Hi, can anyone suggest the best exercises to strengthen my right hip (replacement) because after 3 months I'm still walking with a limp, in fact I can't walk without a stick as I'm very 'lop-sided'! I'm doing the exercises given by the physio and can manage stairs, standing & sitting but have not tried driving yet. Would appreciate any exercises others have found useful/helpful in getting the hip back to as normal as possible so I can walk reasonably without a stick at least around the house! Thanks.
The most helpful excercise for me has been swimming. You can really work on moving your legs in a controlled, supportive way. Water exercise helped me loosen up more than anything else had. Ioften use the stairs and the more shallow therapeutic pool to work on squats. I can't do squats well on land, but I'm making progress by doing them in the water at various depths. Right after surgery, my right leg tended to wander a bit to the left. After working out in the pool, it relaxed and good and straight. Among the three different TRH procedures, can you tell me which one you had? I do hope your limpt is not permanent! Having to walk with assistance (walker or cane) is really annoying. Just ferrying food around the kitchen to prepare a nightmare is problematic!
Hermionie109
Rest assured your on the path to healing. BUT it takes time.actual nine to ten months until you fell like your self. If your lopsided it's possible the op led could be shorter now.So ask your consultant. Or doctor.
BE VERY CAREFUL b/c four new hip can come loose.So take it easy.hugs
Hi
Swimming is supposed to be very good,,,,,,,non weight bearing
Be careful.....Iwas told not to do the breaset stroke because of the legs and the chance of dislocation
Have you asked your physio about extra exercises....whats good whats not?
We are ll different and it takes us all different times to heal
Love
Eileen
Absolutely swimming if you can .....I was given exercises by physio to do in the water which really helped. Had my THR in Feb and now doing breastroke legs fine. I was also given a rubber resistance band to make the standing stretches more effective.....I was driving after 6 weeks but tried it in an empty car park first! Good luck...just take it easy....I'm feeling 1000 per cent normal now...well as normal as ever!
Hello Milie Jean, Strength around the joint is the most important part in gaining movement again. I strongly recommend a Sports Physio, (a) to massage your muscles (b) exeircises to strengthen. Also important to build your core strength.. yes Pilates! First on your back familairise yourself with basic core strength, draw your tummy into your back and you shld feel the lower abdominal muscle contract/harden. If that makes sense.... Then...Lie on your non op side and do same thing. This will stop your non-op hip side rolling back. Helps to put your hand on top of hip and then you can feel if it rolls backwards. It MUST stay upright. Now keeping hip in straight line with shoulders, draw both knees towards chest, just a slight angle and raise yor right knee off left knee. They call this The Clam.. Gap between knees only needs to be slight at first. As you gain strength it will widen. If you are doing correct you will feel the muscle at top and to back of thigh "working", Start with 5 reps. Suggest you breathe in feel that core muscle and open knees and then breathe out as you lower knees, slowly keeping control. Next exercise, still on your side stretch legs in straight line shoulder, hip, heel. Lift leg from ankle to hip in straight line up, again doing breathe in and out. If doing correct, place hand at base of buttock and you shld feel that muscle contract. As you gain strength, you can increase the repetitions and lift leg higher BUT it must be done slowly, with control. Do it twice and then 3 times a day 5 -10-15 a day. After a couple of weeks or as you feel more strength, keeping in that shoulder, hip ankle position, raise leg/ankle just about 6 ins without hip rolling forward or backward (core strength), bring leg forward and then backward, keeping it straight at all times. Hope that makes sense. In 3 weeks I have seen so much improvement. But I also feel the deep massage helps, stops knots building up in the muscles. It's also very relaxing!! OH! One last point these exercises DO THEM ON YOUR BED! Once I thought Oh I will get down on floor.. All OK till I tried to get up again...Won't do that for awhile!!
