Future Hip Replacement

Bones, joints and muscles
1

Hi All,

I was told on Thursday that I need a right total hip replacement due to osteoarthritus. They told me it will be in a few months time.

Is there much I can do to prepare for the op? Also what would you recommend the time would be to go back to work.using public transport

(train and bus)

Regards

2

Hi Richard. I would recommend doing as much exercise as you physicall can before surgery. Everyone is different and will recover differently.  Good Luck and dont worry to much !!

 

3

Hi Richard,

 Since you have a few months to prepare, I would recommend losing weight if you need to. This helps tremendously durning your recovery. Also exercise as much as you can to build your muscles and upper body strength for a quicker and smoother recovery(it doesn't have to be heavy). I understand this is hard for some people, depending on what kind of shape you are in now. But believe me, you want to be as stong as possible for after the op. I also drank whey protein for muscle and bone recovery. Also try to research the pre and post excersises. They are pretty much the same but are very beneficial.

 It will depend on what kind of work you do and the type of THR they do, on how soon you go back to work. I've seen people go back in 6 wks and some six months. Hi impact and heavy lifting should not be done after surgery. If you have a desk job, you may be able to return sooner.  Taking public trans. should not be a problem once you stop taking the narcotics and feel strong enough as long as you're careful not to let anyone push and crowd you. You just want to avoid falling at all costs.

Good luck!

Kathee

4

Hi David, As long as I am pain free when all recovered I will not worry. I am 49 and have been told it could take between 6 and 12 weeks before I can return to work, thats the bit I am worried about as I am self employed.

5

Thanks Kathee.

I do have a desk job, but have to travel into and across London which can be a nightmare at times.

6

Richard,

I've never been to London but it sounds like quite a commute for you. Is it possible that you could work from home for a while after your surgery?

Kathee (USA)

7

Hi Richard I was driving after 8 weeks and could have returned to my job as it is not physical. I didnt on the instruction of the specialist. He told me to concentrate for another month on excercise. My second replacement is a week old and I feel stronger. I believe this is because of the excercise I did pre op.

8

Hi Richard my husband had a thr done on 15th December and is also 49 and self employed. He was able to do a few hours work most days about 2 weeks post op but had to lie down for a period each day and really took until 5/6 weeks post op before he could do a normal day. He runs his own dry dock for boat repairs ect so quiet a physically demanding job at times despite the employees doing a great job. At 5/6 weeks it felt like a corner had been turned and normality after a fashion returned. Exercises post op vital. Hope all goes well for you. Good luck

9

Hi Richard

I was walking 7 - 8 miles a day as i live in the city and swim 3 times a week (very relaxing) plus as I live on the top flat with no lift I was going up and down 5 flights of stairs at least once a day .

Keep on building up your muscle and strength.

My best advise is to keep on doing exercises as physically as you can to build your muscle and strength.

Do not worry too much about the operation you will be glad when it's all over.

Best of luck.

10

Hi Richard

Do as much exercise as possible to build your strength up for the operation.

As you are in the UK you should have an appointment where they will give you a booklet with exercises to do before the op and ones to do after the op.

No high impact ones...like running that will make it even worse. Walking is good, swimming is good. but anything thats not high impact shold help until you get these exercises to do.

As for work I'm not sure....I was retired when I had my 2 THR's done so didnt have that to worry about.  Was driving just over 6 weeks post op.

You say you have a desk job......possibly even now it would be helpful if you can get up and move about a bit. We do stiffen up if we sit too long or if we walkdtoo far  LOL Got to hit a happy medium.......my husband heard me saying that and said I wouldn't do that....she mit hit you back  LOL

Love

Eileen  UK

11

Hello, what I wish I had done was spend the time getting my upper body and core as strong as possible - it would have helped with mobility afterwards.  Weights/gym/pool etc....

As far as getting back to work - I think it seems to depend on the individual and also how fit/young you are to start off with.  I was incredibly tired even quite a few weeks after the THR, and absolutely needed to sleep in the afternoons but everyone is different..