Hair Transplant 
Dental Aesthetics 
Facial Aesthetics 
Body Contouring 
TMJ Treatment 
Eye & Eyelid Surgery 
Mummy Makeover 
Obesity Treatment 
Orthopedics 
Hip replacement is an operation in which the worn ball-and-socket hip joint is replaced with an artificial one: a stem and ball placed in the thigh bone, and a socket fitted into the pelvis. It is used for advanced hip arthritis causing groin, buttock or thigh pain, stiffness, a limp and difficulty with everyday tasks such as putting on socks, and for some hip fractures and conditions affecting the blood supply to the femoral head. It is among the most established operations in orthopedics, and for most people it relieves pain reliably — but it is major surgery, recovery runs over months, and there are precautions to follow in the early weeks.
Is this treatment right for you?
Suitable for: adults with advanced hip arthritis confirmed on X-ray, causing groin or thigh pain, stiffness and difficulty walking despite physiotherapy, pain relief or activity modification.
Less ideal if: you have an active infection anywhere in the body, poorly controlled diabetes or heart disease, an unstable medical condition, or no realistic access to physiotherapy and help at home during recovery.
Suitability can only be confirmed by a qualified clinician after assessing you, which is why every plan begins with a free, personalised review rather than a fixed promise.
Benefits & risks
A balanced view matters more than a sales pitch. Weigh both sides and discuss them with a clinician before deciding.
Potential benefits
- Reliable relief of arthritic hip pain for most people
- Restores movement needed for walking, stairs, dressing and sleeping comfortably
- Often corrects a limp and reduces the need for regular pain medication
- Modern implants are long-lasting, with many still functioning well beyond a decade
- Walking with support usually begins within a day of surgery
- A structured rehabilitation programme is provided to continue at home
Risks & considerations
- Infection, including deep infection around the implant, which may require further surgery
- Blood clots in the leg or lung, which is why clot prevention and early walking are essential
- Dislocation of the new joint, particularly in the early weeks and with certain movements
- A difference in leg length, which is sometimes noticeable and may need a shoe raise
- Fracture around the implant, loosening or wear over the years, sometimes needing revision
- Nerve injury causing numbness or weakness, which is uncommon but can be lasting
Am I a candidate?
- X-rays show advanced hip arthritis or damage that matches your symptoms
- Pain and stiffness limit walking, dressing or sleep despite non-surgical treatment
- You are medically fit for anaesthesia, with any long-term conditions well controlled
- You can arrange physiotherapy and practical help at home for the weeks after surgery
- You understand the early precautions and the months-long timescale of full recovery
Only a qualified clinician can confirm suitability after a personal assessment.
Process & recovery
Hip replacement is carried out under spinal or general anaesthetic and takes around one to two hours. The worn head of the thigh bone is removed and replaced with a stem and ball, and the socket in the pelvis is prepared and fitted with a cup and bearing surface; components may be cemented or press-fitted so bone grows onto them. You typically stay two to four nights in hospital, stand and walk with a frame or crutches within a day, and work with a physiotherapist on walking, stairs and safe movement. Depending on the surgical approach used, you may be given precautions for the first weeks about how far to bend, cross or rotate the leg, to reduce the risk of dislocation. Clot-prevention medication and wound care continue at home. Risks include infection, blood clots, dislocation, difference in leg length, fracture around the implant, nerve or blood vessel injury, and loosening or wear of the implant over the years.
What hip replacement treats
The hip is a ball-and-socket joint, and arthritis wears away the smooth cartilage lining both parts of it. The pain is often felt in the groin, sometimes radiating to the thigh or knee, and it is typically accompanied by stiffness that makes putting on socks and shoes, getting in and out of a car, or walking any distance progressively harder. X-rays show loss of joint space and other arthritic changes.
Hip replacement addresses this by replacing both halves of the joint. The worn femoral head is removed and a stem placed inside the thigh bone carries a new ball; the socket in the pelvis is prepared and fitted with a cup and a bearing surface. Components may be fixed with cement or press-fitted so that bone grows onto their surface, and the choice depends on your bone quality, age and the surgeon’s judgement.
The operation is also used for some hip fractures and for conditions such as avascular necrosis, where the blood supply to the femoral head has failed.
