Exercises. ... to do or not to do

Bones, joints and muscles
1

I live in UK and had RTHR 5.5 weeks ago. While in hospital for 2 days I was only told to wiggle my foot now and then for blood flow.

On discharge PT just checked I could use toilet stairs etc and signed me off. Lady in next bed had knee surgery and she spent ages with her going through exercise she needed to do. I was told nothing. As I was reading on here people having (in some cases!!!)4hrs a day PT I began to wonder if I had been overlooked.

Further investigation online I found it said our hip and muscles mend themselves and only exercise needed was walking and.......more walking. I checked with hospital and they confirmed this.

Anyway from reading posts I wondered why the difference and decided to do the initial ones that seem standard everywhere on the net. Only did these a few times and now seem to have more painful muscles than before.

I have been walking unaided inside and short distances outside and use crutches for longer walks. Doing really well good gait and pain free. Last few days since doing the exercises I have tingling shooting pains in my leg on and off as I walk. I am also far more stiff after sitting than before. Whilst not too painful I feel it is getting worse not better.

Beginning to wonder if hospital were right and that just walking is enough for good recovery.Any thoughts?

2

Oh gosh - sorry to hear you are having problems with the exercises.

It is really down to the consultants protocol - whether they wish you to do exercises or not. If they do, it is advisable for physio to teach and observe to check we are doing them correctly.

I would suggest you contact either the orthopaedic ward you were on or your consultant's secretary who will be able to pass on your message and get you the info you need.

I would say if what you are doing is making thigs worse - don't do it.

Good luck Sandra and inhope all settles down for you. Xx

3

It seems to depend on which Surgeon you have. I had 12 weeks physio and 12 weeks hydrotherapy. But as I said depends on the Surgeon and what he writes you up for. I think I was very lucky as I know other people were only told to walk and walk and walk some more. I know I feel better for it, but then again I don't know how I would feel with the just walking as that seems to work too. Hope this helps.

4

Hi Sandra I was told to do bed exercise and I had both sides done within two months of each other, it was just squeezing the leg into the bed and holding it there for 10 secs then longer and I did that for short periods fairly often throughout the day right from the moment I woke up and I healed up quite fast, as you are over the worst now I would carry on with leg raises and gentle swings as well as the bed exercise routine, I bought a backpack and went shopping with it for Cokes and bottled water just find a shop about a mile away, and then the trip back is more demanding, and helped me along to recovery too.

Keep in touch as it goes.  Ian.

5

Hi sandra67350,

Sometimes I wonder if the doctors and the physical therapist every talk to each other and if they do, do they hear what the other one is saying.  Different strokes from hospital to hospital, country to country.  I guess that answers my question.

My first hip was done 3 years ago.  I had physical therapy 2x a week for 14 weeks available to me through my county.  Group therapy, like an aerobic class for hipsters. Along with the standard exercises, it included 10 mins on a tread mill and 10 on a stationary bike.  There was a lot of push to get us all moving.   I think it helped me to a faster recovery.  

Second hip 7 weeks ago.  Before being released from the hospital their physical therapist came to check me out. He said he didn't care what I did as long as I walked.  He felt it was the best thing to do.  Walk, walk, walk, walk.  

I'm back in physical therapy but this time is very different.  The focus is on muscles.  Lots of messages and one on one training with the therapist.  No bike no tread mill.  That's on me.  I haven't done as much walking as I did the first time but when I do, the walks are much longer and I, as I write this, think they are more stressful.  I am sore.

I will start going back to the 10 min walk which will slowly bring me up to longer less stressful walks.  

I think walking around your home is a great way to start and it's important to go for a real walk outside, down the street or as far as you can (remember you have to come back home) stretch the legs and get the muscles going.  Take your time maybe 2 times a week.  Everybody is different.  Slowly but surely things will fall into place.

Good luck with your recovery.  Have a nice day and enjoy the good weather while it's here.

6

How advice and treatment differs hey.

I will go back to just walking shorter distance and if you meant massage !! Then I'll be ordering that later. He's been looking after me well but now I'm doing more cooking etc I will fill it with a new job 😆

7

Exercise and therapy. Yes  yes yes and yes

8

Hi sandra67350, 

Oops sorry about the typo.  I did mean massage.  The sun is shining, a good time to take a walk.  Have a nice weekend.

9

I agree after reading this site that the PT advice from surgeons is all over the board. My surgeon really said nothing about it. While at hospital, pt had me walking four hours after surgery, and my body pressure wasn't stable and I blacked out after walking 50', they wheeled me back to bed. At 5 days after surgery I went to my regular PT guy at there clinic. I know I'm 40 and work out a bunch, but I was kind of shocked to see him put me on a bike, and then do a wall squat with bounce ball! I was glad at first to be able to do it, but then all my leg swelling issues began the day after, and the surgeon cancelled all PT and movement. Surgeon then told me really walking is all that's needed, because a hip doesn't tear up ligaments and tendons like a knee operation does. But as with all exercise goes, (if it hurts don't do it)

Good luck

Good luck

10

Dear Sandra

Whilst walking is excellent exercise I think in the long run you would benefit from doing the exercises.   I came out of hospital with a number of different ones to do and they have helped me to build muscle strength very quickly.  

