A friend of mine needed to have a hip replaced and the doctor wouldn't do it unless he quit smoking. I've had both knees replaced but I never smoked. There was a program I was required to attend before the operation that they went through everything that would happen and explained that people who smoke don't heal as well or as quickly. I live alone and they wouldn't do both knees at the same time. They wanted me to go to a care facility for a week after the operation. I told them I would go home. I had to prove to the physical therapist that I could dress myself and climb stairs before she decided I could go home. A couple years later when I had the second one done, they again wanted me to go to a care facility. The physical therapist brought in her supervisor to try to convince me. The supervisor was the one I had after the first one. She recognized me and said, "if he thinks he can go home, he can go home".
Some people don't do the physical therapy which is why they want them to go to a place that will encourage them to keep moving. The more you move, the quicker it heals.
