Much like surgery of the shoulder or knee, arthroscopic hip surgery is finding more and more favor among surgeons. It is utilized when painful hip conditions fail to respond to more conservative nonsurgical remedies. Arthroscopic surgery can be used to address damage to the labrum, articular cartilage, and surrounding soft tissue and muscle to reduce inflammation and its accompanying pain.
During the surgical procedure, your hip will be placed in traction to create a small amount of separation in the hip joint. To view the damage, the surgeon will make a dime-sized incision and insert an instrument called an arthroscope, followed by a separate incision to insert the appropriate tools. With this access, your surgeon can do everything from removing synovial tissue to smoothing worn cartilage.
After being discharged from the hospital, you will need someone to stay with you for at least the first 24 hours. You should also expect to use crutches, a walker or a cane for awhile, sometimes up to two months.
In most cases, physical therapy is necessary to achieve the best recovery from such hip surgery. During the first four weeks after surgery, the goals are to restore pain-free range of motion and reduce pain and swelling in the hip, while teaching you to use specific muscles for movement, such as when walking or picking up objects from the floor.
Therapy over the subsequent four weeks focuses on improving your core and hip stability with strengthening exercises and restoring hip strength and mobility with more active exercises. We will also provide recommendations about modifying your lifestyle to ensure the surgery’s success.
Many people return to full, unrestricted activities after hip surgery and physical therapy. Your recovery will depend on your level of commitment to complete the recommended physical therapy to complement the surgery. Before or immediately after your surgery, come see us. Together, we can work to get your hip in optimum condition in the most realistic time frame.
