Recovering from Hip or Knee Replacement at Home

Reviewed by Marcus Odom, RN, BSN · Updated July 8, 2026

Most people now go home the same day or the day after a hip or knee replacement, so the hard work of recovery happens in the living room. A little preparation before surgery makes the first two weeks much easier: clear a path from bed to bathroom, remove loose rugs, put a firm chair with arms where you will spend the day, and set up a raised toilet seat if your surgeon recommends one.

Physical therapy usually starts within a day or two of getting home, two or three visits a week. Knee patients work hard on bending and straightening; the first two weeks set the range of motion you will keep. Hip patients learn the movements their surgeon wants them to avoid, which depend on the surgical approach, so ask which precautions apply to you.

Take pain medicine on a schedule for the first several days, ideally about thirty minutes before therapy, rather than waiting until the pain is bad. Ice after exercise helps with swelling. Constipation is common with prescription pain medicine and worth preventing from day one.

Blood clots are the most serious early risk. Take the blood thinner your surgeon prescribes for the full course, do ankle pumps every hour you are awake, and walk a little several times a day.