The Hip Replacement Podcast

Chris Bystriansky

The Hip Replacement Podcast: Recovery Tips, Insights, Inspiration The Hip Replacement Podcast is a leading resource for people searching for hip replacement, hip replacement surgery, hip replacement recovery, and life after hip replacement. Whether you’re preparing for hip surgery, recovering from a hip replacement, or learning how to live fully after hip replacement surgery, this podcast offers real-world insight from someone who has lived it. Hosted by Chris Bystriansky—author, IRONMAN triathlete, and double hip replacement patient—this podcast focuses on what patients actually want to know about hip surgery recovery and recovering from hip replacement. Chris had both hips replaced more than a decade ago and went on to complete two IRONMAN triathlons, endurance events, and maintain an active lifestyle that includes golf, fitness, and travel. His journey demonstrates what’s possible when recovery is approached with patience, perspective, and purpose. This podcast does not provide medical advice. Chris is not a doctor, surgeon, or physical therapist. Instead, he shares lived experience, guidance, and inspiration to help hip replacement patients better understand what to expect after hip replacement, navigate setbacks, and confidently move forward. Each weekly episode explores highly searched topics related to hip replacement recovery and life after hip replacement, including: • Preparing mentally and physically for hip replacement surgery • Pain, stiffness, nerve sensations, and sleep after hip replacement • Tools, equipment, pools, and strategies for hip surgery recovery • How long does it take to recover from hip replacement surgery • Getting back to walking, running, golf, swimming, and daily life • Intimacy, scars, leg length concerns, and confidence after surgery • Overcoming fear, frustration, and the stigma of hip replacement • Real comeback stories and long-term success after hip replacement The Hip Replacement Podcast is for: • People scheduled for hip replacement surgery • Patients recovering from hip replacement at any stage • Active adults seeking a better life after hip replacement • Anyone living with a hip replacement who wants more than “just OK” or "Back to Normal" Chris is also the author of NEW STEEL, a book chronicling his hip replacement surgeries and his path back to endurance sports, and he brings the same honesty and encouragement to every episode. If you’re searching for hip replacement recovery, hip surgery recovery, living with a hip replacement, or inspiration from someone who truly understands the journey, this podcast is for you. New hips. New you. Let’s go.

  1. 4d ago

    Worst Hip Recovery Advice Ever - Ep. 60

    Worst Hip Replacement Recovery Advice Ever ►► Download my Top 12 Tips for Hip Replacement Patients here ►Get my book, NEW STEEL here - available in hardcover, paperback, eBook and audio versions ►For more information, or to send a question or comment, visit The Hip Replacement Podcast website   The Most Dangerous Hip Replacement Recovery Advice? “Listen to Your Body.” “Listen to your body” may sound like smart hip replacement recovery advice—but what if your body is giving you incomplete, delayed, or misleading information? In Episode 60 of The Hip Replacement Podcast, Chris challenges one of the most common clichés heard after hip replacement surgery. He explains three reasons this advice can work against a successful recovery: pain medication, adrenaline, or relief from pre-surgery pain can make you feel better than your healing tissues actually are; warning signs such as dehydration, fatigue, swelling, and pain may arrive only after you have already overdone it; and hip replacement rehabilitation often requires movement when your body would rather stay in bed. Chris also discusses walking after hip replacement, post-surgery pain, physical therapy, activity limits, and why feeling good in the moment does not always mean your new hip, muscles, and femur are ready for more. Whether you are preparing for surgery, beginning hip replacement recovery, or trying to regain strength and mobility, this episode will help you question vague recovery advice and better understand what your body may—and may not—be telling you. Subscribe to The Hip Replacement Podcast for practical information, honest recovery experiences, and encouragement to help you live your best life after hip replacement surgery. New hips. New you. Let’s go.   Thanks for joining THE HIP REPLACEMENT PODCAST. -Chris   LIKE, SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW If you liked this episode, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review!  Your support helps us reach more hip replacement patients who need these insights and inspiration. Thanks for tuning into THE HIP REPLACEMENT PODCAST!  See you next time.

