I have been looking at Hip Replacement since 2009 and been on crutches almost as long while I search for the proper implant for me. Unless something better shows up in the next year, I would consider staying on crutches for the rest of my life. I am 64.
Does anyone have any knowledge of any problems that could occur from the long term use of crutches?
Well I am not sure would want to be on crutches for the rest of you life, it wont happen that way....Dont be scared and just get it done...
Kind regards Ian.
Hi Mikey
You will never find a hip that will be right for you. I also agree with Ian's comment above. I promise it will be so worth it. Also if you do need a replacement new hips are being designed all the time. But no matter how long you wait they may just not be right for you. So plase just bite the bullet and get it done. Yes I have had loads of problems myself. But nothing that can't be fixed and help and advice will always be there for you.
That's a bit silly, what have you got to look forward to? Bite the bullet and join us Mikey! X
do it!! its scarey as ... but such a relief once the pain is gone. and thats coming from someone with long term chronic pain and post op problems. i still wouldnt go back because my hip doesnt hurt anymore.
crutches for life...you'll incur more muscle wastage over time which will make the job of repairing your hip in the future much more difficult. the reason i have one longer leg now is because my muscles were utterly wasted and wouldnt have had the tone to hold the joint in place. Even if you use crutches to avoid the replacement, it wont work forever. eventually the pain will intrude on everything, including sleep. Before my op i wasnt walking, gardening, sleeping or other more intimate pasttimes. it was miserable. At 63 youre very young to be signing up for that. im 43 and it wasnt possible for me.
i genuinely dont think a hip replacement is something you can put off forever.
No implant will ever be as good as the original hip. Having said that if you need a hip replacement go get a private consultation and talk the different types of implant through with a top rate consultant. Then revert to the NHS. You will not stop the disease progression by using crutches and some muscle tone will be lost.
Good morning Mikey ... Have you seen an orthopedic surgeon at all and if so, what is the diagnosis ... do you any other medical issues? are you in pain ? except for walking, are there more restrictions to your mobilty? just asking ....
I agree with the others ... it will not get better and at some point the crutches won't be enough to give you quality of life .... maybe a wheel chair in your future?... grim thought ... come on over to this side 
- ask all the questions you want - in the emant ime, take care and big hug
64 seems a young age to be on crutches for so long already. I don't know what your personal hip problems are but I had my hips done when I could still walk without crutches.
There are pros and cons with the different types of implants - I've got two different ones - a metal with a plastic liner still working after 15 years (i'm 62 now) and i've just had ceramic on ceramic on the other hip.
My advice is research the surgeons. Once I was confident in mine I went with his suggestions. It is easy to worry about whether you have the right one - I've already seen cons for my ceramic one. However
I trust my surgeon and believe he would recommend the best for me. Sometimes you can just read too much - the internet can be dangerous!
For me I am so glad I have had both done. I would not have had the quality of life over the last 15 years if I hadn't had the first one and would probably be in a wheelchair. The last year has been difficult as the second got bad but now I am looking forward to being active again. Before the op I could barely walk half a mile - 2 days ago I did 4 miles - probably a bit much as my muscles were sore but it is so much better - I am only 8 weeks after.
Hi Mikey
I am also 64 and since Oct 2014 I have been in dreadfull pain so much on top of Tamadol and other strong pain killer as I also have a back problem I am also on Morpine, I awe my consultant in Feb where he told me how bad here were and had my first RTHR in March, it is like a new leg, and I am wishing the days along untill I have my LTHR in July, I can not imagine being in the pain I am in and having to strugle to carry on trying to walk on cructhes, why would you want ti. I had a titainium rod around 6" long with a ball on the end and some type of silicurt covering the ball, also with a titainium cup to which the ball fits in.
if you don't mind me asking what is the reason that you are not having it done, I think that there is only 2 or 3 types of replacements but don't take that as fact, if you follow this group you will find people that have had both good and bad results with the surgery, which may help you to decide, I can only speak for myself and if had to spend the rest of my life in that pain and on cructhes, I would be thinking of! well I'll leave that to your imagination.
I can only wish you all the best in which ever way you decide to go
Regards
Ron
Well said Annedi
Regards
Ron
I think the term for what you are doing is called avoidence.
You are avoiding the surgery by claiming that no hip prosthesis is good enough for you. Look at all of us, we all got one, my surgeon asked me a few questions and then said he was using the plastic one and that was it.
