I was talking to the surgeon who will be replacing my hip in about a years time. He said I wouldn’t be able to drive my NC for a period after my operation because of needing to bend getting into it.
I wonder if anyone else has had a hip replacement and how long it took untill they were able to drive.
Standard advice is around 6 weeks, but it there will be a range either side of that, depending an individual’s post-op progress.
My mate had a new hip and was back in his NC after about 12 weeks , he worked hard at the physio and was fine 
Had my hip done this year. Was driving MX5 after 8 weeks. Just take it steady getting in and out. Get used to being a passenger first did help as well.
Use an engine hoist to get yourself in and out 
Hopefully you will recover quickly enough not to go too demented from not being able to drive it. All the best for your recovery.
An old friend of mine broke the top end off his femur skiing, so the Italians gave him a new hip-joint the next morning.
He sent us a photo of him standing on it the next day!
His mobility took a few months to return, he did lots of physio to prevent muscle wastage, and now he can do almost everything as before - except no jarring activities because it’s a ceramic. This was the only major negative aspect for him as it means no more skiing, and he was a brilliant and enthusiastic skier.
The other thing is to change the way to get in and out of the car. While we all hop in one leg at a time, he could take a tip from the elegant ladies of old and keep his knees together.
Get into the car buns first, (edit: really? Can’t say b u m without it being blanked out?!) then swing in both legs together.
In time-honoured tradition, removal is the reverse of installation… 
By keeping his knees together throughout, he’ll significantly reduce the stress on his hips.
I would guess, I’m not a doctor, YMMV, etc.
I’m already using the old lady’s entry mode as it’s too painful to get in otherwise.
I’m also lamenting than skiing is now a thing of the past.
All that’s needed is a silk dress to swivel easily on the seat…
I think I’ll just make sure the leather seats are well polished
Well if you constantly swivel your “buns” on it, it will be.
I knew someone might unearth these one day.
I was young. I needed the money.
Hi, I had my right hip replaced on 12th June 2015 and I refueled my NB on 28th July, so about 7 weeks, and I imagine I had been driving for a week or so before that. Note that the time might be different for a left hip depending on whether you can have the roof down and slide down into the seat. Certainly for a couple of weeks after the operation your thigh will be so swollen from the manipulation the surgical team has to perform ( I’ll leave you to think about the mechanics of fitting a new artificial hip while keeping the sinews intact) that you won’t be thinking about driving - but they will give you some really good (and potentially addictive) painkillers. After that it depends on how your surgeon thinks the new joint is progressing in “bedding in” to the femur. The main improvement I noticed when driving my MX5 afterwards was that I could turn to lift the hood up again! You might need to ask for some more physiotherapy exercises as my brain had forgotten how to send commands to run to my right leg. After 6 years the new hip is still working well and I’m very glad I had it done.
I am due in about three weeks to have Robotic Laparoscopic Prostatectomy to remove an aggressively cancerous Prostate. I have been told not to lift or bend or twist for eight weeks afterwards so I would think driving my mx-5 would have to be on hold for that period. Seems a long time to wait but the alternative doesn’t bear thinking about.
I’ve had both hips replaced, first one about 5 years ago, second about 2 years later. I have no problems getting in or out (but I didn’t have the 5 back then).
Two things from the operations, firstly the “guide to recovery” booklet I was given lied, it said I’d be able to cook 6 weeks after the op, still can’t cook 3 years later!
The other thing was that when they did the x-ray for my first hip replacement they did all of my back too and discovered I’d crushed 2 vertebrae about 25 years previously! I realised it was my poor landing on my qualifying para jump to get military parachuting wings! So glad I didn’t know, I did 90 more before I packed it in (no longer in a job that required it, so not able to keep current).
Had a hip replacement in January. 24 hours in hospital, 6 weeks on crutches then back driving (although driving an automatic after 2 weeks). Bought the MX-5 only a couple of weeks before seeing the consultant - he said he’d really rather I got rid, that hasn’t happened and all the above advice on the way you get in and out is exactly what I have done (to prevent dislocation). So much easier than before the replacement - can’t beat it.
I’ve had both hips replaced over the past few years and still use my MX5 with no problems. As for the time before you can drive again rather depends on you. Right after the op you will be on crutches for a week or two and they will give you a set of exercises to do. You must do the exercises!
The new hip joint (just like the original one) is only held in place by the muscles around it. They cut through those muscles during the op so they need to rebuild in strength through exercise. Also, obey the rules regarding limiting the movement - no bending it more than 90 degrees etc. I found this to my cost when I dislocated my hip - extremely painful.
The more you build up the muscles, the less chance of dislocation. I got a set of exercises to do after my dislocation - I can send you these if you would like.
My advice… listen to your hip… it will let you know if you are doing things that risk dislocation… it will twinge and ache and give you stabbing type pain and you must stop what you’re doing immediately.
Happy to discuss offline if you want more advice.
Hope that goes well @PHILC1 … you’ll have a drive in the MX to look forward to when you’re recovered and it will be good for both of you … cheers … Rich
Thanks for that, off to Southend Hospital tomorrow for pre-anesthetic check-up and hopefully the op will be on the 30th of June.