    Worst Hip Recovery Advice Ever - Ep. 60
  2. Jul 17

    Travel - Soon After a Hip Replacement - Ep. 59

    Travel soon after hip replacement ►► Download my Top 12 Tips for Hip Replacement Patients here ►Get my book, NEW STEEL here - available in hardcover, paperback, eBook and audio versions ►For more information, or to send a question or comment, visit The Hip Replacement Podcast website   Travel After Hip Replacement: Flying, Driving, Blood Clots, Swelling & Recovery Risks Travel after hip replacement surgery can feel exciting, but traveling too soon after a hip replacement can put your recovery, mobility, and new hip at risk. In Episode 59 of The Hip Replacement Podcast, Chris talks about travel soon after hip replacement surgery—days, weeks, or the first month after surgery—and why the biggest question may not be how to make the trip comfortable, but whether you should travel at all. This episode covers surgeon clearance, risk tolerance, blood clot and DVT concerns, swelling and pain during long sitting, wound care and infection concerns, medication timing, compression stockings, walking aids, luggage, fatigue, airport wheelchair assistance, and the challenges of flying, driving, trains, boats, hotels, and unfamiliar places during early hip replacement recovery. Chris also shares practical things to consider before a wedding, graduation, business trip, vacation, road trip, or flight after hip replacement. If travel is optional, timing may matter. If travel is necessary, planning matters even more. Talk with your surgeon, protect your incision, keep medications accessible, schedule movement breaks, stay hydrated, and think about how every part of the trip affects your recovery. For anyone asking “Can I travel after hip replacement?” or “How soon can I fly after hip replacement?” this episode helps you think through the risks before you go. New hips. New you. Let’s go. Thanks for joining THE HIP REPLACEMENT PODCAST. -Chris   LIKE, SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW If you liked this episode, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review!  Your support helps us reach more hip replacement patients who need these insights and inspiration. Thanks for tuning into THE HIP REPLACEMENT PODCAST!  See you next time.

    Travel - Soon After a Hip Replacement - Ep. 59
  3. Jul 11

    Travel - Long After a Hip Replacement - Ep. 58

    Traveling After Hip Replacement: Long Flights, Long Car Rides, Stiffness, Swelling and Staying Mobile ►► Download my Top 12 Tips for Hip Replacement Patients here ►Get my book, NEW STEEL here - available in hardcover, paperback, eBook and audio versions ►For more information, or to send a question or comment, visit The Hip Replacement Podcast website How to Travel Comfortably Years After Hip Replacement Surgery Long Flights After Hip Replacement Travel – Long After a Hip Replacement Travel after hip replacement can feel completely normal—until hours in a plane seat or car remind you that your body still has limits. In this episode of The Hip Replacement Podcast, Chris shares what he noticed during several weeks of travel that included long flights to Hawaii, extended drives, cramped seats, limited movement and the stiffness that can show up even more than a decade after hip replacement surgery. If you are planning a long flight after hip replacement, a long car ride after hip replacement or any trip requiring hours of sitting, this episode will help you think through the challenges that may affect your comfort, mobility and recovery. Chris discusses hip stiffness, tight hip flexors, glute and hamstring tension, lower back discomfort, leg and ankle swelling, dehydration, reduced flexibility and the difficulty of taking those first few steps after sitting for a long period. You will also hear why movement matters during travel, including walking when possible, changing positions, flexing the ankles and contracting the calf muscles. Chris explains why blood clot awareness is important, especially as we age, and why travelers should speak with their doctor if they have concerns about deep vein thrombosis, compression stockings or medication before a long trip. The episode also covers airplane seat comfort, limited legroom, sitting unevenly, hydration, nutrition and the risks of lifting heavy luggage or twisting in tight spaces. Chris shares a travel discovery involving an inflatable seat cushion, along with a humorous warning about suitcases that somehow contain enough belongings for a five-year expedition. Most importantly, this episode is a reminder that hip replacement recovery does not end after the first few weeks or months. Years later, travel can still create temporary stiffness, weakness and discomfort—but smart planning, regular movement and patience can help you stay active and enjoy the trip. Whether you are flying across the country, driving for ten hours, visiting family or heading on vacation, these hip replacement travel tips can help you feel more prepared before you leave, while you travel and after you return home. New hips. New you. Let’s go. Thanks for joining THE HIP REPLACEMENT PODCAST. -Chris   LIKE, SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW If you liked this episode, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review!  Your support helps us reach more hip replacement patients who need these insights and inspiration. Thanks for tuning into THE HIP REPLACEMENT PODCAST!  See you next time.

