What are hip precautions and when do they start?

Hip precautions are movement restrictions that prevent dislocation of the new hip joint. They begin immediately after surgery and typically continue for 6 to 12 weeks. The main rules are: do not bend the hip more than 90 degrees, do not cross your legs, and do not turn your foot inward.

What home modifications do I need before hip replacement?

Before hip replacement published guidance suggests you install a raised toilet seat, raise chairs and seating, prepare a ground-floor sleeping option if needed, install a shower stool, remove all loose rugs and trip hazards, and arrange a long-handled grabber for reaching items without bending.

⚤ Friendly general guidance. Your surgical team’s pre-operative instructions always take priority. If in doubt: call and ask before your procedure.

Preparing for Hip Replacement Surgery

Hip replacement preparation is about more than fasting and stopping medications. Understanding hip precautions before surgery (the movements to avoid after the operation) and preparing your home to accommodate them makes the first weeks at home significantly safer and less stressful.

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Based on guidance from NHS, NICE, AAOS & healthdirect

Last reviewed: July 2026 · Free to use · No data collected

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Preparing for Hip Replacement Surgery: Understanding hip precautions before surgery

Hip precautions are movement restrictions that begin the moment you wake from surgery, understanding them before the operation means you are prepared, not surprised
No bending the hip more than 90°: do not lean forward past a right angle when sitting
No crossing your legs: including crossing at the ankle
No turning the foot inward: keep toes pointing forward or slightly out
Your physiotherapist will demonstrate exactly what this means in daily life: showering, dressing, getting in and out of a car, and using the toilet. Ask for a demonstration at your pre-operative appointment if not offered.

📚 Based on guidance from:

↗ AAOS ↗ NHS

💊Medications and fasting

Stop blood thinners (warfarin, apixaban, rivaroxaban, clopidogrel) as specifically instructed: usually 5–7 days before
Stop aspirin 7 days before unless on cardiac advice to continue
Stop NSAIDs (ibuprofen, naproxen) 7 days before
Continue blood pressure, heart, and epilepsy medications on the morning of surgery with a small sip of water
Fasting: nothing to eat for 6 hours. Clear fluids until 2 hours before. Follow your anaesthetist’s specific instructions.

📚 Based on guidance from:

↗ NHS ↗ AAOS

🏠Home modifications: do these before surgery

Raise your toilet with a raised toilet seat — a standard toilet is too low for hip precautionsThe hip must not bend more than 90° when sitting, a raised seat prevents this

Raise your chair with a firm cushion or chair raisers to a height where your knees are lower than your hipsLow sofas and recliners are unsafe with hip precautions

Prepare a ground-floor sleeping option if stairs are required to reach the bedroomYou may not manage stairs safely in the first days at home

Install a shower stool or bath benchStanding showers are difficult; bath entry is often not permitted with hip precautions

Remove loose rugs and all trip hazardsYou will be on crutches: any floor obstacle is a serious fall risk

Arrange a long-handled grabber, sock aid, and long-handled shoe hornYou cannot bend to reach your feet with hip precautions

Arrange a driver and carer for the first 2–4 weeksYou cannot drive for 6–8 weeks after hip replacement

Based on AAOS Total Hip Arthroplasty guidelines, NICE NG157, and NHS preparation guidance.

Track your wound healing

Take a photo of your wound each day. The ghost overlay lines up your previous photo so you can spot changes. Drag the reveal slider to compare before and after. Bring the photos to your next appointment. If something looks off, try our wound symptom checker.

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Get these ready before surgery day

Having these set up at home before you go to hospital means one less thing to worry about.

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You will need this from day one at home. Set it up before surgery so it is ready when you walk through the door. Raised toilet seat →

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You will not be able to bend past 90 degrees for weeks. A reacher lets you pick things up, grab clothes, and manage independently. Reacher grabber →

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A sock aid is a small thing you will use every single day. Practise with it before surgery so you know the technique. Sock aid →

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Set up a shower chair before you go in. You will be grateful not to have to organise one while recovering. Shower chair →

Postopcare.info may earn a small commission from Amazon at no cost to you. These are things patients have told us genuinely helped their recovery, nothing else.

🇺🇸 US patients: medical-grade raised toilet seats, shower chairs, and grab rails available from American Medical Rentals.

Your recovery toolkit

Free interactive tools to track your recovery day by day. Everything stays on your device — nothing is uploaded or shared.

Daily dashboardMeds, vitals & wound photos in one view Discharge packTurn discharge notes into a day-one plan Last-dose tracker“When can I take the next one?” Vitals trackerTemperature, heart rate, BP & oxygen Wound photo journalSame angle every day — spot changes early Pain trackerSpot the trend, share it with your GP

These tools support — never replace — the advice of your surgical team. If something feels wrong, contact your doctor or emergency services.

Preparing for Hip Replacement Surgery

Preparing for Hip Replacement Surgery: Understanding hip precautions before surgery

🧰 Your recovery toolkit

Your recovery toolkit