One of the biggest questions I had leading up to my hip replacement was: “Can I keep working?” Between managing pain, planning time off, and financial concerns, the decision of when to stop working isn’t always straightforward. Here’s my real experience working right up until my surgery date.
Why I kept Working
When I had my first hip replacement, I worked right up until two days before surgery — and I’m doing the same thing this time. There are a lot of reasons why. Part of it, honestly, is pride. I wanted to squeeze every bit of use out of that original hip before it was officially retired.
Then there’s the financial side — bills don’t stop coming just because you’re hurting. The first time, I wasn’t as prepared. I ended up financing eight weeks of recovery on credit cards. This time, I’ve saved enough to get through that period without the stress.
Medicare takes care of the insurance side now, but it’s more than that — staying at work gives me routine, structure, and a sense of normalcy. It keeps my mind engaged and my spirits up. I manage a retail mattress store, and even though the pain has made some parts of the job harder, I’ve pushed through, one day at a time, until the surgery date.
The Physical Reality
Let me be real about what working with a bad hip actually felt like on a daily basis. My job involves everything you’d imagine in a retail store. Much of the day I’m sitting at my desk but I’m up and down a lot. Some days are busier than others but I do a lot of standing, moving mattresses and unloading mattress from trucks., and here’s what I dealt with: – some things are/were more difficult than others – like standing up and sitting down. Walking more than a few yards. I did have to make some adjustments, for instance i started sitting on a pillow, then 2 pillows to ease the pain in my hip and back. – [Impact on work – like “My productivity suffered because I was constantly avoiding as much movement as i could. My worst day was the day I was helping to unload a truck and my hip just failed. I stumbled and nearly fell, it was very painful. The reality is, I was functioning, but not thriving. And anyone watching could tell I was struggling.
What Working With a Bad Hip Really Felt Like
My job isn’t what most folks would call easy. I manage a retail mattress store, and that means I do a little of everything — sitting at a desk, helping customers, moving mattresses, even unloading trucks.
Some days are steady. Some days are chaos. But every day hurt.
Simple things got harder — standing up, sitting down, walking more than a few yards. I started sitting on a pillow. Then two pillows. Anything to take a little pressure off my hip and back.
As the weeks went on, I found myself constantly adjusting — avoiding certain movements, leaning on the counter more, taking smaller steps. My productivity suffered because so much energy went into just managing the pain.
The worst day was the day my hip just failed. I was helping unload a truck, and it gave out. I stumbled and nearly fell. The pain was sharp and deep — the kind that stops you cold. But I still finished the job.
The truth is, I was functioning, but not thriving. And anyone watching could tell I was struggling.
The Waiting Game
Here’s what people don’t always realize about hip replacement: you don’t just schedule it and have surgery next week.
I had to book mine three months out. That meant three more months of living and working with the ever-increasing pain, dealing with the loss of mobility, and trying to keep up with life in the meantime. Every day was a balancing act — trying to do enough to stay active, but not so much that I paid for it later.
It’s not just physical. The waiting is its own challenge. You’ve committed to the surgery, but you still have to live your life — go to work, handle responsibilities, do all the usual things — with a hip that’s essentially done.
There’s also the mental part — the uncertainty, the anxiety, the wondering what kind of relief you’ll really get afterward. You try to stay hopeful, but it’s hard not to count the days.
Wrap up
If you’re facing hip replacement and wondering about the work situation, I hope my experience helps. The decision of whether to keep working — and for how long — is deeply personal. It depends on your job, your pain level, your financial situation, and a dozen other factors only you can weigh. What I can tell you is this: listen to your body, plan ahead as much as you can, and don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it. Watch the video above for more details about my experience, and if you’re going through something similar, feel free to share your story in the comments. I’m documenting my entire hip replacement journey here — from the decision to have surgery through recovery and beyond. More posts coming soon!
Leave a Reply