Whether you’re getting a new knee or a new hip, preparing for surgery is essentially the same. So are the actual joint replacement procedures – each of which typically takes less than an hour. Even so, there are some differences in recovery.
With the caveat that every patient and situation is different, we asked William Hozack, MD, Director of Joint Replacement for the Rothman Institute at Jefferson, to explain what patients can generally expect as they recover.
As Dr. Hozack notes, knee and hip replacement surgeries have some important differences.
“In general, pain management techniques seem to be more effective with the hip than with the knee,” Dr. Hozack says. “With a hip replacement, patients often don’t need narcotics while they’re in the hospital. They can be out of bed the same day, out of the hospital two days after surgery, and walking on a cane within a week.”
What’s more, those with a new hip don’t always need structured physical therapy. Day-to-day movement and activities typically provide for a smooth transition.
With knee replacement, Dr. Hozack says that managing pain is a greater challenge: “With patients who have had a knee replaced, we usually have to use narcotics to manage the pain,” he explains. “We also find that the patients themselves need to work harder and do more active forms of physical therapy.”