    Travel - Long After a Hip Replacement - Ep. 58
  4. Jul 1

    Why Am I Still Limping? Gait - Part 2 - Ep. 57

    Still limping after hip replacement? Your new hip may be fine—but your gait may still need work. ►► Download my Top 12 Tips for Hip Replacement Patients here ►Get my book, NEW STEEL here - available in hardcover, paperback, eBook and audio versions ►For more information, or to send a question or comment, visit The Hip Replacement Podcast website Why Your Limp May Continue After Hip Replacement Surgery Why Am I Still Limping? Gait – Part 2 Why am I still limping after hip replacement surgery? In this episode of The Hip Replacement Podcast, Chris explains six common gait problems that can affect walking after a total hip replacement, including weak hip muscles, short strides, poor balance, leg length discrepancy, altered foot position and the lingering walking habits developed before surgery. Hip replacement surgery may remove the damaged joint, but it does not automatically correct years of muscle weakness, compensation and poor walking mechanics. Chris shares his personal experience with uneven leg length, reduced balance, numbness, weak stabilizer muscles and a foot that turns slightly outward after surgery. You’ll also learn why getting rid of a walker, crutches or cane too quickly may reinforce a limp, why walking farther is not always better and how physical therapy, strength exercises, flexibility and gait training may help improve your walking pattern. The goal is not just to walk more. It is to walk safely, evenly and confidently. A new hip can remove the reason you learned to limp, but it may not automatically remove the limp you learned. New hips. New you. Let’s go. Thanks for joining THE HIP REPLACEMENT PODCAST. -Chris   LIKE, SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW If you liked this episode, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review!  Your support helps us reach more hip replacement patients who need these insights and inspiration. Thanks for tuning into THE HIP REPLACEMENT PODCAST!  See you next time.

    Why Am I Still Limping? Gait - Part 2 - Ep. 57
  5. Jun 25

    Why Am I Still Limping? Gait - Part 1 - Ep. 56

    Why You May Still Limp After Successful Hip Replacement Surgery ►► Download my Top 12 Tips for Hip Replacement Patients here ►Get my book, NEW STEEL here - available in hardcover, paperback, eBook and audio versions ►For more information, or to send a question or comment, visit The Hip Replacement Podcast website Why Am I Still Limping? Still Limping After Hip Replacement? Why are you still limping after hip replacement surgery—even when your X-rays look perfect? Limping after hip replacement, abnormal gait, walking problems, muscle weakness and ongoing hip pain can continue even after a successful total hip replacement. In Episode 56 of The Hip Replacement Podcast, Chris explains why replacing the damaged hip joint does not automatically correct every part of your walking pattern or eliminate a limp. A hip replacement surgeon repairs the mechanical joint, but your gait may also be affected by years of compensation, weak muscles, reduced balance, shorter stride length, leg length differences, foot position and habits your body developed before surgery. That means a successful hip replacement and a lingering limp can exist at the same time. Chris shares how limping affected his confidence, work, travel and everyday life before surgery, including the unusual way a workplace lanyard helped him recognize when he was swaying from side to side. This episode lays the foundation for understanding gait after hip replacement and why recovery often requires more than surgery alone. If you are wondering why you still limp, why walking feels uneven or why your hip recovery is taking longer than expected, this conversation will help you better understand what may be happening—and why improvement is still possible. New hips. New you. Let’s go. Thanks for joining THE HIP REPLACEMENT PODCAST. -Chris   LIKE, SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW If you liked this episode, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review!  Your support helps us reach more hip replacement patients who need these insights and inspiration. Thanks for tuning into THE HIP REPLACEMENT PODCAST!  See you next time.

