Itnoc,
I had total hip replacement 2 1/2 months ago. I was in a lot of groin pain and that was causing me to limp which then gave me back pain.
I chose to have the surgery because of that.
I had a great surgeon and a really good hospital experience. I had the surgery on a Monday and went home Tuesday and went to physical therapy on Thursday. The first week was challenging, the second week was also. I did return to my job the second week, though. I work from home and was able to work part time the second week.
Week three, I saw a significant improvement in mobility and began reducing pain meds.
I am very happy that I had the surgery and I am 90% recovered. When the weather cools off, I will be able to resume outdoor activities that I had not been able to enjoy prior to hip replacement.
It is major surgery- make no mistake. I watched a video of a hip replacement.
My vote is:
Yes to the surgery
No to watching the video

I would not make a decision on joint replacement based on what is written here. Most posters here have had bad experiences - IMO because they didn't do enough pt both pre and post surgery. There are a few who have had genuine complications. Joint replacement is common now but it's still a lot of trauma.

Talk with your surgeon and ask a lot of questions. Be aggressive about pre and post surgical physical therapy. Most people are very happy with the results. Just remember the patient has to do most of the work!

I'm sorry to hear you have groin pain, and I can tell you I lived with it for years, with lots of exercise, injections and PT to try to fix it without surgery because I was only in my early 50's. It was not a fulfilling way to live. Please read more closely what @susanfalcon52 and @heyjoe415 have to say. They are the most typical of hip replacement recipients.

A very small percentage of hip replacement patients have serious or long-lasting complications. A greater percentage are upset or disappointed because they don't understand that this is major surgery, and healing takes time. Or that they have to do therapy right after surgery, every day, even if they hurt. Or they forgot how badly they hurt before surgery, asnd are surprised that the relief is not instant.

Often when people hurt after surgery, they are upset with the surgeon who said at the pre-op appointment "healing takes 4-6 weeks." What the surgeon should say is "The incision is fully healed in 4-6 weeks and the implant is joining with the bone - but full recovery takes 4-6 months for most. You need to do your exercises and get up and walk every day even when it hurts."
Or at follow-up appointment they say "there's nothing wrong with the new joint." When what they should say is "the implant and incision look fine, now you need to start a program of exercise and get everything strong again."

My story began when I was in my early 50's and could no longer run, get onto my bicycle, or jump to hit a volleyball. One day a much older acquaintance who knew nothing of my medical history took one look at me limping up a slight incline and said, "When are you going to get those hips fixed, anyway?" The next week, my Mom asked me the same question.

That led me to clear my work calendar, call the surgeon and schedule 2 hip replacements just 6 weeks apart. Within 4 months, I was pain-free, able to walk, dance, hike, bike, travel and garden again. Several years later I needed revisions for an unrelated problem, and did it all over again. That recovery took a little longer.

Now, 18 years after the initial surgeries, 12 years after the revisions, I can tell you that I would do it again in a heartbeat. I went into surgery as strong as I could be, then did my therapy faithfully for months afterward. But now I am able to walk for miles, travel, garden & bicycle some (my lungs limit me) and go on adventures with my little grandsons.

So, yes, stay as strong as you can for as long as you can. But, when the pain interferes with life...seriously consider joint replacement.
Sue

I went to PT for several months because of my groin pain. I had my left hip replaced July 5 and it is better. Still have pain in right hip, which will be replaced in November.
I do think trying to be fitter is a good start toward recovery after surgery. Best of luck.