Hip Replacement Recovery Timeline: Week by Week
Most patients having a modern direct anterior hip replacement are surprised by how quickly the early milestones come. Here is what a typical recovery looks like, week by week, with realistic expectations grounded in current orthopedic practice.
Medically reviewed by Matthew Harb, MD · Orthopedic Surgery — Hip & Knee Replacement · Last reviewed August 13, 2026
Day 0 — Surgery day
With a same-day or short-stay protocol, most patients stand and take their first steps within a few hours of surgery using a walker. You will work briefly with physical therapy, learn how to safely get in and out of bed, and head home the same day or the next morning.
Days 1–7 — The first week
- Walking: short, frequent walks every 1–2 hours while awake, using a walker or cane as comfort allows.
- Pain: usually best controlled with a scheduled multimodal regimen — see your medication card.
- Swelling: ice the hip and thigh 20 minutes at a time, several times per day. Elevation helps.
- Sleep: back or non-operative side with a pillow between the knees is most comfortable.
- Incision: keep clean and dry; follow your incision-care instructions exactly.
Weeks 2–3 — Getting your stride back
Most patients transition from walker to cane in this window, then to no assistive device once gait is symmetric. Sleep usually improves. You should be reducing or stopping opioid medication and relying on acetaminophen and an anti-inflammatory if approved.
Weeks 4–6 — Returning to normal
- Most patients are walking unaided indoors and outdoors.
- Driving is typically resumed once you are off opioids and can react quickly — often around week 2–4 for a right hip and earlier for a left hip in an automatic vehicle.
- Return to desk work, light errands, restaurants, and travel.
- Begin gentle stationary cycling, pool walking, and longer outdoor walks.
Weeks 6–12 — Building strength
Soft tissues are healing well. This is when patients typically transition from "I had surgery" to "I had surgery and I'm back." Expect to add hill walks, light resistance training, elliptical, and the early stages of golf or tennis if those are your goals. Some stiffness in the morning is still normal.
Months 3–6 — Return to full activity
Most patients return to golf, hiking, cycling, doubles tennis, pickleball, and recreational skiing by 3–6 months. Strength and endurance continue to improve. Subtle improvements in comfort and stamina can continue out to a year, which is why annual check-ins matter.
How to use this timeline
Every recovery is a little different. Use this as a map, not a deadline. Follow your own progress — walking distance, range of motion, sleep, energy — inside JointBooklet's My Recovery so you and the team can see trends week over week.
General guidance — recovery varies by procedure, by person, and by surgeon. Follow the instructions of your own surgeon and care team.
Frequently Asked Questions
The exercise program
Illustrated, phase by phase — what each movement is for and how it typically progresses. Starts with a printable sheet of the exercises most people begin with.
View the exercise programMore on Hip & Knee Replacement recovery
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