Hi Milliejean, i am also nearly 3 months post op. i had my left hip replaced, i manage indoors quite well without the stick but when i go out i still need that bit of support, when i saw my surgeon on my 6 weeks visit he told me to balence with a chair back, or table and hold out my leg to the side of me for as long as possible, and also the other leg to gain strength in the operated leg, it is quite hard to do too many times, and i must admit i didnt do it too many times a day as it makes me a bit sore, but i make up for it by doing more walking now, but please remember it takes time , and i feel it will be at least another 3 months before everything is as before ( but without the pain of course !), good luck chris
Thanks for your reply but I can't really swim, haven't been n a pool for decades I can however try, I'll make enquiries at our local pool which is a short walk from where I live. I didn't know there were three different procedures? I have a fairly long scar toward the back of my hip but I was given very little information except basically what we can see if we google THR on the web! What concerns me is that my limp may be permanent and no-one told me that was a possibility! However thanks very much for your reply, helpful
Thanks, yes I was given exercises and the physio said I needn't see him again, basically it's up to me now which is of course true if everything seems ok! I have heard so many conflicting 'opinions' about the time it takes to 'heal' but of course we are all different and it depends on many things. I'll keep pesevering and see if I can get to the local pool on ladies night or something as I'm no real swimmer. thanks again.
Hi
I cant swim either but neither do i like water. So I left that option
If you dont mind the water.....why dont you go and walk in it, do a few exercise in it....you'll have to put a little bit more pressure on the exercises if in the water. So I'm told....havent tried it myself
Love
Eileen
What are rubber resistance bands and standing stretches? My exercises dont include those I've heard of many people driving after 6 weeks but my OH and doctor said I shouldn't try to drive until I felt my walking was ok, some days it's better than others! I'm also going to try driving in an empty car park first, thanks for your reply.
My 6 weeks post op was only with NHS physio who said OK see you in 12 months. That was it! Not happy as I have commented on this forum before. Was expecting to see a consultant at least .. But because of my need to get back into saddle and get fit for next season I arranged to see physio privately. It has made HUGE difference. Having had NHS physio sessions after last year's arthroscopy could not fathom why no physio post THR! For want of saying the same thing over again... It's a post code lottery the post op treatment and care you rcv and as everyone's recovery is different, very short sighted. Even so.... I will say we are lucky to have NHS and get these replacements. Just that some folks are "luckier" than others with their rehabilitation.
Very informative I've been wondering about 'core' strength....my physio mentioned it but didn't write my exercises down for me and I forget! I'll definitely try 'the clam' and other thanks. I have made an appoointment to have a massage next Tuesday locally (I need some pampering anyway ) and she said she couldn't massage my right leg or hip area near the scar as it was too soon! So I'm having a neck, shoulder and back for my first massage. I just hope I can walk home after, although it's not far really appreciate your post, many thanks.
Thank you, it's so good to know that I'm not alone and others are getting or have got through this although different lengths of time! My surgeon also told me to hold out my leg and stand on it but without holding onto anything....impossible! I am trying to do that now, as you say, holding onto the kitchen cupboard for support but it's hard work as I'm left sided anyway my right side is 'naturally' weaker! We will get there, many thanks for your reply.
I'll leave it open as an option and see how I go with other stuff, find out first if there's a womens only time at the pool no way am I going with men around
One thing we could all do is to provide a little bit more information about ourselves when we ask for hel or advice. Our age, our general health apart from the THR, even our weight (generally). I will say I am age 60, in pretty good health but carry a few more pounds than I would like. I have some middle aged spread but am not obease.
I think it is helpful to share that type of info when asking for help.
Hi Milliejean
Where are you....I'm in the UK......its a definite NO NO about driving before 6 weeks is up and you have seen the consultant. In fact if I'm not mistaken you aren't insure here before the 6 week vist to your consultant.
Sensible to try a car park to start with. I'm in a village and i took my car out on to the main road and up it for about 2 mins, into a Co OP car park, drove round and out and came home That was my first drive
Who mentioned resistance bands and standing stretches? It's surprising the difference in countries.......different rules etc.
Love
Eileen
Hi
You should have seen a consultant at 6 weeks. You shouldnt have had to pay for private physio. Although saying that i saw my physio once after the THR and was given a list of exercises and told basically get on with it {not thise words of course} I did see a consultant at 6 weeks and then a year andd X Rays were done both times
Love
Eileen
I'm in the UK North West and it's now 3 months since my THR op, so I'm hoping to have a trial drive soon round an empty car park near us. Haven't driven for months and my husband is still aprehensive so.....we shall see!
thanks
Hi Jodi, I put some information on another discussion and can't find it now (I'm new to this website!) but I was 70 in August so for my birthday had my two daughters up from down south (UK) and was waited on hand, foot and finger....nice...but....I'm in pretty good health too and am overweight but not on any medication. The health check I had for my op was so thorough I just wish I wasn't so 'stiff'! I am doing my exercises (perhaps not often enough?) and I have a walk out every day.