The aim of this study was to assess the effect of emotional stress experienced by patients prior to surgery on the process of post-surgical recovery. The study covered 50 hospitalised patients (31 women and 19 men) who underwent hip replacement procedures. The research relied on STAI-X1 anxiety questionnaire, as well as a specially prepared survey and the analysis of medical documentation. The results of the study suggest that fears most frequently listed by patients include fear of pain and anaesthesia, as well as anxieties related to the possibility of medical complications and the need to rely on a stranger. A positive statistical correlation was found between the level of emotional stress and the occurrence of psychological and care problems in the first three days following the surgery (unfounded anxieties, self-removal of drainage, ports or dressing). In addition, a statistically significant relation was found between the emotional stress level before the surgery and the number of times the patient's blood pressure exceeded 140/90 mmHg (p = 0.0408), as well as his or her consumption of analgesics (p = 0.0033), sedatives (p = 0.0340) and soporific drugs (p = 0.0273) in postoperative period.