Hip Revision (Socket) Recovery
Revision Total Hip Arthroplasty (Acetabular Component)
What an acetabular revision is
This operation replaces the socket side of a hip replacement — the cup set into the pelvis — while leaving the stem in the thigh bone alone if it is still well fixed. The old cup is removed, any bone that has been lost is made up for, and a new cup is fixed in its place.
Why it is done
Usually because the cup has loosened over the years, the plastic liner has worn, or bone around it has thinned. Sometimes it is done because the hip has been dislocating and the position of the cup needs changing. Which of those applies shapes your recovery, so it is worth asking.
Making up for lost bone
Where bone has been lost from the pelvis, it may be filled with bone graft, or metal augments may be used to bridge the gap. Where graft was used, weight through the leg is often limited for a period while it takes and turns into your own bone. Ask your surgeon whether this applies to you, because it is the main thing that sets your timeline.
Dislocation risk
Dislocation is a more prominent concern after socket revision than after most hip operations, because changing the cup changes the tension in the soft tissues around the joint. That is why positional precautions here tend to be firmer and to last longer than after a first replacement or a stem revision.
Precautions
You will likely be asked to avoid certain positions — commonly crossing the legs, bending deeply at the hip, or turning the leg inward — for longer than after a first replacement. These are not arbitrary caution; they are what keeps a hip in while the soft tissues tighten around the new cup. Your surgeon will be specific.
Weight through the leg
Whether you can put full weight through the leg depends on how the cup was fixed and whether graft was used. Some people are up on it fully straight away and others are protected for several weeks. Your surgeon will explain before you first stand.
Why the outer hip muscles matter
The abductors on the outer side of the hip keep the pelvis level with each step and also help hold the hip stable. They are usually weak after a first replacement and weaker after a revision, and rebuilding them serves both walking and stability. The programme starts them gently and builds them steadily.
What the first weeks usually feel like
Soreness around the hip and buttock is expected, generally more than after a first replacement. Bruising is common. Many people find the precautions harder than the pain — dressing, washing, and getting into bed all need rethinking for a while.
The incision
The old scar is usually reopened and sometimes extended. It stays tender for several weeks and numbness along one side is expected, generally fading over months.
Leg length
Changing the cup can alter leg length slightly. Many perceived differences settle as the pelvis and muscles readjust; where a real one remains, a shoe insert usually handles it. Mention it if it persists rather than assuming nothing can be done.
Pain and how it usually changes
Discomfort is highest in the first two weeks and eases as the muscles recover, more slowly than after a first replacement. Aching in the buttock with activity is common for some months.
Walking aids
Crutches or a frame are usually needed for longer than after a first replacement, and coming off them is guided by weight-bearing limits and abductor strength rather than comfort alone.
Driving
Driving generally waits until any weight-bearing restriction has lifted, precautions allow you to get in and out safely, you are off stronger pain medication, and you could perform an emergency stop without hesitating.
How the first year usually unfolds
The first six weeks centre on protected walking and working within the precautions. From six to twelve weeks those usually relax and strengthening begins properly. Between three and six months the walking pattern improves markedly, and strength and confidence continue building through the first year.
Staying in touch with your care team
Recovery after a revision varies far more than after a first replacement, because it depends on what was found and how much bone had to be made up for. Your own surgeon knows those details. If something about your recovery is worrying you, or the hip ever feels as though it has shifted, contact your care team — that last one straight away.
Exercises for Hip Revision (Socket)
An illustrated, phase-by-phase exercise program for this procedure. View the Hip Revision (Socket) exercise program.
Recovery education · Condition guides · Exercise programs
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This guide is general education and doesn't replace evaluation by a licensed provider. Recovery and treatment vary by person — follow the guidance of your own surgeon or care team.