I'm 36 and just had THR on my left hip 10 days ago and i am a little scared that i am pushing too hard and advancing a little bit too fast. I haven't had to use pain pills since day 4. I have been up walking a lot, resting an hour or so every afternoon. I drove day 5, my physical therapist says as long as I continue to follow my precautions I'm fine. I set a goal to be up and walking without an aid by my birthday April 7th. I am well on my way of doing this, my question is should I slow down or are my goals realistic?
Well, IF you are following your therapists recommendations you should be fine. BUT.....in all of my research and reading the posts on here, your therapist is pushing you hard and fast at the rate you are going. Not having to take pain meds is okay....that's the only thing I see that isn't pushing too soon. I would hate to see you have a big setback because you are doing too much too soon. Are you walking with crutches? Did your doctor say you could drive? Listen to your body.....it'll tell you when you over do things, but be careful because sometimes your body tells you in a bad way. Hip replacement is a MAJOR surgery that takes MONTHS to recover from! You can pop that piece out so easily and then you will be laid up for even longer. Just be careful.....VERY CAREFUL.......or you can do permanent damage that you will regret.
I wish you the best......take it easy!
Regi
We are all different as you will see from this forum . You are young and seem to be doing fine . I am 60 so it's taking longer with me .
If you read other comments on here many people including me are told not to drive until 6 weeks check when dr gives you all clear as your ins would not be valid if you haven't informed them .
it didn't cost me anything they just made a note but you know what ins companies are like ! Better to be safe than sorry .
Continue to get lots of rest .
Good luck
Mary
south wales uk
Wich approach did you got? wow driving so fast?
i am 37 i am still need to walk with aid, after 3 weeks, well 3 weeks will be tomororw
Hi,
Dont rush yourself and compare to others as we are all different and repair at different rates of speed. Pace yourself as to how you feel especially pain wise, you will get there. If you push too hard and displace your new hip then you will take a long time recovering.
best wishes
Hello five04boy
If its not hurting then it sounds OK but if it hurts you should rest, sounds like you are resting as well but don't fall into the trap of pushing yourself, remember its the muscles inside your leg that need to mend as they have all been cut, they take a lot longer than what we can see on the outside, so I don't think you should push yourself any harder.
Good luck and remember listen to your body.
Hi.
In my opinion you are going WAY too fast. I know advancing is great but driving on day 5? Are you saying that you are able to do a full emergency stop, both in practice, ie ramming your hip up and applying sufficient pressure to the brakes to stop, and both for your own safety, ie ramming your hip up and applying sufficient pressure isn't going to do you serious damage and out you back in hospital. If you are unable to complete an emergency stop and do find yourself in a collision your insurance won't cover you. Remember it doesn't matter how good or safe a driver you are, you can't prevent that child running across the road, or that car running the red ligt.
I wasnt released from from hospital until day 5 due to bladder issues. The anaesthetic took 2 days to wear off from my bladder. I'm day 16 post LTHR and I am 30 years old. Being off pain relief is great and well done. I'm still on paracetamol and naproxen morning and night so for that I applaud you.
Have you seen your physical therapist since being discharged from hospital? I havent and dont have an appt until 8th April where I join in with a hip class, which I'm really looking forward to. But I wonder if you are going for The advice they give prior to discharge of do whatever you can do as long as you follow the important rules ie 90 deg and rest frequently.
how is your walking? Aided with crutches or you walking freely with no limp and good posture.
this probably seems like a really downer of a post and I don't want it to come across that way, and reading it, it looks really negative and for that I can only apologise. What I would say though is that you only get one chance to recover from this properly. You have had MAJOR surgery. Your body has been drilled, sawed and been through significant trauma. Do you really want to have to put yourself through it again? Steady progress is good progress at such an early stage, it's the turtle who wins the race. Please, please be careful. You don't want, at week 10, to be getting twinges or pain you wouldn't normally get, or have to have your next one in one 10 years when it could have been 25 years.
When it comes to driving please be aware of other people's safety as well as your own.
If you can do the emergency stop properly without discomfort, are walking with good posture limp free( I'm making a presumption here as you haven't said) then I 100% applaud you and am very jealous of your progress.
good luck.
Emma
Well said Emma
Hi Emma, support your comments all the way. I'm coming up to four weeks this Tuesday post TLHR, more comfy now on one crutch and can gently hobble a few steps without crutches, but have no intention in driving until given the all clear. I know I wouldn't be able to perform a emergency stop without any confidence as my muscle responce will be too slow. Taxi and buses for me still.best wishes to yo Emma, five04boy and all other hippies
Lucky you. could you name your surgeon and locality please if you are in the uk?. I believe you'd feelpain if you were doing too much. you were probably healthy and your tissues in good shape. Do you know which procedure you had and how much bone was sacrificed. DO you have OA or did you need surgery for any other reason... your story it's a rare one indeed...
Hi from your recovery Im guessing you had anterior procedure. Your progress is brilliant. I am 6 weeks today post op with left THR. I had right THR August last year. I am 47 in the UK and thought I was young lol. Week three I walked my daughter down the isle on her wedding day un aided but suffered for weeks after. Dont push yourself to hard as it can back fire but you are doing great.
Good Luck.
Absolutely fantastic ,!
you must have felt a very proud dad .
I am 60 and thought I was young till I found this forum .
9 weeks post op this week still doing exercises as I have a limp . Good luck
Mary
Sough wales
Well you are young and have younger bones than some of us on here, including me. I didn't have to take pain pills for that long either, so that is a good sign. I am not sure about driving so soon though, so I should take that easy for the time being. Its very easy to get over confident and then suffer a setback. Are you still using crutches or walking without? If without, can you walk without a limp? If so you are doing really well, but do be careful and be patient for a little while longer so as not to overdo it. Good luck.
hello i am 37 didnt take pills, well i did haha, just because i looove the drugs that they gave me
here in isrel they give me epidural for 2 days after operation , i didnt use it haha
I used a very simple rule - if it hurts rest as your body is teeling you to slow down
actually my therapist isnt, its moreso me. i set my goals and and determined to acheive my goals...
my surgery was posterior and like i said i have been off of pain meds since day 5.
Yes Emma I can perform a full emegency stop its my left non driving hip. The advice that they gave me prior to discharge was that my hip could sustain my full weight, and that i need to trust the hip... I walk at half steps with a cane with good posture though.
Hi Gentilleschi, Iam in the U.S. in California... I had AVN (avascular necrosis)
Thank you Barbara17317