Crossing legs...is it so bad?

Bones, joints and muscles
1

Is that a collective gasp I hear?

Yes, I know that we're not meant to do it but has anyone else tried it? I only cross my non operated leg over the op leg and there is a small element of my op leg crossing the midline, but it's such a natural thing for me to do.

I tend not to do it for long because I know that I shouldn't be doing it. I feel more and more guilty the more I type! 😳

2

I've found myself doing it a few times without thinking, but each time I've had a sharp pain in my groin and have been reminded. I'm 12 days post op, so guess it will be easier with time.

3

I think the whole thing is listen to your body - not sure if dislocation occurs suddenly or a gradual or immediate ratcheting up of pain.  But, I defer to your surgeon / GP

4

Haven't done it for many years, so I don't miss it...I do cross at the ankles....

5

I wanted to know this because i wanted to sit crossed legged like children do in school because i was the child who had to sit on a chair because my keft leg doesnt bend at all. Its a silly thing but i was tols on here i deffo wouldnt be allowed to 😢

6

From my understanding its only part of the precautions when you are a newbie THR, and your muscles are all stretched and very weak.

One of the advanced exercises is exactly crossing legs, to stretch piniformus muscles in pelvis, you bend knee of surgery leg, ankle over knee, of other leg,  and tip knee, even with a gentle push, outwards, all I did was tip over like a spinning top off balance, so whats new, never been able to sit cross legged like others, teachers at school gave up pushing me, as only tipped me up, and all that achieved was laughing from the whole class.

7

I've done it quite a few times. I even did it three or four times in front of the doctor when I went to my last hospital appointment. He didn't say a word about it.

8

I have crossed my non op leg over my op leg but not the other way round.  Maybe with time I will do this but I haven't done it for so long.

9

You know i thought lifting my non op leg onto my op leg to put on shoe was ok until i did it in front of physio and he almost had a heart attack. He was like nooo you cant to that your breaking 90deg oops 😬😩

10

Dawn, there is a very good beneficial way to cross our legs after THR and that is with our ankle placed on the other knee and just let our leg kind of hang there.  It is an excellent pose, however, it is not as pretty and lady like as the traditional crossing the legs. Yes, I have done the traditional way while forgetting that I have new hips, and have caught myself and immediately stopped with no seeming harm done, but I, for me, would never make a habit of it again. AND it depends on which method was used for your THR.  If the scar is down the outside of your hip, then crossing legs is over.  Need we recall the poor woman who dislocated both hips at once?  Horrifying!

Dawn, USA

11

I don't think I'll ever be able to sit like that again!

12

Thanks Dawn, I'll try that method and see how it feels. As I'm typing this to you, I notice I have my legs crossed. Oops. Got to stop this.

I had a lateral approach and really don't want to risk dislocation. Just so hard to retrain how to sit comfortably.

13

ditto

14

Hi Dawn

I haven't been able to cross my legs for ages because of the arthritis pain and I'm hoping it's a habit long broken.  I don't want to cross my legs again if possible.  I don't want to do anything to destabilise my lovely new hip.

Cels xxx

15

Hi Cels, I wish mine was a habit long broken. I shall make a concerted effort to sit differently. I really don't want to take my new hip for granted. Xx

16

Its a silly aim but i want to because i cant haha

17

Yes indeed .... I have done it most of the way through ... but only the non-operated one.  Like you, this was a natural movement for me before the operation.

Graham - 🚀💃

18

HI Sarah, actually sitting like that is good for the hips in terms of not causing a dislocation, because it is pushing the hip joints inward instead of outward.  In school we called it "criss cross applesauce", silly name, or sitting "Indian" style, Native American Indians. It is a yoga/meditation pose too. I can do that comfortably now, quite naturally, however, if you had trouble to begin with then it will be a challenge and of course if ones surgeon says it is a no no, then one should listen to their surgeon.

I love to stretch, always have, yet I am afraid to stretch in such a way that pushes my hips forward, or outward, or bending at the waist and twisting. I miss that. 

19

It was someone one hear who said no and 9bviously with my leg never actually being able to bend that way when the times it will be difficult but that gives me hope haha