A new hip or a repaired spine can bring real relief, but much of the healing happens in your living room, bathroom and hallway. Hip and spine surgery recovery at home in Tampa goes more smoothly with a plan: a home set up before surgery, a clear understanding of your precautions and a team that comes to you. This guide covers hip replacement, spine surgery and recovery after a fracture, including the extra care needed when osteoporosis is part of the picture. It is general education. Your surgeon’s protocol always comes first.
If you are recovering from a knee replacement or shoulder surgery, see our separate guide to knee and shoulder surgery recovery at home.
Planning your hip and spine surgery recovery at home in Tampa
If your surgery is scheduled, use the time beforehand well:
- Ask your surgeon whether home health or outpatient therapy is planned. If you want home health, tell the surgeon’s office which agency you prefer so the referral can go out before you leave the hospital.
- Get your equipment early. Hip and spine patients often use a walker, a raised toilet seat or toilet safety frame, a shower chair or tub transfer bench, a reacher, a sock aid and a long-handled sponge. Practice with them before surgery.
- Line up help for rides, meals, shopping and someone to stay with you for at least the first few days.
- Prepare meals and supplies so you are not bending, twisting or standing for long.
Set up your home for recovery
Walk through your home as if you are using a walker and cannot bend:
- Clear wide paths. Remove throw rugs, cords and clutter.
- Set up a sleeping area on the main floor if stairs are hard.
- Choose a firm chair with armrests, high enough that your knees are not above your hips. Avoid low sofas and recliners that are hard to get out of.
- Put grab bars where you need them. Towel racks will not hold your weight.
- Move everyday items to between waist and shoulder height.
- Add night lights between the bed and the bathroom.
- Check outdoor steps and railings at your entry.
Recovering from hip replacement
Precautions. Your hip precautions depend on how the surgery was done. Some approaches come with strict limits, such as not bending past a certain angle, not crossing your legs and not turning your foot inward. Others have fewer limits. Follow the specific list your surgeon gives you, and keep it where you can see it.
Daily tasks. An occupational therapist teaches you how to dress, bathe, use the toilet and work in the kitchen within your precautions. A reacher and sock aid help you dress without bending, and a raised toilet seat keeps your hip in a safe position.
Walking and strength. A physical therapist works on walking with your walker, getting in and out of bed, chairs and the car, climbing steps, and exercises to rebuild hip strength. Your therapist decides when you are ready to move to a cane, based on your surgeon’s plan.
Sleeping. Some surgeons recommend a pillow between your knees when lying on your side. Ask what position is safe for you.
Recovering from spine surgery
After a fusion, laminectomy or similar procedure, you will usually be told to avoid bending, lifting and twisting. Your surgeon sets these limits and decides when they change.
Your physical therapist teaches you to:
- Log roll in and out of bed: roll onto your side as one unit, then push up with your arms as your legs come off the bed
- Sit and stand with good posture and body mechanics
- Walk a little farther each day, which is often one of the most important parts of spine recovery
- Change positions often, since sitting too long can increase pain
Wear a brace only as prescribed. An occupational therapist can show you how to dress and bathe without twisting, and how to set up your kitchen so you do not have to bend or reach. Car rides should be short at first, with stops to stretch your legs, as your surgeon allows.
Fractures and osteoporosis
After a hip, wrist or spine fracture, your surgeon sets your weight-bearing limits, meaning how much weight you can put on the injured side. Your therapist works within them and progresses you as your surgeon allows.
A fracture from a minor fall can be a sign of osteoporosis, a condition that makes bones thin and easier to break. Ask your doctor whether you should have a bone density test and treatment. If you have osteoporosis:
- Avoid deep forward bending and twisting, especially when lifting, since these movements can raise the risk of spine fractures
- Ask your therapist which exercises are safe for you, including balance and posture work
- Talk with your doctor about calcium, vitamin D and any medicines for bone health
- Make fall prevention a priority
Our guide to fall prevention for seniors has a room-by-room checklist.
