In-home Hip Replacement Physiotherapy FAQ
After living with hip pain for years and exhausting the conservative options you finally have an appointment with an orthopedic surgeon. If you choose to go ahead with a hip replacement you will have questions about the recovery. The following are answers to some of the frequently asked questions we receive about in-home hip replacement physiotherapy:
Q: My surgeon suggested pre-operative conditioning….what is it?
A: A general conditioning program has been shown to result in better outcomes after your surgery. It may be difficult to do these activities with sore joints but it is important to do as much as possible. A physiotherapist can provide you with an exercise program to help you prepare your body for surgery. Two to three visits with a physiotherapist over six months and a few minutes of self directed exercise every day will make your recovery from surgery and return to activities faster and easier.
Q: How long will I stay in hospital after hip replacement surgery?
A: Prior to your surgery the surgeon or hospital staff with let you know what to expect. Some hip replacements are scheduled as an outpatient surgery and these patients are expected to go home the same day. Inpatient admissions are typically discharged the day following surgery. Most of our patients report that they were discharged from hospital and went home the day of the surgery.
Q: How long will I have to wait before I can walk on my new hip?
A: Most patients can start walking short distances on their new hip on the day of the surgery. Walking is actually a great rehabilitation exercise, moving the new joint prevents it from becoming stiff. Your surgeon may instruct you to use gait aids such as a walker, crutches, or a cane to limit the amount of weight you are placing on your new hip.
Q: Will I receive physiotherapy in hospital?
A: You will see a physiotherapist in hospital before you are discharged. The physiotherapist will teach you how to safely move your new joint, answer your questions and provide you with some exercises to do. You may receive a handout such as this one from Hamilton Health Sciences.
Q: When can I start hip replacement physiotherapy?
A: Your surgeon will advise you when you should begin physiotherapy. This may vary from surgeon to surgeon and patient to patient but typically Physio In Motion begins treatment with joint replacement patients a few days following surgery. We will always follow your surgeon’s advice and recommendations.
Q: How many hip replacement physiotherapy visits will I need and how many times per week?
A: Most of our hip replacement physiotherapy patients complete eight to ten visits with their physiotherapist and find this to be sufficient to meet strength, range of motion, and functional goals. Physio In Motion physiotherapists see hip replacement patients once per week for an hour. This is enough time to assess the patient’s progress and provide the goals and exercises to be completed independently the following week. Hip replacement physiotherapy patients are eager to recover as quickly as possible and diligently complete their daily exercises between physiotherapy visits.
Q: Is there any coverage for hip replacement physiotherapy?
A: Please see our post about Bundled Care funding of hip replacement physiotherapy here. Bundled Care provides $39.00 per visit for up to eight visits and the remaining portion can be billed to extended health insurance. The hospital will provide you with information about where you can receive physiotherapy that is completely covered by the $39.00 per visit paid by bundled care. Completely funded physiotherapy will require travelling to a physiotherapy clinic to receive brief physiotherapy sessions in a group setting.
Q: What are the benefits of in-home hip replacement physiotherapy?
A: If you have extended health insurance or the ability to use your bundled care funding for in-home physiotherapy and pay for the difference out of pocket you can expect a much more convenient experience with exceptional one-on-one care. When you receive your hip replacement physiotherapy at home you won’t require anyone to drive you. The challenges of getting in and out of the house, the car, and the community physiotherapy clinic are eliminated when you let Physio In Motion come to you. Physio In Motion provides direct billing to the hospital for the applicable bundled care funding and direct billing to most extended health insurers. When combined with Bundled Care funding, our patients with extended health insurance typically end up paying very little out of pocket for their hip replacement physiotherapy.
Q: When should I call to request in-home hip replacement physiotherapy?
A: Your surgeon or hospital staff should require you to have your first post-operative hip replacement physiotherapy appointment booked prior to your surgery. Even if not required by your surgeon, it is strongly recommended that you contact Physio In Motion to make a hip replacement physiotherapy appointment well in advance of your surgery. A good time to call is as soon as you receive a date for the surgery from your surgeon’s office. We will always do our best to help you in a timely manner regardless of when you call, but calling in advance guarantees you the important first hip replacement physiotherapy appointment when you need it.
Q: Do you have physiotherapists with experience doing joint replacement physiotherapy?
A: This is one of the most common questions that we get about hip replacement physiotherapy. Physio In Motion physiotherapists are very experienced with joint replacement physiotherapy. Our physiotherapists always have a handful of joint replacement patients under their care at any one time. Our patients are delighted with the care they receive from Physio In Motion physiotherapists and we are confident that you will be too.
To discuss in-home physiotherapy or to become a patient, please contact us for more information. You can reach an intake coordinator by calling (905) 667-3979 ext1 or completing a contact form.