Recovery, week by week
| Stage | What is typical |
|---|---|
| Days 0–3 | Standing and walking with a frame or crutches within a day; physiotherapy begins; pain relief and clot prevention in place; two to four nights in hospital |
| Weeks 1–2 | Walking further with crutches; precautions followed where they apply; wound reviewed before flying home; sleep often still disturbed |
| Weeks 3–6 | Progressing to a stick; dressing and stairs become easier; many people drive at around six weeks depending on the side and their control |
| Weeks 6–12 | Walking distance and confidence build; strengthening becomes the focus; limp usually continues to improve |
| 3–12 months | Continued gains in strength and stamina; most people consider themselves fully recovered within this period |
Increasing pain, a sudden inability to bear weight, spreading redness, wound discharge, fever, calf pain or breathlessness should be reported urgently, as they may indicate dislocation, infection or a blood clot.
Being honest about the result
Hip replacement is one of the more predictable operations in orthopedics for pain relief, and many people describe the change as substantial. That said, it is not without lasting compromises. A difference in leg length can be noticeable. Dislocation, while uncommon, is a real risk and is highest in the early weeks. Numbness beside the scar is usual. High-impact sport is generally given up rather than resumed. And an implant is a mechanical device with a finite life, so a younger person having a hip replacement should expect the possibility of revision surgery at some point.
The operation is worth it when arthritis has genuinely narrowed your life, and it is worth waiting on when it has not. That judgement belongs to you and the treating surgeon together, based on your imaging, your symptoms and how much they cost you day to day.
Having hip replacement in Türkiye
As a medical travel facilitator, we coordinate hip replacement at accredited, Ministry of Health–authorised partner hospitals in Türkiye, with orthopedic surgeons carrying out the surgery. Before you travel, your X-rays, symptoms and medical history are reviewed so the treating surgeon can advise whether replacement is warranted now and what recovery would realistically involve.
Packages are all-inclusive and transparent, typically covering pre-operative checks, surgery, the hospital stay, hotel accommodation, airport and hospital transfers, in-hospital physiotherapy and an English-speaking coordinator at every appointment, with a review before you fly home. Because so much of the result depends on rehabilitation, arranging physiotherapy and help at home before you travel is essential — see our orthopedics overview and your patient journey for how a typical visit is organised.
This page is for general information and is not a substitute for personalised medical advice; suitability can only be confirmed after an individual assessment.
Frequently asked questions
How soon will I walk after a hip replacement? +
Usually within a day of surgery, with a frame or crutches and a physiotherapist alongside you. Walking early is not simply encouraged but important, because it reduces the risk of blood clots and helps the hip settle. Most people progress from a frame to crutches to a stick over the following weeks.
What precautions will I need to follow? +
This depends on the surgical approach used. Where precautions apply, they typically limit bending the hip past a right angle, crossing the legs and rotating the leg inwards for the first weeks, to reduce the risk of dislocation. Equipment such as a raised toilet seat, a long-handled shoe horn and a grabber often helps. The treating surgeon and physiotherapist will give you the specific instructions for your operation.
Will my legs be the same length? +
Surgeons aim to match leg lengths, and small differences are common and usually unnoticeable. Occasionally a difference is enough to be felt, in which case a shoe raise can correct it. Some people also feel a difference in the first weeks that settles as muscles and posture adjust.
How long will the implant last? +
Modern hip implants are designed for many years of use, and a large proportion are still functioning well more than a decade after surgery, but no implant is permanent. Age, weight, activity level and bone quality all affect longevity. Revision surgery is possible if an implant wears or loosens, and is a larger operation than the first.
How long do I need to stay in Türkiye? +
A stay of around ten to fourteen days is typical: pre-operative checks, surgery, two to four nights in hospital, early physiotherapy, wound review and confirmation that you are fit to fly. Your personalised plan confirms the schedule for your case.
When can I fly home? +
The treating surgeon confirms fitness to fly, commonly around ten to fourteen days after surgery, once the wound is settled and clot risk is being managed. Moving regularly during the flight, clot-prevention medication and, where advised, compression stockings are part of the plan, and an aisle seat with extra legroom is worth arranging.
When can I drive again? +
Commonly around six weeks, but it depends on which hip was operated on, whether your car is automatic, how well you can control the pedals and perform an emergency stop, and any advice from your insurer. The treating surgeon will give guidance, and you should be confident of safe control before driving.
What activities can I return to? +
Walking, swimming, cycling and everyday activity are usually encouraged once you have recovered. High-impact activity such as running, jumping and contact sport is generally advised against because it increases wear and the risk to the implant. Discuss any specific sport or hobby with the treating surgeon.