Orthopaedic & Rehab Tours · Chengdu 成都
Chengdu
Fast-Track Joint Replacement
About three weeks for a knee or hip replacement at West China Hospital, Sichuan University, whose researchers led a multicentre trial of fast-track (enhanced recovery) joint replacement, with rehab in Chengdu's teahouses and parks and a day at Dujiangyan near the end.
Trip length
21 days / 20 nights
Orthopaedic program
Joint replacement + rehab
Best time to go
March–June and September–November
Best for
Knee or hip arthritis; travellers who like a slow pace
Overview
Enhanced-recovery joint replacement, then a slow, teahouse-paced rehab.
West China Hospital is one of China's largest teaching hospitals. Its researchers led a multicentre randomised trial in which a fast-track pathway cut the average hospital stay after hip or knee replacement to about six days, from about eight.
Chengdu's relaxed pace suits rehab: teahouse afternoons, flat parks and, once you're walking well, a day at the ancient Dujiangyan irrigation system.
This route suits
- Adults whose knee or hip arthritis needs replacement
- Patients interested in an enhanced-recovery pathway
- Travellers who'd enjoy Chengdu's food and teahouse life during rehab
- People with a companion for three weeks
Orthopaedic program · Joint replacement + rehab
What the orthopaedic care covers
Assessment & plan
Surgery is only confirmed once the surgeon has examined you.
- Review of your X-rays or MRI before you travel
- Consultation and examination with an orthopaedic surgeon (English interpreting)
- Pre-operative tests: blood tests, ECG and anything else needed
- Written plan with implant type and itemised price
Joint replacement
Knee or hip replacement with an enhanced-recovery pathway.
- Total or partial knee replacement, or total hip replacement
- Walking with a physiotherapist as early as you're able, usually within a day
- Blood-clot prevention: medicine, stockings and early movement
- Hospital stay of about a week, depending on progress
Rehabilitation
Daily physiotherapy until you're safe to fly home.
- Daily physiotherapy sessions after discharge
- Walking aids and a home exercise programme
- Wound check and stitch or clip removal
- Surgeon review and fitness-to-fly clearance before departure
Records & handover
So your doctor and physiotherapist at home can take over.
- Written summary in English, including the implant make and model
- X-rays and scans to take home
- Rehab plan for your physiotherapist at home
- Follow-up video call with your coordinator
Surgery is confirmed by the surgeon after examining you, not before. More on procedures, implants and prices: orthopaedic surgery guide · sports medicine
Not sure surgery is the answer?
Send your X-rays or MRI and a short history. A surgeon tells you what your Chengdu trip could involve — free, with no obligation.
Treatment timeline
How the treatment fits the trip
| Visit | When | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Days 1–3 | Before surgery | Assessment, tests and a final decision with the surgeon. |
| About one week | In hospital | Surgery and the first days of walking and physiotherapy. |
| About two weeks | Rehab stay | Daily physiotherapy near the hospital, gentle outings, surgeon review and clearance to fly. |
| Afterwards | At home | Physiotherapy with your own team using the plan we provide; a check-up at about six weeks. |
Built around recovery
How this trip protects your recovery
- Assessment in the first days
- Fast-track pathway: early walking and a shorter hospital stay where you're ready
- Step-free rehab hotel near the hospital
- Dujiangyan only in the last week, with the surgeon's go-ahead
- Surgeon clearance before you fly
Assessment day
What happens at the clinic
| 09:00 | Meet your coordinator at the hotel and travel to the hospital. Bring your passport, scans and medicines list. |
|---|---|
| 09:30 | Registration and history with an interpreter. |
| 10:00 | Examination by the orthopaedic surgeon; X-rays repeated if needed. |
| 11:00 | Pre-operative tests: blood tests, ECG and anything else the anaesthetist needs. |
| Afternoon | Plan, implant and price explained in writing. Surgery only goes ahead once you agree. |
Itinerary · 21 days / 20 nights
Day by day
- Days 1–3
Arrive & assessment
- Pick-up and hotel check-in
- Surgeon consultation and pre-operative tests
- Plan, implant and price agreed in writing
Overnight: Hotel near the hospital
- Days 4–10
Surgery & hospital stay
- Knee or hip replacement on the fast-track pathway
- Walking from the first day or so; daily ward physiotherapy
Overnight: West China Hospital
- Days 11–14
Rehab week 1
- Daily outpatient physiotherapy
- First outing: People's Park teahouse
Overnight: Rehab hotel
- Days 15–19
Rehab week 2
- Daily physiotherapy; wound check
- Outings: panda base, Wenshu Monastery, Dujiangyan (with the surgeon's go-ahead)
Overnight: Rehab hotel
- Day 20
Clearance
- Surgeon review and fitness-to-fly clearance
- Records, X-rays and rehab plan handed over
Overnight: Rehab hotel
- Day 21
Depart
- Wheelchair assistance arranged at the airport
Make this itinerary yours
Change the dates, add rest days, upgrade hotels or combine it with another route. Your coordinator sends a revised plan and itemised quote.
