Hip Replacement Recovery at 82: Clare's Experience with the NICE1
Published · by Recovery Kit Team
Clare is 82 and had a total hip replacement on her right hip at Warwick Hospital. Three weeks after her operation, we visited her at home to hear how her recovery had gone. She had used a NICE1 cold and compression machine from Recovery Kit from the day she came out of hospital.
At a glance
- Who
- Clare, 82
- Operation
- Total right hip replacement at Warwick Hospital
- Used the NICE1
- From the day she came home, after her physio exercises and when she woke at night
- Her settings
- Intermittent, medium compression; Level 3 cold
- Turning point
- About ten days after surgery; walking into Warwick within three weeks
What is the NICE1?
The NICE1 is an iceless cold and compression therapy machine. You fill it with 300 ml of water once, wrap the hip or knee in a fitted wrap, and the machine cools the area while it gently squeezes and releases. Cold and compression are often used after joint replacement to help manage swelling and discomfort, and your surgeon or physio can tell you whether it suits your recovery.
Clare had seen an older type of machine before. A friend who had a knee operation had to freeze bottles of water and load them into her machine every time she used it. Clare put it simply:
When you think you just put three hundred millilitres of water in the beginning and you're done. It has to be the best.
Is the NICE1 easy to use at home after a hip replacement?
Clare found it easy from the first few uses.
I felt comfortable with it, I felt confident with it, and as I say, it's become my friend.
You can set how cold the machine runs and how much compression it gives. Clare settled on intermittent, medium compression and Level 3 on the cold settings, a middle ground she found comfortable after surgery. Her routine once she was home was straightforward: she kept the machine beside her chair, did the exercises her physio had given her, then sat with the machine on. “You just know it's doing you good. That's the important thing.”
Can cold and compression help with pain at night after a hip replacement?
For Clare, the nights were where the machine made the biggest difference. The information from her hospital had warned that nerve pain can be worse at night, when you are resting and the nerves around the operation site are more active. That matched her experience.
The night before we filmed, she woke in the early hours, came through to her sitting room at about 2.30am and put the machine on. The next thing she knew, it was quarter to five.
Sometimes I'd go to sleep while it was on, and that's wonderful, wonderful.
Night-time pain after joint surgery is common and very personal. If it is keeping you awake, speak to your surgeon, GP or physio about how to manage it alongside anything else you use.
How long did it take Clare to feel she was recovering?
Clare felt she had turned a corner at about ten days after her operation. “But then you notice it day by day.” A few days before we visited, she walked into Warwick and around the market.
It was wonderful to be up there in the market thinking, I'm here!
She was clear about what she thought had helped: “I'm sure it's the machine that's helped me recover more quickly.” Everyone's recovery is different, and it depends on the operation, your general health and the advice of your care team, so take Clare's timeline as one person's experience rather than a target.
“I'm a bit cocky, but I'm ever so proud of myself.”
Is a cold and compression machine only for athletes?
No. Machines like the NICE1 are used by professional sports teams, but most of the people we supply are recovering from a hip or knee replacement at home. Clare's view: “I found it invaluable, to be honest.” Her full story, from diagnosis to her plans for the tennis court, is in our case study. For more on cold therapy after this operation, read our guide to hip replacement recovery.
How do you get a NICE1 for your recovery?
You can hire a NICE1, take it on a monthly subscription or buy one outright, with a wrap for the hip, knee or another joint. Current prices are on the NICE1 page. Delivery is free across the UK, hires ordered before 2pm arrive the next day (excluding Sundays), and we can send it to wherever you will be recovering. Clare stayed with a friend for the first few days, and her machine was waiting there before she arrived from hospital.
If you have a surgery date and would like to talk through whether the NICE1 is right for you, call us on 020 7096 6404 or email hello@recoverykit.co.uk.
About Recovery Kit
Recovery Kit sells and hires out recovery equipment for people before and after surgery or injury, chosen because the data and patients' own experience show it works. We only offer products and services we genuinely believe in, and we care about every patient, family and care team we support, at every stage of recovery. We are the official UK partner of NICE Recovery Systems.
Frequently asked questions
When can I start using a cold and compression machine after a hip replacement?
Many people start once they are home from hospital, but the right time depends on your operation and your wound. Check with your surgeon or physio before you start, and follow their guidance on how often and how long to use it.
Does the NICE1 need ice?
No. The NICE1 is iceless. You add 300 ml of water at the start and the machine does the cooling, so there are no ice packs or frozen bottles to fetch.
Can I use the NICE1 at night?
Clare used hers when she woke in the night and found she drifted off with it running. Whether night-time use suits you is a question for your care team, who know your operation and your skin.
Can the NICE1 be delivered before my operation?
Yes. Delivery is free across the UK, and hires ordered before 2pm arrive the next day (excluding Sundays), so you can have it ready at home, or wherever you are staying, before you come out of hospital.
Is the NICE1 suitable for knee replacements too?
Yes. There are separate wraps for the hip, knee and other joints. Knee and hip replacement patients make up most of the people who hire a NICE1 from us.
Everyone's recovery is different. Always follow the advice of your own surgeon and physio.