Short answer
Usually a few common-sense restrictions for about the first six weeks: avoiding bending the hip beyond a right angle, crossing the legs, low chairs, twisting and heavy lifting, plus no driving for at least six weeks.13 The exact rules vary with the surgical approach and the surgeon’s practice, and recent studies suggest strict movement precautions may not reduce dislocation as much as once thought.34 Always follow the specific instructions from your own surgical team.
Key points
- Precautions are meant to reduce the risk of the new hip dislocating while tissues heal.
- Dislocation risk is highest in the first few months but uncommon overall.
- Typical NHS advice: no bending past 90 degrees, no crossed legs, avoid low seats.
- A review of 6,900 patients found similar dislocation rates with and without precautions.
- Other advice, such as preventing falls and blood clots, applies whatever the approach.
Why precautions are given
A hip replacement is a ball-and-socket joint. Until the muscles and tissues around it heal, certain positions can lever the ball out of the socket, which is called dislocation. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) says the risk is highest in the first few months, but that dislocation is uncommon.3
The AAOS notes that you may be asked to take special precautions when sitting, bending or sleeping, usually for about the first 6 weeks, and that these vary depending on the surgical approach used.3 If a dislocation happens, the ball can often be put back without open surgery, though repeated dislocation may need another operation.3
Typical precautions in the first weeks
NHS advice after hip replacement includes the following.1
| Area | Typical advice |
|---|---|
| Bending | Do not bend the hip more than 90 degrees (a right angle); avoid bending down to touch your feet or ankles |
| Sitting | Do not cross your legs; avoid low chairs, low toilet seats and chairs without arms; a raised toilet seat may help |
| Movement and exercise | Avoid jumping, sudden turns and activities with a high risk of falling while the hip recovers |
| Lifting | Do not lift or move heavy objects until told it is safe |
| Walking | Crutches or a walking frame at first |
| Driving | Wait at least 6 weeks and check you are fit to drive |
| Sex | Try to avoid for 6 to 8 weeks |
| Work | Usually about 6 weeks, depending on the job |
Most people go home 1 to 3 days after surgery, have stitches or clips removed at about 10 days, and are reviewed around 6 to 12 weeks after the operation.1 Full recovery may take several months.1
Do strict precautions prevent dislocation?
The evidence suggests they make little difference for many patients. A 2020 systematic review pooled 7 studies with 6,900 people who had the posterior approach, the route through the back of the hip traditionally linked to the strictest rules. Dislocation occurred in 2.2% of those given precautions and 2.0% of those without, with no significant difference.4 Patient-reported outcomes such as pain and confidence did not differ in six of the seven studies.4
A multicentre randomised trial of 313 patients reached a similar conclusion. Dislocation occurred in 2 of 159 people with standard precautions and 1 of 154 without, a difference that was not statistically significant, and early recovery scores were largely similar.5 The authors noted that the trial was too small to rule out a difference in an uncommon event.5
Overall, the evidence that routine strict precautions reduce dislocation is Limited, and the evidence that relaxing them does not clearly increase dislocation is Moderate. That is why practice varies between hospitals and surgeons. How the approach itself affects this is discussed in anterior vs posterior hip replacement.
Precautions that apply to everyone
Some advice has little to do with the surgical approach. Avoiding falls matters, which is why the NHS advises against activities with a high risk of falling while the hip recovers.1 Sitting reclined but not staying still for long periods helps reduce swelling.1
Blood clots and infection are the other main early concerns. The NHS lists the warning signs below.2 If you are planning to travel home after surgery, see the risk of blood clots when flying after surgery.
When to seek medical advice
Ask for an urgent GP appointment or contact NHS 111 if you have throbbing or cramping pain in your hip or leg; a high temperature or feel hot, cold or shivery; oozing or pus from the wound; or redness, swelling or pain in the hip or leg that is not improving or is getting worse.2 Call 999 or go to A&E if you have pain and swelling in your hip or leg together with difficulty breathing or chest pain.2 New pain, swelling, or clicking or popping from the joint can be signs of dislocation; the NHS advises contacting your GP or care team if you are worried.2
Common questions
How long do hip precautions last?
Usually about 6 weeks, according to the AAOS, though your surgeon may set a different period.3
Can a hip replacement dislocate years later?
Yes, although it is most likely early on. The NHS notes that dislocation can happen soon after surgery or many years later, and may cause pain, swelling, or clicking and popping from the joint.2
Can I sleep on my side?
Ask your team, as advice differs. The AAOS lists sleeping position among the precautions some surgeons give, depending on the approach.3
Should I ignore precautions if research says they do not help?
No. Your surgeon knows how your hip was reconstructed and your individual risk. If the restrictions seem stricter than you expected, ask why.
Bottom line
Most hip replacement precautions are temporary and centre on avoiding deep bending, crossed legs, low seats, twisting and falls for around six weeks. Research suggests strict movement rules add less protection than once believed, so practice varies. Your own team’s instructions, based on how your operation was done, are the ones to follow.
Related reading
- Hip replacement: what it involves, risks and recovery
- Anterior vs Posterior Hip Replacement: Does the Approach Matter?
- What Is Hip Resurfacing?
- How Long Do Knee and Hip Replacements Last?
Sources
- NHS. Recovering from a hip replacement. NHS website. https://www.nhs.uk/tests-and-treatments/hip-replacement/recovering-from-a-hip-replacement/ Accessed 5 November 2026.
- NHS. Complications of a hip replacement. NHS website. https://www.nhs.uk/tests-and-treatments/hip-replacement/complications-of-a-hip-replacement/ Accessed 5 November 2026.
- American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Total hip replacement. OrthoInfo. https://www.orthoinfo.org/treatment/total-hip-replacement Accessed 5 November 2026.
- Osagie-Clouard L, Crompton J, Patel A. Do hip precautions after posterior-approach total hip arthroplasty affect dislocation rates? A systematic review of 7 studies with 6,900 patients. Acta Orthopaedica; 2020;91(6):687–692. https://doi.org/10.1080/17453674.2020.1795598
- Dietz MJ, Klein AE, Lindsey BA, et al. Posterior Hip Precautions Do Not Impact Early Recovery in Total Hip Arthroplasty: A Multicenter, Randomized, Controlled Study. Journal of Arthroplasty; 2019;34(7):S221–S227.e1. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.arth.2019.02.057
Article history
- — First published.