Travel
What you’ll see
People's Park teahouse
Chengdu's best-known open-air teahouse, ideal for sitting and watching city life.
Tip: Bamboo chairs are low; ask for a higher seat after a hip replacement.
Giant panda base
Pandas in landscaped enclosures, with electric carts around the site.
Tip: Take the carts; go early.
Wenshu Monastery
A working Buddhist monastery with quiet courtyards and a vegetarian restaurant.
Tip: Mostly flat.
Dujiangyan
A 2,000-year-old irrigation system on the Min River, with the Anlan suspension bridge. UNESCO-listed with Mount Qingcheng.
Tip: Last week only, and use the electric carts.
Hospitals
Where the treatment happens
West China Hospital, Sichuan University 四川大学华西医院
Public general teaching hospital · Sichuan University
Its researchers led a multicentre randomised trial of a fast-track pathway for hip and knee replacement, which shortened the average hospital stay to about six days, from about eight.
We use it for
- Knee and hip replacement
- Enhanced-recovery pathway
The hospital and surgeon are confirmed after reviewing your scans, dates and availability. An English-speaking coordinator accompanies you to every appointment. Ask for the implant make and model in writing in your quote.
Worried about the flight home?
Tell us where you're flying to. We'll plan the rehab so the surgeon can clear you to fly, and arrange airport wheelchair assistance and any certificate your airline needs.
Aftercare
Travelling after joint surgery
Blood clots
Keep up the clot-prevention medicine and stockings you're given, walk regularly, and drink water. On long journeys, move around at least every hour or so.
Flying
Only once your surgeon has cleared you. Book an aisle seat, ask for wheelchair assistance at the airport, and carry your discharge summary.
Exercises
Do your physiotherapy exercises every day. They matter more than anything else for how well the new joint works.
Warning signs
Calf pain or swelling, chest pain, breathlessness, fever or a red, leaking wound need urgent medical attention, wherever you are.
General guidance only. Follow the instructions of your own surgeon and physiotherapist.
Practical tips
Before you go
- Sichuan food is spicy; ask for 不辣 (bù là) while you recover.
- Chengdu is often overcast and mild, comfortable for outdoor rehab walks most of the year.
- Send recent X-rays (or MRI for sports injuries) and a summary of your symptoms and treatments so far.
- Bring a full list of medicines. Blood thinners and some arthritis drugs may need stopping before surgery, but only on medical advice.
- Have dental problems checked before a joint replacement; infections elsewhere can affect the new joint.
- Plan your home: a chair with arms, no loose rugs, and help for the first weeks back.
FAQ
Chengdu orthopaedic & rehab tour — answered.
- What does 'fast-track' mean?
- An enhanced-recovery pathway: careful pain control, getting up and walking as early as you can, and going home once you meet clear criteria. In West China Hospital's trial it shortened the average stay by about two days.
- Is Dujiangyan too much after surgery?
- It's a full day out, so it's only planned for the last week, and only if the surgeon and physiotherapist agree. Electric carts cover much of the site.
- When can I fly home after a knee or hip replacement?
- There's no evidence-based rule. Studies are limited, and surgeons' advice varies widely. Long flights of more than four hours carry a higher clot risk and usually need stronger prevention. That's why these routes allow about two weeks of rehab after discharge, and the surgeon clears you to fly. Some airlines also ask for a medical certificate, which we arrange.
- How long will I be in hospital?
- Usually about a week in China, longer than in some Western hospitals that use same-day or next-day discharge. You start walking with a physiotherapist as soon as you're able, usually within a day of surgery.
- Why are joint replacements cheaper in China?
- In 2021, China ran national volume-based procurement for artificial hip and knee joints. Implant prices fell by 82% on average (hip implants from about ¥35,000 to about ¥7,000; knees from about ¥32,000 to about ¥5,000). Surgery and hospital fees are charged separately.
- Which implant will I get?
- The surgeon recommends an implant for your joint, and the make and model are named in your quote and recorded in your discharge papers, so your doctors at home know exactly what you have.
- How much does an orthopaedic tour cost?
- It depends on the operation, the hospital, the length of rehab and the hotel. Send us your X-rays or MRI and your dates, and we'll reply with an itemised quote.
- Can a family member come?
- We recommend it. A companion helps a lot in the first weeks after surgery, and can stay at the rehab hotel with you.
Related guides
Other routes
Beijing · Joint Replacement & Rehab
21 days / 20 nights · Knee or hip arthritis needing replacement
View routeBeijing · Sports Injuries & Joint Pain
7 days / 6 nights · Knee, shoulder or ankle injuries; second opinions
View routeShanghai · Joint Replacement by the Bund
21 days / 20 nights · Knee or hip arthritis needing replacement
View routeChengdu, care included.
Get your itemised quote.
Share your dates, who’s travelling and any X-rays or MRI. We’ll confirm the hospital, program and rehab hotel, and pace the trip around your recovery.