What it is
The damaged ball at the top of the thigh bone is replaced with a metal or ceramic ball on a stem, and the socket is lined with a new cup. Surgeons use different approaches: from the back (posterior), the front (anterior) or the side (lateral).
Who it's usually for
People with severe hip arthritis, or some hip fractures, whose pain limits daily life despite non-surgical treatment.
Pros and cons
✓ Pros
- One of the most successful operations for relieving pain.
- Most people walk further and sleep better.
- Modern implants often last 15 to 20 years or more.
⚠ Cons and risks
- Risks include dislocation, a difference in leg length, infection, blood clots and fracture.
- The anterior approach may mean a slightly quicker early recovery, but long-term results are similar, and it can cause numbness on the front of the thigh.
- Some movement precautions may be needed while healing.
Recovery times are typical ranges; yours may be different. Your surgeon can tell you what to expect.
What recovery is like
You'll walk with help on the same or next day and do exercises at home for several weeks. Most people find hip recovery easier and less uncomfortable than knee recovery. Pain medicine before exercise helps, and it improves week by week.
Questions to ask your surgeon
- Which approach do you use, and why for me?
- How many hip replacements do you do each year?
- What is your dislocation and infection rate?
- Will my legs be the same length?
When to get help quickly: Get help the same day for a hot, red, swollen joint with fever, if you can't put weight on your leg after an injury, or, after surgery, for fever, wound drainage, or new calf pain or swelling. For chest pain or sudden shortness of breath, call 911.
What surgeons say in their videos
Videos from different surgeons and doctors, newest first. They share their own views, and we don't rank or endorse any of them.
Common questions about total hip replacement
What is total hip replacement?
The damaged ball at the top of the thigh bone is replaced with a metal or ceramic ball on a stem, and the socket is lined with a new cup. Surgeons use different approaches: from the back (posterior), the front (anterior) or the side (lateral).
Who is total hip replacement for?
People with severe hip arthritis, or some hip fractures, whose pain limits daily life despite non-surgical treatment.
What is recovery like after total hip replacement?
You'll walk with help on the same or next day and do exercises at home for several weeks. Most people find hip recovery easier and less uncomfortable than knee recovery. Pain medicine before exercise helps, and it improves week by week.
How long is the hospital stay for total hip replacement?
Typically same day to 2 days.
What are the risks of total hip replacement?
Risks include dislocation, a difference in leg length, infection, blood clots and fracture. The anterior approach may mean a slightly quicker early recovery, but long-term results are similar, and it can cause numbness on the front of the thigh. Some movement precautions may be needed while healing.
Getting ready
Losing extra weight, exercising before surgery, stopping smoking and getting your home ready can make surgery safer and recovery easier.
How to get ready for surgery →Find a surgeon
Look up hip and knee surgeons in your state, from public records.
Find a hip & knee surgeon →Other hip surgeries
Sources
We base this page on these major medical organizations and studies. How we write our pages.
General information written for Hip & Knee Surgery, not by the surgeons in the videos. For education only; not medical advice. Last reviewed October 2026.