    Why Am I Still Limping? Gait - Part 1 - Ep. 56
  6. Jun 18

    The Way Forward is to Ask "What Now?" - NEW STEEL - Part 5 of 5 - Ep. 55

    The Way Forward is to ask "What Now?" ►►Get my book, NEW STEEL here - available in hardcover, paperback, eBook and audio versions ►► Download my Top 12 Tips for Hip Replacement Patients here ►For more information, or to send a question or comment, visit The Hip Replacement Podcast website Hip Replacement Recovery Mindset Shift The Way Forward is to Ask "What Now?” Hip replacement recovery starts changing when you stop asking “Why me?” and start asking “What now?” In Episode 55 of The Hip Replacement Podcast, Chris closes the special 5-part NEW STEEL series with one of the most important mindset shifts for anyone facing hip replacement surgery, recovering after total hip replacement, or trying to rebuild confidence after hip pain, surgery, fear, and loss of mobility. When you are told you may need hip replacement surgery, it is completely normal to ask, “Why me?” Why my hip? Why my body? Why now? Why am I dealing with this when other people seem fine? Those questions are human. But if we stay there too long, “Why me?” can turn into feeling stuck, helpless, or powerless. The better question — the question that moves you forward — is “What now?” What are my options? How do I prepare for hip replacement surgery? What can I control? How do I recover well? What support do I need? How do I take physical therapy seriously without doing too much too soon? What kind of active, confident, meaningful life do I want after hip replacement? In this episode, Chris shares how asking “What now?” helped him move from denial and fear into ownership, preparation, recovery, and eventually a bigger life after two hip replacements. This is not about blaming yourself. It is about taking ownership of your hip replacement recovery, your mindset, your choices, and your next step. Whether you are before surgery, right after surgery, working through physical therapy, years into life after hip replacement, or supporting someone you love, this episode is a reminder that your hardest season does not have to define your future. Different does not mean worse. Different can still be active, meaningful, confident, and full of purpose. This final episode in the NEW STEEL series brings together the biggest themes: life after hip replacement, fear, small wins, using your setback to help others, and asking the powerful question that keeps opening doors — what now? New hips. New you. Let’s go. Thanks for joining THE HIP REPLACEMENT PODCAST. -Chris   LIKE, SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW If you liked this episode, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review!  Your support helps us reach more hip replacement patients who need these insights and inspiration. Thanks for tuning into THE HIP REPLACEMENT PODCAST!  See you next time.

    The Way Forward is to Ask "What Now?" - NEW STEEL - Part 5 of 5 - Ep. 55
  7. Jun 16

    Your Story Can Help Others - NEW STEEL - Part 4 of 5 - Ep. 54

    How Your Hip Replacement Story Can Help Someone Else ►►Get my book, NEW STEEL here - available in hardcover, paperback, eBook and audio versions ►► Download my Top 12 Tips for Hip Replacement Patients here ►For more information, or to send a question or comment, visit The Hip Replacement Podcast website Your Setback Can Help Others The Power to Help Others Your Setback may Become Someone Else’s Survival Guide Hip replacement recovery can feel scary, lonely, and overwhelming — but your story may help someone else keep going. In this episode of The Hip Replacement Podcast, Chris continues the five-part NEW STEEL series with a powerful message: your setback may become someone else’s survival guide. If you are facing hip replacement surgery, recovering from hip replacement, dealing with fear before surgery, struggling with pain, or wondering whether life after hip replacement will feel normal again, this episode is for you. Chris shares why lived experience matters so much during hip replacement recovery. Doctors, surgeons, and physical therapists can explain the medical side, but there is something different about hearing from another hip replacement patient who understands the fear, frustration, impatience, loneliness, and hope that come with the journey. This episode is a reminder that you do not need to have all the answers to encourage someone else. Your recovery story, your setbacks, your small wins, and your honest lessons may help another patient feel less alone. And when you help someone else, you may also realize how far you’ve come. Whether you are preparing for hip replacement surgery, recovering from total hip replacement, or supporting someone through hip surgery recovery, this conversation offers encouragement, hope, and connection for the road ahead. New hips. New you. Let’s go. Thanks for joining THE HIP REPLACEMENT PODCAST. -Chris   LIKE, SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW If you liked this episode, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review!  Your support helps us reach more hip replacement patients who need these insights and inspiration. Thanks for tuning into THE HIP REPLACEMENT PODCAST!  See you next time.

