Recovery Care After a Knee or Hip Replacement

What is care after a joint replacement?

Knee and hip replacements are among the most common operations in the UK. Most people go home within a few days, but full recovery takes weeks to months. In the early weeks, walking needs crutches or a frame, bending and getting in and out of bed or the bath can be difficult, and daily exercises are essential for a good result.

Post-operative care at home gives the practical help needed during that period. Short-term live-in care means a carer is there from the day you come home, including at night when getting to the toilet safely matters most.

Safe movement and precautions after joint surgery

• Safe movement — walking with crutches or a frame, getting in and out of bed, chairs and the car, and managing stairs as the physiotherapist has shown.
• Following precautions — any movement precautions your surgeon or physiotherapist has given, especially in the first weeks after a hip replacement.
• Physiotherapy exercises — encouraging and supporting the exercise programme every day, which is key to getting movement back.
• Personal care — washing and dressing, using aids such as long-handled reachers and sock aids, and keeping the wound dry and clean.
• Pain relief — making sure pain medication is taken on time, especially before exercise.
• Meals and housework — cooking, cleaning, laundry and shopping while you cannot stand for long or carry things.
• Watching for problems — reporting signs such as increasing redness, heat or discharge at the wound, a high temperature, or calf pain and swelling, which need prompt medical advice.

Preparing your home before surgery

A little preparation makes the first weeks much easier: a firm chair with arms at the right height, a clear route through the house, a raised toilet seat or frame if advised, and a bed downstairs if the stairs will be difficult. The hospital's occupational therapist often arranges equipment. We can have the carer arrive before you come home so everything is ready.

How long will I need care?

Most people need live-in help for between two and six weeks after a knee or hip replacement, depending on their age, general health and whether they live alone. Care can be extended week by week if recovery is slower, or ended early if things go well. For people who were already frail or have other conditions, longer support may help them get back to full independence.

Paying for post-operative care

Live-in care after surgery starts from £1,200 a week. After a hospital stay, the council may offer a short period of free reablement, and some private health insurance policies contribute to aftercare. See our short-term live-in care guide.

Knee replacement and hip replacement: how recovery differs

Although often grouped together, the two operations have different recoveries:

• Hip replacement — many people walk with a frame or crutches soon after surgery. Depending on the surgical approach, there may be precautions for the first weeks, such as avoiding bending the hip too far or crossing the legs. Getting in and out of bed, chairs and the car safely is the main challenge.
• Knee replacement — recovery is often more painful at first, and regaining movement in the knee depends heavily on doing the exercises. Swelling and stiffness can last for weeks, and pain relief before exercise is especially important.

Your surgeon and physiotherapist will give you specific advice, which always takes priority. A carer helps you follow it every day.

Managing pain and swelling

Good pain control is not just about comfort; it makes the exercises possible, and the exercises are what make the new joint work well. Carers make sure pain relief is taken on time, especially before exercise sessions, and help with measures such as elevating the leg and using cold packs as advised by the hospital. Pain that is getting worse rather than better, or is not controlled by prescribed medication, should be discussed with the GP or surgical team.

Sleep after joint replacement

Sleep is often disrupted after joint replacement surgery, by discomfort, restricted positions and the need to get up in the night. Getting to the toilet safely at night, while still unsteady, is one of the riskier moments of recovery. A live-in carer is there at night to help, and can help with positioning pillows as advised to make sleeping more comfortable.

Getting back to normal life

As recovery progresses, the focus moves to everyday activities: walking outside, managing stairs, going shopping, returning to hobbies and, when the surgeon agrees, driving. A carer supports each step, gradually doing less as confidence and strength return. The aim is always to make the carer unnecessary as quickly as recovery allows.

Equipment that makes recovery easier

The hospital occupational therapist usually arranges some equipment before discharge, and having it in place makes the first weeks much easier. Common items include a raised toilet seat or toilet frame, a perching stool for the kitchen, chair raisers to bring a favourite chair to a safe height, a long-handled reacher, a sock aid, long-handled sponges and a bed lever. A carer makes sure equipment is set up correctly and used safely, and helps return it once it is no longer needed.

Warning signs after joint replacement surgery

Most recoveries go smoothly, but it is important to know the signs of complications and to follow the hospital's advice on preventing blood clots, which may include medication or stockings. Contact the surgical team, GP or NHS 111 promptly if there is increasing pain, redness, heat, swelling or discharge from the wound, a high temperature, or pain, swelling or tenderness in the calf. Chest pain or sudden breathlessness needs a 999 call. A carer who sees the person every day is well placed to notice these signs early.

Managing stairs after surgery

Physiotherapists usually teach a simple rule for stairs after joint replacement: go up with the good leg first, and down with the operated leg first, using a handrail and crutch as shown. A carer stays alongside until the person is confident, which reduces the risk of a fall in the early weeks.

Written by the Live-in Care Direct care team. Last reviewed 24 September 2026.

Further reading and sources

• NHS: Hip replacement
• NHS: Knee replacement
• Arthritis UK