RECOVERY CHECK LIST

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The Ultimate Guide to Hip Recovery: Preparing, Healing, and Thriving

This guide is your roadmap for navigating hip pain, preparing for surgery, recovering, and thriving afterward. It’s designed for anyone experiencing hip issues—whether it’s early-stage discomfort, post-surgery recovery, or long-term joint management.


Understanding Hip Pain and Joint Degeneration

Hip pain doesn’t always start suddenly. For many, it’s a slow progression…

  • Early signs: Stiffness, mild pain, clicking or popping sounds
  • Advanced signs: Bone-on-bone pain, loss of mobility, difficulty sleeping
  • Common causes: Osteoarthritis, dysplasia, past injuries, autoimmune conditions

Why understanding your pain matters:
Many people try to push through discomfort, thinking it’s “normal aging.” But early recognition allows for interventions that can slow progression and improve quality of life.

Tip: Keep a pain and mobility journal. Track your daily activity, pain levels, and triggers. This record will help your doctor and physical therapist create a personalized plan.


Emotional and Mental Health in the Hip Journey

Hip pain is not just physical—it’s emotional. Many patients experience:

  • Anxiety about mobility and independence
  • Frustration with limitations in daily life
  • Isolation from friends and activities they once enjoyed

Strategies to support emotional health:

  • Mindfulness practices: Meditation, journaling, or guided imagery
  • Community support: Hipster Club, support groups, and online forums
  • Professional guidance: Physical therapists, counselors, or health coaches
  • Set realistic goals: Celebrate small wins like walking further or sleeping through the night

Tip: Your mental health is directly linked to physical recovery. Don’t skip this part of your healing process.


Preparing for Hip Replacement Surgery

Preparation is key for a smooth recovery. Here’s a comprehensive checklist:

Physical Preparation

  • Pre-op exercises to strengthen your core, glutes, and hip muscles
  • Cardiovascular activity like swimming or cycling to improve endurance
  • Stretching to maintain flexibility

Home Preparation

  • Clear pathways, remove trip hazards, and place essentials within reach
  • Set up a recovery station with pillows, water, and snacks
  • Consider raised toilet seats, walkers, or supportive chairs

Medical Preparation

  • Compile your medical history, medications, and supplements
  • Ask your surgeon about blood work, imaging, and pre-op instructions
  • Prepare questions about anesthesia, recovery timeline, and post-op therapy

Nutrition & Lifestyle

  • Anti-inflammatory diet rich in protein, vegetables, and healthy fats
  • Avoid alcohol and smoking to promote healing
  • Hydrate well pre- and post-surgery

Tip: Think of this phase as building a foundation. The better you prepare, the smoother your recovery.


Post-Surgery Recovery Roadmap

Recovery is not one-size-fits-all, but there are key stages and strategies:

Immediate Post-Op (0–2 Weeks)

  • Pain management: Ice, elevation, and medications as prescribed
  • Movement: Gentle walking, short standing sessions
  • Monitor for complications: Swelling, redness, fever, or unusual pain

Early Recovery (2–6 Weeks)

  • Physical therapy begins: Strength and mobility exercises
  • Gradual increase in activity: Walking, light chores, and gentle stretching
  • Maintain mental health: Journaling and mindfulness to track progress

Mid-Recovery (6–12 Weeks)

  • More active therapy: Swimming, cycling, and low-impact exercises
  • Balance and stability: Core and leg strengthening
  • Community engagement: Sharing progress, asking questions, learning from others

Long-Term Recovery (3–12 Months)

  • Return to hobbies: Golf, walking, swimming, or light jogging
  • Monitor hip health: Regular check-ins with your orthopedic surgeon
  • Lifestyle adjustments: Weight management, posture awareness, and supportive footwear

Tip: Track your milestones and celebrate each stage. Recovery is a journey, not a race.


Nutrition & Supplements for Joint Health

What you eat directly affects your joints, inflammation levels, and recovery speed. Key considerations:

  • Protein: Builds muscle to support hip stability
  • Anti-inflammatory foods: Leafy greens, berries, turmeric, fatty fish
  • Calcium & Vitamin D: Support bone density
  • Magnesium & Omega-3s: Reduce inflammation and improve circulation

Supplement Tips:

  • Talk to your doctor before starting new supplements
  • Keep a food and symptom journal to track what works best
  • Avoid excess sugar and processed foods that promote inflammation

Exercise & Movement Strategies

Movement is medicine—but it must be safe and tailored.

Low-Impact Options:

  • Swimming and water aerobics
  • Cycling on a stationary bike
  • Walking on flat surfaces
  • Yoga or Pilates (hip-friendly modifications)

Strengthening & Stability:

  • Core exercises to protect the lower back and hips
  • Glute activation to support hip stability
  • Gentle resistance training with bands or light weights

Tip: Always listen to your body. Some days will feel better than others—progress gradually.


