Surgery which first hip or knee ? What’s your experience?

gingermare

Hi as a newbie to this community could I ask for people’s personal experience of which joint they replaced first and how they reached that decision ?☺️

I have severe OA in left knee and moderate in left hip and have been advised to have both replaced . My consultant has said we could do either first and I have initially opted for the knee first as the OA is of a higher grade , but from what I read online the recommendation is to do the hip first as Mobility after is easier usually??

I’d really like to hear other members personal perspectives of recovery if they are happy to share .

I am a reasonably fit and active 60 year old who has horses and rides so very keen to do all I can to get back to riding post surgery

Many thanks

CarylW

Hello @gingermare and welcome to the online forum. Our members will I am sure, be able to add their perspectives on your dilemma: I think most of us expect the experts to make the decision for us!

You are right that recovery from hip replacement is usually easier than knee, but you are sensible to look at the grade of OA. I am posting a little information from our website - it may give you more idea of what is involved.

https://community.versusarthritis.org/discussion/61792/my-hip-replacement-diary

https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/treatments/surgery/knee-replacement-surgery/

Do let us know how you get on, and let us know if we can help further.

Best wishes

Caryl

Janlyn

@gingermare Welcome, although I'm sorry you need to join us, but hope you find it helpful. I don't feel I can answer your question as I only needed (so far) a hip replacement which I had done in December 2023 and I'm happy with the result. I had been told by doctors that a hip replacement is easier than a knee replacement, although I have found it essential to concentrate on exercising and limit my walking until my muscles strengthen.

I can see your dilemma as some would say better to have your hip done first but then your knee is causing you the most problems. Is it possible to go back and have this conversation with your surgeon? Would it help to call the helpline here to discuss?

I hope you get some other thoughts here too as it can't be easy to be left with the decision.

Coincidentally when I had my surgery there was a woman who was a regular horse rider having her hip replaced at the same time and she expected to make a full recovery and be back to horse riding asap.

Take care, x