i I just wanted to share my experience of hip class this week. I'm now 4 weeks post op as of yesterday and on Wednesday went to my first hip class. I'm not sure if it's a national thing or local but I would highly recommend enquiring about it. It was all people who have had thr and ran by physiotherapists at the hospital. Basically it was like a gym work out but specifically for building hip muscles. I went on some wobble boards, on a bike, used a leg squeezing machine. It was an hour long class. Some people were 9 weeks, some were 9 months. i don't think you routinely get added to it post op. I specifically asked about getting back in the gym and they said no, but you can come to this instead. I was wiped out afterwards and swollen the next day but boy did it feel good. Plus it was nice to physically see how others are moving at different post op stages.
i highly recommend it. Not quite circuits work out but a good work out none the less. I'm looking forward to next week.
Hi Emma. That sounds fab. I'm going to put gym membership on hold for 3 months when go in for op ( going to keep going in the next 2 months to stay fit and hopefully shift a few pounds ). This sounds like a good introduction back to fitness. I'll definitely enquire about it. X
Im in Kent and they do it down this way, I'm 3 weeks in and not ready for it yet but I think I will be referred to it at my next physio session, it sounds like what I need.
After discharge from the rehab facility 4 wks post op, the home bound physical therapist came twice a week for four weeks and was a big help. I was not able to be fully weight bearing until the 8th week so pt did a series of exercises : light leg lifts to the front and to the side, squeezing pillow between knees, resistance with exercise elastic bands, hip/pelvis lifts and it was very helpful. Painful afterwards but needed so I could do full weight bearing. Now at 9 wks I am walking mostly without a cane but sometimes a cane to steady me. The hip rarely hurts , just my bad knees!
Its great that you are doing so well and I hope you are out dancing soon. : )
Your hip class sounds good although our Physio said it wasn't necessary for most people at Exeter Hospital,pity because it could be very interesting to see how others are getting on.
No Hip Classes in Dorset! You are left to your own devices. Yes it would be nice to have face to face contact with other hippies. This forum site is excellent but there is nothing like face to face. Here to physio in NHS say it is not nec I STRONGLY DISAGREE... I had private physio and would have been a mess without it.
Hip class offered in Warwickshire, did my first at 3weeks post op. As you day, wobble board, static bike, low hurdles etc most in class were 5 weeks but older than me(relatively young at46) and not superpath. Yeah I was beat after but enjoyed it, next class Monday( missed one cause of Easter ). Hope I can cope had a few bad days recently but feeling stronger again now
That's interesting. I wonder if it is because the joint replacement itself requires less downtime and thus less need for rehab services. The type of THR I had involved several weeks of no weight bearing at all then slow beginning to weight bearing over several weeks to total weight bearing at 7-8 wks. If you are that bedridden then slow to start walking you would definitely need some physical therapy to get going again.
I was referred to a hipclass at the hospital where I had my THR. It's a private hospital, although the op was done on the nhs. A friend of mine had hers done at the other private hospital in Sheffield (also on the nhs) but there was no mention of a hip class there- and she was given NO follow up exercises at all!!
I didn't find the class that useful to start with. The first 2 classes (2 weeks apart- 6 and 8 weeks) the physio talked to us all, told us what to do (nothing very exiting and no special equipment) and then went and sat at his computer and ignored us!!! By the third class i think someone had complained because he actually came and watched us in turn to see if we were doing the exercises correctly. The trouble with a class like this is that we were all told the same thing, even though we had different issues. I had had to put my op off for 6 months because of work and so had been very immobile for ages prior to the op. My back had suffered as a result and my muscles were/are very weak. I tried to explain to the physio about how my sacroiliac joint had become inflamed pre-op but his standard response was- keep doing the exercises. Yes I know I need to do that, and I'm still limping 13 weeks postop but some specific muscle building exercises FOR ME would have been welcome.
I've gone back to my GP and he's referred me to the physio service they buy in so I'm seeing a new physio at the surgery on Tuesday.