Going Home the Same Day After a Knee or Hip Replacement

One of the first questions I get from patients considering a knee or hip replacement is: "How long will I be in the hospital?" When I tell them there's a good chance they'll be home sleeping in their own bed that same night, I usually get a double-take. And I get it — the idea of walking out of the hospital hours after having a joint replaced sounds almost too good to be true.

But same-day joint replacement isn't a gimmick. It's now the standard of care for the right patient, and the data behind it is strong. As someone ranked in the top 10 nationally for knee replacement volume, I've watched this shift happen in real time — and I've been part of it.

How we got here

Not long ago, a total knee replacement meant three to five days in the hospital, sometimes longer. A hip replacement wasn't much different. Patients were told to expect weeks of inpatient recovery before they could go home.

The shift has been dramatic. Better surgical techniques — including the anterior approach for hips — mean less tissue damage. Multimodal pain protocols have largely replaced the old model of relying on IV narcotics. And nerve blocks now give patients excellent pain control for the first 12–24 hours, which is the critical window.

For hips, I perform the direct anterior approach, which avoids cutting major muscles and is a big reason patients can mobilize so quickly. These aren't flashy marketing points — they're the technical reasons patients are able to go home safely on the same day.

Is it safe?

The short answer: yes, for the right patient. A large study from the Hospital for Special Surgery — where I completed my fellowship — analyzed nearly 1.8 million joint replacements and found no significant difference in complications or readmission rates between same-day and overnight patients for hip replacement. For knees, there was a marginally higher readmission rate in the same-day group, but overall complication rates were still under 1% in both groups.¹ That's reassuring data.

The key is patient selection. I'm not trying to send everyone home the same day just to hit a benchmark. If a patient has significant medical conditions we may plan for an overnight stay. There's no award for going home early if it's not safe. But for a reasonably healthy person with good support at home, same-day discharge isn't just possible — it's preferable.

What makes a good candidate?

The patients who do best with same-day discharge tend to share a few things in common: they're motivated, they have someone at home to help for the first few days, and they don't have major medical red flags. Age alone isn't a disqualifier — I've sent patients in their 80s home the same day, and they've done great. It's about overall health, not a number on a birthday cake.

We also prepare patients ahead of time. Pre-operative education, setting up the home environment, and having a clear plan for the first 48 hours after surgery all make a difference. When patients know what to expect, they recover faster and with less anxiety.

If you're considering a knee or hip replacement and wondering what the hospital stay looks like, I'd love to walk you through it in clinic. Every patient is different, and I'll always be upfront about what I think is the right plan for you.

This article is general education, not medical advice for your situation. Every knee and hip is different — talk with your own doctor about your care.