    Your Story Can Help Others - NEW STEEL - Part 4 of 5 - Ep. 54
  8. Jun 3

    One Small Win at a Time - NEW STEEL - Part 3 of 5 - Ep. 53

    Hip Replacement Recovery Happens One Small Win at a Time ►►Get my book, NEW STEEL here - available in hardcover, paperback, eBook and audio versions ►► Download my Top 12 Tips for Hip Replacement Patients here ►For more information, or to send a question or comment, visit The Hip Replacement Podcast website   Hip Replacement Recovery: Small Wins Mean Big Success  Hip replacement recovery is built one small win, one careful step, and one brick of confidence at a time. In this episode of The Hip Replacement Podcast, Chris continues the five-part NEW STEEL series with one of the most important lessons for anyone recovering from hip replacement surgery: recovery is built one small win at a time. After hip replacement surgery, many patients wait for the big moment — walking without pain, returning to golf, yoga, travel, work, exercise, or finally feeling “normal” again. But hip replacement recovery usually begins much smaller. Standing for the first time. Taking a few careful steps with a walker. Getting to the restroom. Sleeping a little better. Doing physical therapy exercises. Walking with better posture. Asking for help. Resting instead of overdoing it. Chris shares why small wins matter so much after hip replacement, how comparison can damage confidence, and why every recovery timeline is different. Hip surgery recovery is not linear, and patients may have good days, frustrating days, soreness, fatigue, setbacks, and slow progress — all while still healing. This episode is encouragement for hip replacement patients who feel behind, frustrated, impatient, or unsure if they are making progress. Recovery takes time, consistency, patience, medical guidance, and trust. One small win at a time, confidence returns, strength builds, independence grows, and life starts expanding again. New hips. New you. Let’s go. Thanks for joining THE HIP REPLACEMENT PODCAST. -Chris   LIKE, SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW If you liked this episode, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review!  Your support helps us reach more hip replacement patients who need these insights and inspiration. Thanks for tuning into THE HIP REPLACEMENT PODCAST!  See you next time.

    One Small Win at a Time - NEW STEEL - Part 3 of 5 - Ep. 53
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About

The Hip Replacement Podcast: Recovery Tips, Insights, Inspiration The Hip Replacement Podcast is a leading resource for people searching for hip replacement, hip replacement surgery, hip replacement recovery, and life after hip replacement. Whether you’re preparing for hip surgery, recovering from a hip replacement, or learning how to live fully after hip replacement surgery, this podcast offers real-world insight from someone who has lived it. Hosted by Chris Bystriansky—author, IRONMAN triathlete, and double hip replacement patient—this podcast focuses on what patients actually want to know about hip surgery recovery and recovering from hip replacement. Chris had both hips replaced more than a decade ago and went on to complete two IRONMAN triathlons, endurance events, and maintain an active lifestyle that includes golf, fitness, and travel. His journey demonstrates what’s possible when recovery is approached with patience, perspective, and purpose. This podcast does not provide medical advice. Chris is not a doctor, surgeon, or physical therapist. Instead, he shares lived experience, guidance, and inspiration to help hip replacement patients better understand what to expect after hip replacement, navigate setbacks, and confidently move forward. Each weekly episode explores highly searched topics related to hip replacement recovery and life after hip replacement, including: • Preparing mentally and physically for hip replacement surgery • Pain, stiffness, nerve sensations, and sleep after hip replacement • Tools, equipment, pools, and strategies for hip surgery recovery • How long does it take to recover from hip replacement surgery • Getting back to walking, running, golf, swimming, and daily life • Intimacy, scars, leg length concerns, and confidence after surgery • Overcoming fear, frustration, and the stigma of hip replacement • Real comeback stories and long-term success after hip replacement The Hip Replacement Podcast is for: • People scheduled for hip replacement surgery • Patients recovering from hip replacement at any stage • Active adults seeking a better life after hip replacement • Anyone living with a hip replacement who wants more than “just OK” or "Back to Normal" Chris is also the author of NEW STEEL, a book chronicling his hip replacement surgeries and his path back to endurance sports, and he brings the same honesty and encouragement to every episode. If you’re searching for hip replacement recovery, hip surgery recovery, living with a hip replacement, or inspiration from someone who truly understands the journey, this podcast is for you. New hips. New you. Let’s go.