Returning to Sports and High-Impact Exercise After Total Hip Arthroplasty: What Should We Be Recommending in 2026?

The total number of total hip arthroplasties performed each year is expected to increase significantly over the coming decades. As a result, an increasing number of young patients are undergoing total hip arthroplasty while similarly, a growing subset of active elderly patients desire to return to sports or high-impact activity after surgery. Patients are typically provided restrictions and activities to avoid following surgery. For these patients, there is no clear consensus or guidelines regarding whether they should limit their activity level postoperatively and in particular, if returning to high-impact exercise increases their risk of complications and subsequent revision surgery. This article will discuss the most common complications after total hip arthroplasty and whether patients who return to sports or a high-impact activity after surgery may be more predisposed to these complications in comparison to their more sedentary peers.