Skilled nursing after hip or spine surgery
A skilled nurse checks your incision and changes dressings, removes staples or stitches when your surgeon orders it, and reviews your pain medicines and blood thinners. Nurses also help prevent constipation, which is common with pain medicine, and monitor blood sugar or blood pressure if you have diabetes or heart disease. A home health aide can help with bathing as part of your plan while you receive skilled care.
Warning signs after hip or spine surgery
Call your surgeon’s office promptly for:
- Possible infection: increasing redness, warmth or swelling around the incision, drainage or a bad smell, the incision opening, or a fever
- Possible blood clot in the leg: new pain, swelling, warmth or redness in the calf or thigh, usually on one side
- Possible hip dislocation: sudden severe hip pain, a leg that looks shorter or turned, or being unable to put weight on it
- Pain that suddenly gets worse or is not controlled by your medicines
After spine surgery, call your surgeon right away for new numbness, tingling or weakness in an arm or leg, or for new loss of bladder or bowel control.
Call 911 for sudden shortness of breath, chest pain, or coughing up blood. These can be signs that a clot has traveled to the lungs. To lower clot risk, take blood thinners exactly as prescribed, do ankle pumps, wear compression stockings if ordered, and walk as your therapist directs.
A note on Florida heat and water
Heat and humidity make you sweat and can irritate a bandaged incision, so follow your surgeon’s instructions for keeping it clean and dry. Do not soak in a pool, hot tub, lake or the Gulf until your surgeon clears you. Drink enough water, especially if you take pain medicine or a water pill.
Who qualifies for home health after hip or spine surgery?
Medicare covers home health care when:
- A doctor or allowed practitioner orders it. Your surgeon, doctor, nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist or physician assistant certifies the need and reviews a plan of care.
- You need skilled care, such as part-time or intermittent skilled nursing, physical therapy, speech-language therapy or continued occupational therapy.
- You are homebound. Leaving home takes considerable and taxing effort. Short, infrequent trips for medical care, religious services or adult day care are OK.
- You had a face-to-face visit for a related reason within 90 days before or 30 days after home health starts.
- A Medicare-certified agency provides your care.
Many people are homebound for a while after hip replacement, spine surgery or a fracture, because they need a walker, cannot drive and must follow strict precautions. Medicare home health coverage also does not depend on whether you will improve. Skilled therapy to maintain function or slow decline can qualify when it needs a skilled therapist. We accept Traditional Medicare, plus long-term care plans and private pay. Medicare Advantage coverage and our participation depend on your specific plan, so we verify both before care starts. Call (813) 931-0015 to verify your coverage. See our insurance page for more.
How Making Memories Home Health can help
Making Memories Home Health brings physical therapy, occupational therapy and skilled nursing to people recovering from hip replacement, spine surgery and fractures. We are Medicare-certified, accredited by The Joint Commission, family-founded by experienced ICU and emergency nurses, and our team speaks English and Spanish. We coordinate with your surgeon’s office and follow its protocol.
We serve patients throughout Hillsborough, Polk and Manatee counties. If your surgery is coming up, call us at (813) 931-0015 so we can plan ahead with you. Surgeons and discharge planners can send a referral.
Frequently asked questions
Why are my hip precautions different from my neighbor's?
Hip precautions depend on how your surgery was done and what your surgeon prefers. Some approaches come with strict limits on bending and crossing your legs, while others have fewer. Follow the list your own surgeon gives you, and ask your therapist if anything is unclear.
How long will I need to wear my back brace after spine surgery?
Only your surgeon can answer that, because it depends on the type of surgery and how you are healing. Some people do not need a brace at all. Wear it exactly as prescribed, and ask your therapist to check that it fits and that you can put it on correctly.
Can I get home health care after a hip fracture?
Often, yes. Many people are homebound for a while after hip fracture surgery and need physical therapy, occupational therapy or nursing. Your doctor decides whether home health is right for you and writes the order.
Should I get home health or go straight to outpatient therapy?
Your surgeon will recommend what fits your surgery and how you are moving. Home health makes sense when getting out of the house takes considerable and taxing effort. If you can get to a clinic without much difficulty, outpatient therapy may be the better fit.