Of course you may be receiving sympathy and attention being on crutches & all, however the joy of living a normal life virtually (well now and then a pain here or there) virtually pain free like normal people is so so so far better than the sympathy & attention I used to receive when I was handicapped with my bad hip.
Hi Mikey,
We need a certain amount of impact exercise to keep our bones strong and to prevent osteoporosis. So by being on crutches you will be avoiding any impact.
Do you have to use 2 crutches? Couldn't you try using just one (on the opposite side to your affected leg)? Or a stick?
Do you know, I haven't a clue what sort of replacement I've been given. It was the last thing on my mind. I trusted my surgeon to use the implant that would be best for me. But I will ask when I go for my 6 week check up!
I didn't even contemplate using crutches before my op even though my hip was sooo painful.
I would go to your gp, get referred to a surgeon and get that replacement ASAP!
anna x
Hi Mikey .... How are you doing? just checking in with you ... I hope that you don;t think that we are judging you or your decision .. just that it seems daunting to even think of being on crutches for the rest of my life when there is a solution .... what are you so afraid of? I was in denial for a long time, hoping that it would just go away ... well, it did not Mikey ... take care and let us know how you are doing.. there is great support here for you ... warm hug ...
Hi Ian:
Were you aware of the problems from artificial hip implants, such as those described by Donna2015 and Christine83627 a few days ago, before you got your hip done?
Mikey
Hi Hailea:
All I wanted was a hip joint that would last the rest of my life without causing more problems than it solved.
If I have to accept metallosis, aseptic loosening of the implant, bone loss, nerve pain, pseudo tumor, dead tissue from the metallosis, and more, in order to get a hip joint, then I have to seriously consider an alternative. These things are not 'worth it' to me.
The principle appears to me to be: If you are in your 60's when you get your first implant, they expect you to be dead of other causes before your your revision causes a terminal solution. They have no need to improve anything. The implants have been around for over 60 years and they still can't get it right.
Is it too much to ask, in this day and age, for a joint that lasts and does not cause other problems? I didn't even know about these 'other problems' in 2009 when I first went to the surgeon. Now i do.
So, my wife said that I should research the use of crutches longterm so I would know as much about the problems with the alternative as the implant.-thus my question about the longterm use of crutches?
So far the crutches are winning.
Mikey
Hi Patricia:
Please check out the reply to Ian above about the 2 ladies mentioned. It is not something that I would willingly and knowingly want to do to myself. But most people don't know and nobody tells them.
All I wanted was a hip joint that would last the rest of my life without causing more problems than it solved.
If I have to accept metallosis, aseptic loosening of the implant, bone loss, nerve pain, pseudo tumor, dead tissue from the metallosis, and more, in order to get a hip joint, then I have to seriously consider an alternative. These things are not 'worth it' to me.
The principle appears to me to be: If you are in your 60's when you get your first implant, they expect you to be dead of other causes before your your revision causes a terminal solution. They have no need to improve anything. The implants have been around for over 60 years and they still can't get it right.
Is it too much to ask, in this day and age, for a joint that lasts and does not cause other problems? I didn't even know about these 'other problems' in 2009 when I first went to the surgeon. Now i do.
So, my wife said that I should research the use of crutches longterm so I would know as much about the problems with the alternative as the implant.-thus my question about the longterm use of crutches?
So far the crutches are winning.
Mikey
Hi Helen:
Are you saying that one leg is longer because of what reason? I wasn't aware that bones shrink. Do they?
I responded to the people above, so I won't repeat it again.
When I walk with crutches, I walk normally and take just enough weight of the injured leg so that I don't limp. I also relieves the pain that would come if I walked without crutches. I should be able to maintain muscle tone like that, don't you think so?
Mikey
Dear Mickey ... you asked a question about use of long term crutches on this hip replacement forum ... it does not seem that we can give you an answer that will satisfy you ... there are always risks involved in anything one does - getting a pedicure might cause horrible infection, getting a tooth pulled maybe even death etc. ... But I am sure that you are aware of this -
You have made your decision based on your findings and so, crutches it is ... that is totally okay ... we are not here to convince you otherwise, just sharing our experience after THR ...
be well and take care Mikey ...
big hug
renee
Stop spreading FUD and scaring people - if you want to spend your life on crutches then so be it but the rest of us will accept the risk and have 20+ years of normality and fun. Your choice but I know what I would choose(and I'm only 44).
Also the conditions to which you refer are as a result on the older metal-on-metal implants used in the 80's and 90's. These implants are no longer used so your points are moot.