Natural joint
Femoral head and acetabulum form the original joint.
Medical information
Hip replacement explained
A simple guide to what is replaced, how the operation works and what happens around surgery.
At a glance
Four ideas to understand first
- 01
The hip is a ball-and-socket joint.
- 02
Total replacement changes the femoral head and the socket surface.
- 03
Implants can be fixed in different ways and inserted through different approaches.
- 04
Your own surgical and discharge instructions take priority.
01 — The hip joint
A ball moving inside a socket
The femoral head is the ball at the top of the femur. It moves inside the acetabulum, a socket in the pelvis.
Why replacement may be considered
In osteoarthritis, the joint's protective cartilage breaks down. Pain, stiffness and reduced movement can make daily activities harder. Replacement may be considered when symptoms substantially affect life and other treatments have not provided enough relief.
02 — What changes
What happens in a total hip replacement?
The damaged femoral head is removed, the socket surface is prepared, and prosthetic components create a new ball-and-socket bearing.
Total hip replacement
Cup, liner, head and stem form the artificial joint.
Pedagogical schematic — not an implant brand or surgical plan.
03 — The implant
Four main components
- Cup
- Replaces the damaged socket surface in the pelvis.
- Liner
- Sits inside the cup and forms the bearing surface.
- Head
- Replaces the natural femoral head.
- Stem
- Fits inside the upper femur and supports the new head.
04 — Fixation
How is the implant held in place?
The choice is made for the individual operation. This guide does not rank one method as universally better.
Cemented
Special bone cement fixes a component to the bone.
Cementless
A press-fit surface is designed so bone can grow onto or into it.
Hybrid
Cemented and cementless fixation are combined in the same replacement.
05 — Surgical approaches
Different routes to the same joint
Terms such as anterior, posterior and lateral describe where the surgeon accesses the hip. They do not, by themselves, determine one person's outcome.
↘AnteriorFrom the front
→Lateral / anterolateralFrom the side or front-side
↗PosteriorFrom the back
There is no simple universal “best approach.”
NICE found enough evidence to recommend considering posterior or anterolateral approaches, but not enough to make recommendations on several newer approaches. Choice also depends on the surgeon's experience and individual clinical factors.
06 — The day of surgery
A general pathway, not a fixed script
Hospitals and individual plans differ. A broad sequence can look like this:
- 01Before surgery
Admission, checks and discussion with the clinical team.
- 02Anaesthesia
General or spinal/regional anaesthesia may be used.
- 03Operation
The damaged joint surfaces are replaced and the new joint is assembled.
- 04Recovery area
The team monitors recovery from anaesthesia and manages pain.
- 05Mobilisation
Movement and walking begin when the team considers it appropriate.
Medical information → Patient experience data
Recovery is not one timeline
Clinical information gives general frameworks. Actual recovery can vary across pain, walking, sleep, energy and everyday independence. ReplacedHip keeps those patient-experience analyses separate from this medical fact layer.
07 — Risks and complications
Known risks, described without a false universal rate
Risk varies with the person, procedure and clinical context. Your surgical team should explain the risks that apply to you.
View known risks and complications
Infection
Can involve the wound or tissues around the implant.
Blood clots
Can develop in deep veins; a clot can travel to the lungs.
Dislocation
The new ball can come out of the socket.
Fracture
Bone can fracture during or after the operation.
Leg-length difference
The operated leg can feel or be slightly longer or shorter.
Nerve or blood-vessel injury
Structures around the joint can be injured.
Wear or loosening
Implant components can wear or loosen over time.
08 — When to seek medical help
Use your discharge instructions and contact route
Contact your care team or local urgent service if you are worried. NHS guidance advises urgent clinical help after recent hip replacement for signs including:
- worsening redness, tenderness, swelling or pain around the hip, leg or wound
- oozing or pus from the wound
- high temperature, feeling hot, cold or shivery
- throbbing or cramping pain in the hip or leg
This is general information, not symptom assessment. Follow the instructions and contact details supplied by your own treatment centre.
Sources & medical references+
Medical claims on this page are mapped to the structured evidence file used to render this source list. Patient forums were not used as medical sources.
- Joint replacement (primary): hip, knee and shoulder — Recommendations
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) · NG157, published 4 June 2020; reviewed 19 December 2024
Supports: shared decision-making, information before and after surgery, surgical approaches, implant context. Retrieved 2026-08-20. - Research recommendation NG157/11: hip replacement approach
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) · NG157/11, June 2020
Supports: limits of comparative evidence for surgical approaches, no simple universal best-approach conclusion. Retrieved 2026-08-20. - How a hip replacement is done
NHS · Page last reviewed 6 March 2024
Supports: total hip replacement steps, anaesthesia, recovery area, component materials. Retrieved 2026-08-20. - Recovering from a hip replacement
NHS · Current NHS patient guidance retrieved 20 August 2026
Supports: variation in recovery, hospital and home recovery, following individual advice. Retrieved 2026-08-20. - Complications of a hip replacement
NHS · Page last reviewed 6 March 2024
Supports: recognised complications, urgent warning signs, emergency symptoms. Retrieved 2026-08-20. - Osteoarthritis — Overview and symptoms
NHS · Page last reviewed 20 March 2023
Supports: cartilage breakdown, pain, stiffness, reduced movement. Retrieved 2026-08-20. - Osteoarthritis — Treatment and support
NHS · Page last reviewed 20 March 2023
Supports: non-surgical management, when joint replacement may be considered. Retrieved 2026-08-20. - Total Hip Replacement
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), OrthoInfo · Peer-reviewed patient information; current page retrieved 20 August 2026
Supports: hip anatomy, osteoarthritis context, implant components, fixation, surgery-day pathway, risks and recovery. Retrieved 2026-08-20.