Questions to Ask Before Hip Surgery
Questions for a consultation about hip surgery of any kind, from arthroscopy and fracture repair to resurfacing and replacement, covering the diagnosis, the choice of operation, risks, rehabilitation, and what recovery asks of the people around you.
The questions
Open any question for the note
What is the diagnosis, and which part of the hip is the problem?
Why ask it
Impingement, a labral tear, arthritis, avascular necrosis, and a fracture are treated in very different ways. Getting the name of the condition lets you read about the right operation rather than hip surgery in general.
Which operation are you proposing, and what does it actually do to the joint?
Why ask it
Ask whether tissue is being repaired, reshaped, pinned, or replaced, since that single distinction drives the whole recovery. Arthroscopic and open procedures are not variations of each other.
Is this operation aimed at pain, at function, or at preventing something worse?
Why ask it
The three goals have different success rates, and a procedure that reliably reduces pain may not return you to running. Knowing which one is on offer prevents disappointment later.
What happens if I do nothing for six months?
Why ask it
For some hip conditions the answer is that little changes; for fractures and avascular necrosis it is that the joint deteriorates. The answer tells you whether you are choosing timing or choosing an outcome.
What alternatives are there, and which have the best evidence for my diagnosis?
Why ask it
Physiotherapy, activity change, weight loss, and injections work for some diagnoses and not others. Ask which of them has been tried properly, since a few weeks of general exercise is not a trial of physiotherapy.
How often do you do this particular operation?
Why ask it
Hip arthroscopy and complex preservation surgery are volume-sensitive, and general orthopaedic training does not mean frequent practice. Referral to a specialist is a normal and reasonable thing to ask about.
What are the risks specific to this procedure, and how common are they for someone like me?
Why ask it
Nerve irritation, clots, infection, stiffness, and the chance of needing further surgery all vary by procedure and by patient. Weight, smoking, and diabetes change the numbers enough to be worth naming.
What is the chance this does not relieve my symptoms?
Why ask it
Every hip operation has a group of patients who report little change. Asking directly gets you a percentage rather than reassurance, and it is a fair basis for deciding.
Will this be a day case or an overnight stay, and what decides that?
Why ask it
Many hip procedures now go home the same day, but that depends on anaesthetic, pain control, and whether someone is with you at night. Plan for the overnight version even if a day case is expected.
What anaesthetic is planned, and what should I tell the anaesthetist about myself?
Why ask it
Reactions to previous anaesthesia, sleep apnoea, reflux, and loose teeth all matter, and the surgical clinic is not always where that information gets recorded.
How much weight can I put through the leg afterwards, and when does that change?
Why ask it
Full weight bearing, partial, and non-weight bearing lead to completely different first months, particularly for stairs and bathrooms. Confirm it in writing, since this is the instruction most often misremembered.
What equipment will I need, and should I get it before the operation?
Why ask it
Crutches, a raised toilet seat, and a grabber are much easier to arrange while you can still walk to the shops. Ask what is supplied by the hospital and what you are expected to buy.
When does rehabilitation start, and how much of it is my own daily work?
Why ask it
For many hip procedures the result depends more on months of home exercises than on the operation itself. Ask how many supervised sessions are included and what the daily programme actually involves.
When can I expect to drive, work, and go back to my sport or hobby?
Why ask it
Give the surgeon the details of your job and your activity rather than accepting a general figure. A desk role, a standing role, and a driving role produce three different answers.
What medicines should I stop before surgery, and what will I be given afterwards?
Why ask it
Blood thinners and anti-inflammatories are the usual issues before, and clot prevention and pain relief the usual ones after. Ask how long the clot prevention continues, since it often runs for weeks.
What symptoms mean I should ring the ward, and what means going to hospital?
Why ask it
You want two separate lists. Fever, wound discharge, calf pain, breathlessness, and sudden inability to bear weight belong in the urgent one, and having them named in advance removes the hesitation.
What help will I need at home, and in which weeks?
Why ask it
Ask about washing, dressing, cooking, stairs, and being alone overnight separately. People generally arrange cover for the first few days and are caught short in the second and third week.
Could this operation make a later hip replacement harder?
Why ask it
Some preservation and fixation procedures affect the bone and soft tissue a future replacement relies on. If you are young enough that a replacement is likely eventually, this is worth asking plainly.
What will this cost, and which parts are covered?
Why ask it
Surgeon, anaesthetist, implants, hospital, and physiotherapy are commonly billed separately, and physiotherapy is the one most often uncovered. Ask for a written estimate rather than a verbal figure.
Is there anything about my health or my home situation you still need to know?
Why ask it
This gives the surgeon room to raise what the clinic form missed, and it is often where stairs, caring responsibilities, or a condition nobody asked about finally get recorded.
Preparing for the consultation
Practical guidance for the conversation itself
What to bring
- 1A short written account of your symptoms: what hurts, when, what you can no longer do, and what has already been tried.
- 2The actual packets of every medicine and supplement you take.
- 3Copies or the location of previous scans, since repeating imaging wastes weeks.
- 4A note of your home layout, who lives with you, and whether the bathroom is upstairs.
- 5One other person, to listen and write things down while you are talking.
Getting a clear answer
Ask for the name of the operation
Hip surgery covers procedures with almost nothing in common. With the exact name you can look up recovery times and read the same material your surgeon does.
Repeat the plan back
Saying so my understanding is that you will do X, and I will be on crutches for Y weeks catches misunderstandings while the surgeon is still in the room.
Ask for the restrictions in writing
Weight bearing limits and movement restrictions are the instructions patients most often get wrong, and a printed sheet settles arguments at home.
If you are unsure
- Elective hip surgery rarely has to be decided in the appointment. Taking a week is normal.
- A second opinion is worth seeking if surgery was offered without your imaging being discussed in any detail.
- For arthroscopic and joint-preserving procedures, ask specifically how many the surgeon does each year rather than how experienced they are overall.
- If you smoke, are carrying extra weight, or have unstable blood sugar, ask what changing that before the operation would do to your risk. Sometimes it is enough to be worth a delay.
- Write down your own answer to what would make this operation worth it, before you decide. It makes the recovery easier to judge.