Hip Revision (Both Components) Recovery
Revision Total Hip Arthroplasty (Both Components)
What a full hip revision is
This operation replaces both parts of a previous hip replacement — the cup in the pelvis and the stem in the thigh bone — along with the ball between them. Where bone has been lost on either side, graft or metal augments are used to make up for it so the new components can grip solidly.
Why it is done
Usually because both parts have loosened over the years, because wear has damaged the bone around them, or because a previous single-component revision has not held. Sometimes both are changed because getting one out means the other cannot be left.
Why this is the slowest of the hip revisions
Changing the stem brings loading caution — a longer stem, sometimes with the femur opened to place it. Changing the cup brings dislocation caution — soft-tissue tension around the joint has been altered. A full revision carries both at once, which is why the early restrictions are firmer and last longer than for either alone.
Weight through the leg
You may be asked to put only part of your weight through the leg for some weeks, particularly where bone graft was used or the femur was opened. Your surgeon will be specific before you first stand, and this is the single thing that most shapes your timeline.
Precautions
Positional limits — commonly avoiding crossing the legs, deep bending at the hip, or turning the leg inward — are usually firmer and longer than after a first replacement. They are what keeps the hip in while the soft tissues tighten around new components on both sides.
Why the outer hip muscles matter so much
The abductors on the outer side of the hip keep the pelvis level with each step and help hold the hip stable. After two or more operations they are usually weak, and rebuilding them serves both walking and stability. This is slow work and the largest single determinant of whether the limp resolves.
What the first weeks usually feel like
Soreness around the hip, buttock, and thigh is expected, generally more than after any previous hip operation you have had. Bruising down the leg is common. Progress in the first fortnight often feels slower than expected, and that is usual rather than a sign of trouble.
The incision
The old scar is usually reopened and often extended. It stays tender for several weeks and numbness along one side is expected, generally fading over months.
Leg length
Differences in leg length are more common after a full revision than after any other hip operation, because bone has been lost and rebuilt on both sides. Many perceived differences settle as the pelvis readjusts; where one remains, a shoe insert usually handles it.
Pain and how it usually changes
Discomfort is highest in the first two to three weeks and eases as the muscles recover, more slowly than after a first replacement. Aching in the thigh or buttock with activity is common for several months.
Walking aids
Crutches or a frame are usually needed for longer here than after any other hip operation — often many weeks — and coming off them is guided by weight-bearing limits and abductor strength rather than by comfort.
Driving
Driving generally waits until any weight-bearing restriction has lifted, precautions allow safe entry and exit, you are off stronger pain medication, and you could perform an emergency stop without hesitating.
What to expect of the result
A full revision is generally good at relieving pain and giving a hip you can walk on. It less reliably restores the ease and range of a first replacement, and a slight limp sometimes persists where the abductors were badly damaged. Being clear about that beforehand makes the recovery easier to live through.
How the first year usually unfolds
The first six weeks centre on protected walking and gentle strengthening within the precautions. From six to twelve weeks weight-bearing usually normalises and abductor work begins properly. Between three and six months walking improves markedly, and strength continues building through the whole first year and often beyond.
Staying in touch with your care team
Recovery after a full revision varies enormously, because it depends on what was found and how much had to be rebuilt. 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 (Both Components)
An illustrated, phase-by-phase exercise program for this procedure. View the Hip Revision (Both Components) 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.