I suspect that if doing the exercises gives you painful muscles then it is indicative that you need to carry on doing them....sorry!

Best of luck. Richard

11

I agree Richard I was in the frame of mind of Ants rebuilding from the inside out when I did the breathing exercises that few folks even mention here, perhaps that is unique to the NW here in the UK, but I was able to back that up with Chinese Wisdom, and it worked for me so very well.

12

Yes it's lovely so been out at allotment in the fresh air all day. Have a good weekend yourself

13

thank you....I think hahaha

14

hey sandra, everyone has already sent such huge awesome replis but ill just share my little piece of experience. 

im 3 weeks post exactly (well yesterday) and i could hardly walk for about 4 years btu because of my age they fobbed me off. so 4 months before i started doing exercises in the pool myself this dwindled down as my mobility went but when i got this really awesome book abotu hip replacements from the pre assessment it had 7 exercises in it. so i started doing them and some standing ones. I did those for three months twice a day pre op. 

In hospital i was told do lift my leg to try to stretch the thigh a little, they had to completely untwist my leg, on the 2nd/3rd day i saw a physio for about 5 mins who said same thing, then on day of being booted out i was given some standing exercises which were basically the ones i was doing before. I requested a physio i had from the past, which if he had said no here in the uk we can go to the gp and put in a self request. i have my own equine physio knowledge buthavign that specalist on hand is picking up little things with my gait that have been wrong for so many years.  

so what i currently do is this

morning - one set of lying down exercises, then sitting exericses whilst getting dressed. 

- standind exercises whilst in kitchen

- new stair exercises i got this week from physio and the wall squat instead of a free standing squat to make sure i engatge my glute medius which is making me swing to the right (should say i have had major gait issues in the past and my brain likes to do funky stuff) 

I repeat all of this 2 sets of 10 reps....  and i do it morning, bed time, if i have to lie down for swelling or every time i wander to the kitchen i do something even if its small. I walk at least ten minutes three times a day but im managing big loops. i couldnt walk more than about 500m 3 weeks ago now i can walk for an hour... 

If you want i can send you the links to the basic exercises im doing, and iv got a link for progressive exercises once those intitial ones are very easy. I understand im doing very well for 3 weeks but if i hadnt done all these exercises i think id be like my grandad (72). he was done the day after me... he walks once every couple of days (very lazy genreally)  and does no exercises...  and hes truly struggling. 

send me a im if you want me to send you anything sorry for huge reply, i hope you find all the info you need but i really would recommend that you do at least basic strengthening work so you can get the best use of your new hip :D If i was a horse id probably work myself harder lol but im behaving 

15

Hi Hipster

Yes I would like the links. I don't know how to send a private message! !!! How do I do it?

16

Dear Hipster

I'm sure you have approached your surgery and recovery the right way, well at least for you <G>  I've always said that being fit before the surgery is an import part to a good quick recovery and exercising during recovery unlike your granddad.  I'm 76 and unlike him I have made to all intents and purposes a full recovery...I've been weight bearing for nine weeks so there you go.

Cheers

Richard

17

I'm amazed that you haven't been given strengthening exercises I have just been to my 2nd physio appointment I only get two she was pleased that I had done all the exercises and gave me a few more to do. She seemed to be on the side of exercises and said they were really important to help with my recovery

18

Had THR 3 weeks ago. Royal Orthopaedic in Birmingham which has great reputation. Physios form a huge part of the team there and nurse said she wouldn't dream of letting one patient return to using a frame over crutches once she'd been told by physio that's what she had to use! Mutual respect. Physio showed lying exercises. Op on a Wednesday, frame on Thursday, crutches and stairs on Friday at 12, discharged Friday at 2. Visited on Saturday and shown standing exercises, visited again Sunday and watched walking on crutches and up and down stairs. Nothing since. Told follow exercises x 10 sets of each, 3 x daily. There are squats, tiptoe stretches, leg to side, leg back and move balance from one leg to.the other. Like some have said though, I need to know I'm doing them right. Can use one crutch but try not to so I'm 'balanced' and avoid a limping gait. I was like that for a long time before and want to get my posture etc as good as it can be. Think I should get an appointment with my old physio? Am trying to avoid travelling in a car though as advised.

19

thanks April x

20

hi sandra, 

well, as you perhaps noticed, it is very varied  --

I wish I was told to just walk, walk and walk more but I got the Physical Therapy right away ..I am in Holland and this is the protocol ... Unfortunately the PT was not really specialized in hip replacement surgery survivors but more in sport types so way too strenuous exercising ...

I think that feeling stiffness and pain now that you are exercising is normal .. just be gentle and go easy at first - I liked to put some warmth on the used muscles (instead of cold)  -

you are doing great though ... it is okay to challenge your self a little but that does not include shooting pains !!!

big warm hug

renee