Last reviewed: September 29, 2026

Usually within a few months, and for most people sex becomes easier rather than harder.

Before surgery, hip pain and stiffness are what most often get in the way. After surgery, most people say sex is at least as good as before, and many say it is better. Comfort and satisfaction improve more often than frequency does. The gains are seen in both men and women, and in some studies women gained more.

On average, people in the studies returned to sex about four months after surgery. Men tend to return sooner than women. Surveyed hip surgeons most often recommend waiting one to three months. According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, some people can resume within several weeks, depending on their condition.

The main worry is dislocation, the ball slipping out of the socket. It does happen: in a survey of US hip surgeons, about one in five knew of a patient whose hip dislocated during sex. How often it happens is not known.

Which positions carry risk is less settled than many advice sheets suggest. In a motion study of two volunteers, the positions that bent the woman’s hip the most, past a right angle, brought the parts of the new joint into contact, and whether they did depended partly on how the socket was angled. For the man, the one position of concern combined the leg turned outward, held back behind the body and drawn across the other leg. A later study using 3-D scans of patients’ new hips did not confirm the women’s findings, and flagged more positions used by men. Neither study counted real dislocations, and none has compared positions after surgery through the front and through the back.

Fear of dislocation is one of the main things that holds people back, in men and women alike. Most patients want to talk about it with their surgeon, but few are asked and few ask.

In general:

  • Raise the question with your surgeon, ideally before surgery.
  • Ask whether the way your hip was replaced carries any position limits, and for how long.
  • Early on, let comfort and your surgeon’s precautions guide you.
  • A hip that suddenly gives way, looks shorter or turned, or cannot bear weight needs emergency care.

Drafted with AI assistance from published sources, reviewed and edited by Babak Sheikh, MD.

Sources:

This is general information about what published research shows. It is not medical advice and it is not about your situation. Reading it does not create a doctor-patient relationship with me. I am a retired orthopedic surgeon and I do not see patients. Talk with your own doctor before changing anything about your care. If something feels suddenly or seriously wrong, get medical care promptly rather than waiting.

This page is provided as is. I make no guarantee that it is accurate, complete or current, and medical evidence changes. Use of it is at your own risk.

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