Community & Emotional Support

Recovery is easier with others who understand your journey. Hipster Club was built for this reason:

  • Connect with people who’ve walked your path
  • Share tips on surgery, recovery, and lifestyle adjustments
  • Ask questions, celebrate wins, and get encouragement

Tip: Isolation slows healing. Even short check-ins or online discussions can make a huge difference.


PEMF Therapy: Boosting Recovery at the Cellular Level

Once your foundation—preparation, exercise, nutrition, and support—is in place, PEMF (Pulsed Electromagnetic Field) therapy can accelerate healing:

  • Reduces inflammation – Eases pain and swelling in joints
  • Supports cellular repair – Recharges ATP for energy and regeneration
  • Enhances recovery – Promotes mobility and overall function

Types of Devices:

  • Full-body mats: Energize all your cells
  • Targeted paddles: Focus on hips, knees, or sore areas
  • Brain-focused PEMF: Supports cognitive and neurological function

Tip: Think of PEMF as the “turbo boost” for your body—it complements therapy, movement, and lifestyle strategies.


Your Hip Recovery Checklist

  • Educate yourself: Knowledge is power
  • Track your progress: Pain, mobility, and emotional milestones
  • Move with purpose: Consistency matters more than intensity
  • Build your support network: Friends, family, or Hipster Club
  • Advocate for yourself: Ask questions and explore holistic options
  • Celebrate every win: Small improvements are still progress
  • Explore PEMF therapy: Cellular support enhances all other recovery steps

Your Next Steps

  • Join Hipster Club – Connect with others who understand your journey [Insert link]
  • Schedule a consultation – Work with your healthcare provider on a personalized plan
  • Try gentle exercises – Start walking, stretching, or swimming
  • Learn about PEMF – Discover how targeted cellular energy can support your healing [Insert link]

Remember: Recovery is a journey, not a race. With preparation, support, and the right tools, you can reclaim your mobility, confidence, and life—one step at a time.

Download our Hipster Club Healing Workbook….below!

WELCOME TO HIPSTER CLUB

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IT’S HERE YOU WILL FIND ALL THINGS HIP…

I’m Jodi Seidler, and I’m here to share my experience, knowledge, support, and research expertise to help guide you on your healing journey. Together, we’ll navigate the challenges of hip replacement, explore the latest technologies, and discover ways to live in a strong, healthy, and mobile body.

Follow along as we walk this path together. I encourage you to share the topics you’re most interested in—I’ve curated the best, most up-to-date resources and therapies to support your recovery, long-term joint health, and overall wellness.


When You’re Just TOO HIP!

Let me begin by welcoming you to my hip journey. Most of us know the moment: you’re told you need a hip replacement (or maybe two), and suddenly everything slows down. Pain, fear, and uncertainty take over. I was told I was too young for surgery and endured two years of lingering pain until I could barely walk without a cane.

During that time, I began journaling daily—a way to process fear, release emotions, and stay connected to myself. That journal eventually became a WordPress blog, a space to share experiences, vent, and learn from others who had walked similar paths.

Three years and two hip replacements later, I began rebuilding my life. Complications, setbacks, and unexpected challenges pushed me further into research, connecting with others, writing, and—most importantly—remembering to breathe. Breathe. Breathe. Slow down.

Recovery is a journey, not a race, and learning to honor the process is one of the most empowering steps you can take.


Joining the Hipster Club

No matter how you celebrate your progress—or even if you haven’t yet—you’ve now joined the Hipster Club, a global community of bionic men and women who understand bone-on-bone pain, surgery fears, and the uncertainty of recovery.

No one truly understands the challenges of a reduced quality of life or the anxiety of upcoming surgery until they face it themselves. Having reliable information, support, and the insights gained from experience can make all the difference—and that’s exactly what Hipster Club provides.

For example, I would never have known:

  • To ask for anti-nausea medication in the hospital caused by pain meds
  • Which adaptive devices would make early recovery easier (my grabber was a lifesaver!)
  • To arrange a buddy system for walks, meals, or pet care during the first days after surgery

These practical tips, shared by fellow hipsters, are invaluable. Small strategies can make your recovery safer, faster, and more empowering.


Why Hipster Club Exists

Hipster Club is here for you:

  • To provide support and remind you that you are never alone
  • To create a community of shared experience and knowledge, helping each other stay out of pain and move confidently in our new bodies
  • To offer advice, encouragement, and practical tips during a scary or uncertain transition
  • To celebrate milestones, no matter how small, because every step forward is progress

Hip replacement technology has advanced dramatically since I had my first hip at 50. Today, we have what I call “drive-by replacements”, procedures that can be completed in a single day. Innovations emerge every month and year, and now 3-D printing is enabling fully customized joint replacements, tailored to each individual’s anatomy.


