I just thought I would update you as to how I'm getting on.
I had my first outpatient physio appointment yesterday afternoon, which went really well. She felt that I'm probably doing too much and reminded me that I have just had major surgery, but it's very difficult as other than not sleeping, I do feel so well. She watched me walk on my crutches and the only thing to change is that I need to slow down and straighten up when I'm walking. She said that after the years of pain in my hip, the tendency is to lean forward as you are trying to alleviate the pain in your hip. I now have to re-train myself to stand tall and walk straight looking ahead.
I am booked in for two hydrotherapy sessions next week, and the following week. I then have a land physio appointment to see how I'm getting on. Looking forward to hydrotherapy, and hopefully I will be able to get back to aqua aerobics soon too.
So this morning, I did my bed exercises before getting up, and had a go at walking with one crutch - which I managed! My leg feels so much stronger today and I wouldn't have tried it if that wasn't the case. I will practice short distances today and take it easy, but it is so nice to just walk around indoors with only the one crutch.
Still not sleeping great as sleeping on my back is so alien to me and I wake up with a very sore back. I have been getting up early and then napping on the sofa sitting up, which is more comfortable.
I am 3 weeks post op. You are doing so well and sound much like me. I started to feel ok on one crutch indoors quite early but still use 2 outside. I am able to actually walk unaided even climbing stairs but instead of ditching them and chancing not walking correctly I have them but not weight bearing on them and concentrating as you say on walking upright and ensuring each stride is equal length and that I am not limping. I find on longer walks my muscles start to ache a bit and my gait changes slightly.....then I weight bear on the crutches to correct my gait. I cannot wait to be rid of the crutches but don't want to sacrifice a future of being able to walk correctly out of pain.
I did stop taking painkillers after around 2 weeks as was ok but I found I was starting to have twinges again. I think it's my muscles but I've restarted paracetamol 3 times a day to keep on top of it and I'm seeing improvements to the twinges again.
The hardest thing now, like you, is sleeping. When I sleep on my back with pillows between my legs and either side I still wake up on my unoperated side in usual sleeping position which is knee of operated leg up and right over other leg resting on matress which is worst position I could be in. My pillows are eleewhere, usually floor. What I've been doing is lying on non operated side with pillows between my legs to stop unoperated leg going beyond mid line. Now during the night I wake finding I'm on my back.....which is good. Maybe not ideal but better option for me.
Well done Kathy, I'm proud of you. I will be having my 12 month post op appointment in October and I'm really pleased with my results. Enjoy your new found freedom. Best of success to you Kathy. Ray
Hello kathy sounds like your doing really well, I know not every one as the same results , but it's so good to read posts like yours , when we,ve all gone through so much distress before the op. I,ve got 17 days to my op, and my mind is on overtime thinking of the outcome . Keep up the good work x x lynne
You are doing well but a word of caution, until you can really fully weight bear on your new hip and have a good walking gait you will be doing yourself a favour by using both crutches. Trust me!
Hi Richard, that's the reason I'm on this forum. Getting expert advice from people who have been through it. I appreciate you taking the time to respond, thank you.
Congrats on you good progression. I'm up for bilateral surgery 10/6 and among several worries, I also wonder how I'm going to sleep on my back. I was thinking about getting a recliner chair for those daytime naps and who knows, if it works well, maybe a couple of nights rather than going upstairs to my firm bed.
Hope you continue on your good path to a speedy and total recovery.
one way of sleeping in bed is to have lots of pillows making a kind of armchair effect behind and to side of you and sleep half sitting up. This may feel better than sleeping in the chair although someone needs to help position the pillows to stop you twisting. Having both done is very brave but with a positive attitude the initial recovery time will soon pass.
Well done Kathy, sounds as though you are doing really well! I was very pleased when I could use just one crutch at home, gives you a lot more freedom. ( I still used 2 outside in case I got knocked.)