It can be behind, to the side or to the front of the hip. There are seldom any complaints about the appearance of the scar. Hospital Diary Day One Enter Hospital Examination, blood tests. Once home, help is needed for at least two or three weeks with basic things like cleaning and shopping. The stiffness caused by the operation makes it difficult to get out of low chairs, climb stairs, and put on socks.
Many people feel emotionally and physically drained for some time afterwards.
The muscles are tender over the new joint and most people prefer to sleep on their backs on a firm bed for some time. Patients walk with a limp to begin with, due to muscle weakness, but it gradually goes away as the muscles get stronger. Sometimes the surgeon will have adjusted the length of the leg and it will feel too long - or, indeed, short. It isn't always possible for the surgeon to get the legs perfectly equal in length, but the discrepancy is seldom significant. The muscles too, feel stretched.