PEMF Therapy: Boost Your Healing

One of the most exciting developments in recovery is PEMF (Pulsed Electromagnetic Field) therapy. PEMF delivers low-level electromagnetic frequencies to the body, helping to:

  • Stimulate bone growth and repair
  • Reduce inflammation and swelling
  • Improve circulation and cellular function
  • Support overall recovery and wellness

Many hip replacement patients find that combining PEMF with physical therapy, nutrition, and mindfulness practices accelerates healing and reduces post-operative discomfort. I’ll share tips, resources, and insights on using PEMF effectively as part of your hip recovery plan.


Hip Happy Hour: Celebrate Your Journey

Recovery is not just physical—it’s emotional and mental too. That’s why I created the concept of a Hip Happy Hour. It’s your personal celebration:

  • Before surgery, to honor your courage and preparation
  • After surgery, to mark milestones and progress in healing

A Hip Happy Hour can happen anywhere—at home, in a park, with friends, or virtually. Invite a HIP buddy or group, set intentions, reflect on victories, and reward yourself for every step forward. Recovery is a journey, and celebrating along the way keeps you motivated, positive, and connected.


Your Journey to Becoming Bionic

Hipster Club is more than a community—it’s a support system, a knowledge hub, and a celebration of resilience. Here you can:

  • Learn from others who have walked the same path
  • Access the latest tools, technologies, and therapies for recovery
  • Share experiences, tips, and encouragement
  • Celebrate milestones, big and small, in your healing journey

Recovery is personal, and one size does not fit all. Ask questions, seek proper education, and surround yourself with support. Hipster Club is here to help you navigate hip replacement with confidence, knowledge, and encouragement, one step at a time.

Welcome to the land of the bionic. Welcome to Hipster Club. Together, we’ll put the HIP back in hip replacements.


Put the HIP back into hip replacements….

I welcome you to the land of becoming bionic and I thank you for finding your way here to The Hipster Club. 

Have questions?  Email me

How I’m Helping Others After My Double Hip Replacement

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imageNever ever in my wildest dreams would I have thought I would have needed a hip replacement. It started out as a headache in my leg and soon, I couldn’t walk. After swearing off surgery, I spent two painful years in denial going to physical therapy, trying acupuncture, taking medications, even talking to psychics – and just plain praying for a miracle. Having never had surgery, I was fearful of the unknown.

READ MORE…

Healing After My Hip Replacement

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You become an advocate for your health and well-being. You put the HIP into hip replacement – no matter what AGE you are!

Mentoring with The Hipster Girl

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Putting the HIP back in Hip Replacements.

Contact me with any questions you have about the hip replacement process.  I’ve become sort of an expert with two different approaches (Anterior and Posterior) and two different implant materials.  With my Journalism background and my inquisitive mind, I should belong to a 12 step group for obsessing about having a hip replacement.  I researched so like crazy, and kept a daily journal until one day I started an online Hip Club for people like me.  One stop shopping to learn about hip replacements.  No need to obsess and stay up all night like I did (unless you want to).

I have had two different hips replaced in two different ways, with two different materials and components.  I’m learning it’s not the years, it’s the miles – so I budget my hips.  I don’t ski, I don’t jog – but that’s just me.  I love to walk and I love to swim.  My left (metal) hip lets me know when I’ve done too much.  It has affected sex a bit, but barely noticeable if it’s done right.  I notice people as they walk by me, that maybe need or have had a hip replacement.  It’s some kind of alien connection to other bionics.  Finally, instead of saying “why me”, let’s get in the habit of saying “why not me”…and see what magic we can create for ourselves and for others in our orbit.

Fill out the form below and we will schedule a time for a no-cost 15 minute informational and supportive phone call regarding joint replacement do’s and don’ts.

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HIP Patient Stories | Zimmer | Jodi

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Hula Hooping Jodi

A personal surgery preparation regimen“Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought I needed a hip replacement,” said 57-year-old Zimmer Hip recipient Jodi Seidler. “It started out as an ache in my leg, and soon I couldn’t walk.” Declining surgery, Jodi spent two painful years in denial going to physical therapy, trying acupuncture, talking to psychics, taking medications and just plain praying for a miracle. Having never undergone surgery, Jodi was fearful of the unknown. “I didn’t really understand what was going to happen to me or what it would entail,” she said. “I didn’t want to be alone and the fear pretty much took over.”

via Patient Stories | Zimmer | Jodi.

TIP ONE – the Doctor Visit

Things you need to know when you visit your Doctor….Tip One!

A HIP New World

 

 

Well, the more people I meet, the more I hear about becoming bionic – with all types of body parts being replaced…it’s pretty surreal, especially when you go through it yourself.