walking with no aids, are able to get in / out of the car easily, and can do an emergency stop without fear of pain from the right hip.

Time off work is very individual, as it depends on your type of work, as well as what was done during the surgery. It is advisable to have at least a week off work after surgery, even for sedentary roles, but beyond this it is something best discussed on an individual basis.