Rehabilitation after installing a hip prosthesis

Why rehabilitation makes sense

The use of a hip prosthesis is a major operation in which the manipulation of the soft tissues and the use of the prosthesis result in major soft tissue impairment. Because of this, and also because of the pain after the operation, which is naturally treated with medication, the person concerned becomes insecure and must therefore learn to deal with the situation.

These psychological aspects are effectively taken care of by the movement therapy and also the instruction of the staff during the rehabilitation (rehab). In addition, rehab has important physical aspects that serve to maintain mobility and strength training. Certain measures and rules are also practiced, which are useful during the first year after surgery.

What types of rehabilitation are there?

There are two concepts for performing rehabilitation. On the one hand there is the outpatient and on the other hand the inpatient rehab.

The outpatient rehabilitation takes place in a rehabilitation center or a rehabilitation clinic near the place of residence, whereby the patient spends 4-6 hours a day in the facility while being treated by doctors and therapists. After completing the daily program, the patient can go home and spend his free time there and spend the night.

It is only possible if the patient is so healthy and resilient that inpatient admission and day-night availability of staff are unnecessary. In addition, the daily arrival and departure must be within reasonable limits, also for the patient's condition.

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In-patient rehab, on the other hand, also takes place in a rehab center or a rehab clinic, where the person concerned experiences the measures both during the day and stays overnight in the clinic or the center at night. This concept is similar to a hospital stay with rehabilitation measures. The inpatient variant is indicated if the person affected is seriously ill and requires permanent availability of staff or if, for example, coping with the situation from home does not appear to be promising.

Appointment with a hip expert?

I would be happy to advise you!

Who am I?
My name is dr. Nicolas Gumpert. I am a specialist in orthopedics and the founder of .
Various television programs and print media report regularly about my work. On HR television you can see me every 6 weeks live on "Hallo Hessen".
But now enough is indicated ;-)

The hip joint is one of the joints that are exposed to the greatest stress.
The treatment of the hip (e.g. hip arthrosis, hip impingement, etc.) therefore requires a lot of experience.
I treat all hip diseases with a focus on conservative methods.
The aim of any treatment is treatment without surgery.
Which therapy achieves the best results in the long term can only be determined after looking at all of the information (Examination, X-ray, ultrasound, MRI, etc.) be assessed.

You can find me in:

• Lumedis - your orthopedic surgeon
  Kaiserstrasse 14
  60311 Frankfurt am Main

Directly to the online appointment arrangement
Unfortunately, it is currently only possible to make an appointment with private health insurers. I hope for your understanding!
Further information about myself can be found at Dr. Nicolas Gumpert

What can I expect in an inpatient rehab?

In contrast to inpatient hospital treatment, the person concerned does not spend most of the time in the room or waiting for a doctor's visit, but a fixed treatment plan is drawn up and followed.

Every day there is a 4-6h program with different units and teaching content, but also medical discussions.

On the one hand, the focus is on physical measures. With the help of physiotherapy and occupational therapy, joint mobility and independence are to be restored and trained. Aqua aerobics and treadmill training are also used for this purpose. The wounds should be professionally cared for and the healing checked. Lymphatic drainage is also part of the repertoire of decongesting measures.

On the other hand, there are also many information and teaching events. It is discussed in detail what is allowed with the endoprosthesis in the future and what you should pay attention to in the first time after the prosthesis implantation. Information events on diseases, their causes and their prophylaxis are also held so that the patient himself should gain a better understanding of his own diseases and risk factors. For example, in orthopedic rehabilitation, the topic of obesity, which is a risk factor for osteoarthritis and joint wear, can be addressed and nutritional advice can be offered.

While all these measures take place during the day, the person affected spends most of the time on the clinic premises and also stays overnight there. So he always has access to medical staff if he needs help.

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Benefits of inpatient rehab

Inpatient rehab has the primary advantage of enabling day and night care. Sicker sufferers can also be admitted here, for whom it is necessary that nursing or medical staff must be available at all times. Because the inpatient variant is similar to a hospital stay, patients also benefit from it, whose home care is not guaranteed in the illness situation. In addition, the patient saves himself the daily arrival and departure.

Inpatient rehabilitation can also be useful for patients who, for personal reasons, need some distance from their family and social environment when they are ill.

Disadvantages of inpatient rehab

The disadvantages of inpatient correspond to the advantages of outpatient rehab. The patient is inevitably removed from his social environment. Spending free time and nights cannot take place in the familiar environment. In addition, the rehab takes place en bloc. So, in the example of rehab after hip replacement, 3 weeks as a whole are spent in the rehab clinic with a daily program on weekdays. A more flexible time schedule with an extension of the treatment duration by reducing the weekly treatment days is not possible.

In addition, there is an additional payment of 10 euros / day for inpatient rehabilitation, although there are of course exceptions where the rehabilitation measure is exempt from the additional payment.

What can I expect in an outpatient rehab?

The measures that are carried out during inpatient rehab are also included in outpatient rehab. So this is not a “slimmed-down” form of inpatient rehab. In terms of results, it is also not inferior to the inpatient variant.

A positive aspect is staying in the familiar environment and in the social environment. On the other hand, the daily arrival and departure must be accepted, whereby it should be mentioned that the costs of the trips are usually not borne by the patient.

Benefits of outpatient rehab

The main advantages of outpatient rehab are that the patient can go home every afternoon / evening to spend his free time and also the night there. So he is not torn from the family environment and can continue his social life as usual.

In addition, a more flexible schedule can be guaranteed. For example, you can agree on a weekly therapy workload of 2-3 days. As a result, the total duration over which the rehabilitation measures extend is extended, but there are breaks in the weeks and the extended total duration results in a longer follow-up period.

It is important to mention, however, that outpatient rehabilitation is not inferior to inpatient rehabilitation when used correctly and achieves equally good results.

Another advantage is that there is no additional payment for the overnight stays with outpatient rehab.

Disadvantages of outpatient rehab

The main disadvantages of outpatient rehab are its limitations. It can only be used if certain requirements are met. On the one hand, the travel time from the place of residence to the rehabilitation facility must remain within an acceptable range (approx. 45 minutes). In addition, the patient must be mobile and independent in order to be able to cope with the journey. In addition, outpatient rehab cannot guarantee day-night care, as inpatient admission can. Outpatient rehab is only withheld from those who are physically and mentally able to perform.

In addition, your own home care must be guaranteed in order to make use of outpatient rehab.