Common questions

Most people having an anterior hip replacement go home the same day, once they can walk safely with an aid and their pain is controlled. Some stay one night.

Once you and Dr. Khoshbin decide on surgery, most operations are completed within three to six months. Ontario publishes surgical wait times for every hospital, so you can see and compare current waits on Ontario Health's wait-times site.

Most people stand and take a few steps with a walking aid the same day or the next. Many are walking without an aid by about two to three weeks.

Not for six weeks. For your safety, do not drive a motor vehicle or operate heavy machinery for six weeks after surgery. Driving is cleared from your six-week review.

Desk work is usually possible within a few weeks. Physical or manual work often takes six to twelve weeks. Your team will advise based on your job and progress.

The anterior approach usually has fewer movement restrictions than some other approaches, because the muscles at the back of the hip are not disturbed. Most people can sit and bend normally early on. Your surgeon will tell you if anything applies to you.

A modern hip implant can sometimes trigger a metal detector. You do not need a special card. Just let security staff know you have a hip replacement if asked.

You feel nothing during the operation itself, under a spinal or general anaesthetic. Afterward, pain is managed with medicine and settles over the following weeks as you heal.

Walking is encouraged from the start and builds week by week. The gym waits six weeks, and your six-week re-assessment clears your return. More active and low-impact sport usually follows over the months after that, and higher-impact activities are worth discussing with your surgeon.

Not for six weeks. Flying is restricted for six weeks after surgery, mainly because sitting still for a long time raises the risk of a blood clot. If travel in that window is unavoidable, speak with the team first.

Most hip replacements last a very long time. Older data suggested about 58% were still working at 25 years, and newer data for modern materials project around 90% at 25 years. Individual results vary.

Matching your leg length is a goal of the operation, and it is measured during surgery with live X-ray. Small differences can still happen and are usually minor.

Yes. Dr. Khoshbin recommends a preventive (prophylactic) antibiotic before dental procedures once you have a joint replacement. Tell your dentist you have a hip replacement, and ask your dentist or the office about the prescription before your appointment.