Total Hip Replacement surgery

Reviewed by Greg Jaroszynski MD, FRCSC | Last updated May 2026

Total hip replacement surgery is usually a short operation, but safe recovery depends on anesthesia planning, fasting instructions, early mobilization, wound care, and rehabilitation.

Key points

45-60 minutes
Spinal or general anesthetic
Follow the Pre-op Clinic fasting instructions
Home the same day or overnight stay
Walking shortly after surgery
Post-op rehabilitation 3-4 months

Surgery

Total hip replacement surgery typically takes about 45 to 60 minutes. It can be done under a spinal or general anesthetic. You can discuss the pros and cons of either method of anaesthesia with the anesthetist.

Please follow the fasting instructions given to you by the Pre-op Clinic. These instructions are important for your safety during anaesthesia. If you are unsure about when to stop eating or drinking, or whether to take a medication on the morning of surgery, contact the Pre-op Clinic or the surgeon's office before the day of surgery.

Hospital Stay

Hospital stay after total hip replacement has become much shorter. Currently, about half of patients are able to go home on the same day as surgery, once pain is controlled with tablets, vital signs are stable, walking is safe with the physiotherapist, and there is appropriate support at home. Going home the same day is not the goal for every patient; the goal is a safe discharge.

The other half of patients usually stay overnight. The most common reason is the need for medical monitoring, especially in patients with heart or lung disease, sleep apnea, diabetes, blood thinner use, frailty, or other medical conditions. Some patients also need more time because of dizziness, nausea, urinary retention, pain control, late surgery time, or home support concerns. This decision is made individually on the day of surgery.

Cryotherapy

Icing can be useful after hip replacement to help with comfort and local swelling. Most formal cryotherapy research after joint replacement focuses on total knee replacement. Around the hip, cryotherapy machines are often more cumbersome to use than they are around the knee, so most patients do well with reusable ice packs or gel packs placed carefully over the sore area. Always protect the skin with a towel or cloth layer, and avoid prolonged direct ice contact.

If you prefer to arrange a cryotherapy device, Upper James Physio, telephone 905-383-3096, can help with selection, delivery, and instructions for use. For most hip replacement patients, however, ice packs usually work well enough.

Wound Staples Removal

Please make an appointment with your family physician for about 2 weeks after surgery to have the wound staples removed. If your family physician is not able to remove the staples, call the Joseph Brant Hospital Fracture Clinic at 905-632-3737 extension 4110.

Rehabilitation

You will usually be encouraged to stand and walk shortly after surgery, using a walker to take some of the load off the operated hip. Early walking helps reduce stiffness and supports a safe discharge plan.

In Ontario, hip replacement rehabilitation is organized through a bundled care model. This means the hospital coordinates a defined episode of post-operative care, including outpatient physiotherapy, so that rehabilitation is connected to the hospital surgical pathway.

For Burlington patients, Joseph Brant Hospital provides outpatient rehabilitation through the Total Joint Rehabilitation Clinic at Wellness House. For patients who live out of town, there is usually an option to transfer the bundled care funding to a participating physiotherapy clinic closer to the patient's residence. Joseph Brant's Joint Replacement physiotherapy information advises patients who want physiotherapy at a different clinic to confirm that the clinic supports bundled care patients; a community physiotherapy funding letter is available at Joseph Brant Hospital. This should be discussed with the hospital team so the appropriate referral and funding transfer can be arranged.

The total rehabilitation time is approximately 3 to 4 months. During that time, there will be certain things that you should and should not do. They will be discussed with you at the appropriate times. On average, people can expect to return to driving about 6 weeks after surgery and to sedentary occupations around the 3rd month.