Most hip fractures require surgery that may involve the doctor deciding to place a plate or rod on the broken hip or even replace the whole hip. There may be significant changes that a person will experience after surgery with comfort and mobility. Overcoming these challenges is an important component of hip fracture recovery. The period of hospital stay after a hip fracture will be determined by your condition and your ability to regain mobility. It is important to start recovery right away. Most people may leave the hospital in four to five days. Seniors usually require 3-4 weeks of rehab at a skilled facility following the surgery to help regain their strength and mobility.
The following are the tips of recovering from hip surgery.
Stand one day after surgery and walk 1 to 3 days after the surgery
Standing or walking after a surgery should be undertaken once the orthopedic surgeon determines that bearing weight is possible. The patient might find this painful at the start but once they begin to walk after surgery, the more complete or better the hip recovery. Standing and walking prevents complications after surgery such as pneumonia, blood clots and bedsores.
Attending physical therapy sessions
A trained physical therapist will help through strengthening exercises to rehabilitate the broken hip, strengthen muscles and ligaments around the surgery site. Physical therapy retrains a person to perform common daily tasks.
Take medications and bisphosphonates
This will help to strengthen bone density. Vitamin D and calcium help prevent future hip fractures. This will be prescribed by the doctor.
Seeking a help of a counselor
Anxiety or depression is common among people who are recovering from hip fractures.
Seek the services of a family member or a caregiver when returning home
After going through rehabilitation, most people will still require help at home. This may be temporary or long term. Mom’s Home Care provides skilled caregivers to assist people recovering from hip surgeries with bathing, meal preparation, light hous keeping, and other activities.
Make things more comfortable at home
There are items that can be purchased for the home to assist in recovery and avoid pain. Installation of a raised toilet seat is very helpful. Physical therapists often recommend a raised and firm seating position for people recovering from hip fractures. This includes adding cushions to chairs used at the home. Other modifications in the bathroom include an elevated shower seat, handle shower and grab bars for easy bathing. Placing safety mats within the bath tub is a good idea to prevent slipping.
Rehabilitation
After a hip fracture, there will be need of rehabilitation program that encompasses exercise to enhance mobility and strength. Rehabilitation programs will be determined by the level of mobility and fitness and may involve the following: Weight bearing exercise, treadmill exercises, non-weight bearing exercise, intensive physical training and balance training and strength training. For immediate recovery from hip fracture, she needs to stick to the rehabilitation regime to ensure to regains her mobility and fitness within the shortest time.
