How To Prevent Dislocation After Hip Replacement

A dislocation following a total hip replacement is a rare phenomenon. It indicates that your prosthetic ball completely disengaged from its socket. Several things, such as muscular tension, accidents, bad posture, etc., may cause the dislocation. The patient should follow hip safety guidelines because there is a greater risk of hip dislocation in case of negligence. So, if you are done with a hip replacement, you need to know how to prevent dislocation after hip replacement.

The following article provides a complete set of precautions you must follow after a hip dislocation.

Precautions During Hip Replacement Surgery

The surgeon needs to take the following factors into account to reduce the risk of hip replacement dislocation:

Which Surgical Approach Will Be Used?

Two approaches are considered for hip replacement surgery: anterior and posterior. The surgeon should consider which approach will suit the patient.

Material Of the Implant

Hip replacement implants can be created from various materials, including metal, plastic, and ceramic. When using specialised implants, such as metal-on-metal hip replacements, your surgeon may be able to employ a bigger femoral head. That will reduce the chance of dislocation.

Implant Size

In the last ten years, there have been significant improvements in femoral head size possibilities, which no longer come in a single size. Adjusting the size of the femoral head can assist in preventing dislocation. Surgeons prefer larger femoral heads as they are less likely to dislocate from the socket.

Precautions After Hip Replacement

If you want to know how to prevent dislocation after hip replacement, read the following instructions carefully and practice them:

• Use a high toilet seat and sit in high chairs.

• Raise your bed’s feet by around 24 inches.

• Limit the hip’s flexion to 90 degrees.

• Avoid bending your knees.

• Keep a pillow between your knees when you are in bed.

• Use a piece of furniture as support if you need to pick up anything from the floor.

• Perform the sports and exercises after hip replacement (Add a link to the article) recommended by the therapist to develop your hip muscles.

• Never let pain dictate what you can and cannot do.

• Apply ice to relieve pain.

• Prefer to move around.

• Install temporary handrails where you require assistance.

• Avoid using the bathtub.

• Use an adjustable shower stool.

• Ask someone to assist you with putting shoes on because your hip is more likely to dislocate when you bend.

• Limit the amount you lift to thirty pounds. Any additional weight you lift puts pressure on your new hip replacement.

• Avoid driving for 6-8 weeks following hip surgery.

• Use a pillow while travelling to get your hips higher.

• Try to avoid stair climbing as much as possible.

• The healthy leg should take the initial step when climbing stairs, and the injured leg should follow the same step.

• When descending the stairs, place your cane on the bottom step, descend the next step with your injured leg, and finally descend the same step with your healthy leg.

Here is a particular set of instructions you must follow while standing, sitting or lying down.

Hip Precautions While Standing

• Do not invert the foot of your affected leg.

• Avoid stooping or kneeling.

• Avoid turning your shoulders or your waist toward the affected leg while standing.

• Avoid postures where your knee will be higher than your hips.

• Never cross your legs.

• Avoid walking with your affected leg’s knee going behind your hip.

• Keep your toes pointed forward.

• Keep your movement smooth.

Hip Precautions While Sitting

• Never put your legs together.

• Make sure your hips are not lower than your knees when seated.

• Put a pillow on the chair’s seat to keep your hips higher than your knees.

• Avoid leaning forward when rising from a seated position.

• Sit in arm-supported seats. When standing or sitting, lean on the chair’s arms to support and maintain balance.

• Move and get up at least once each hour.

Hip Precautions While Lying Down

• Never put your legs crossed.

• Avoid bringing your knees up to your chest.

• Keep the toes on your affected leg from pointing inward.

• Avoid lying on the side of your replaced hip.

• Avoid lying on your hip replacement’s side.

• Keep a pillow between your legs if you want to sleep on your unaffected side.

• Make sure your foot is on the pillow to prevent the toes from dangling and turning inward.

• Avoid bending forward to adjust pillows or blankets when lying in bed.

• Put a pillow between your legs and try to sleep on your back.

• Never sleep on your stomach. It makes your feet turn inward or outward too much.

Take Care of Your New Hip Joint

It is essential to take care of yourself by complying with your doctor’s instructions regarding hip after joint replacement. Your risk of hip dislocation increases if you overlook your doctor’s instructions following hip surgery. Since hip dislocations are not necessarily painful, they may go unnoticed and can damage your leg to a great extent.

The safest approach to prevent a hip dislocation is to take hip precautions. Our experienced surgeons at knee replacement Singapore help you with the proper diagnosis, assessment and guidelines during rehabilitation. Take care of yourself, and contact us immediately if you suffer from hip distress.