hi fellow hippies,havent been on here for a while as life has been very busy.i,m 18 weeks post op now and cant believe how quick the time has gone.i,m back in work,driving,just got back from Tenerife,where i spent all week swimming and even managed the lazy river.I climbed halfwsy up a mountain on the weekend and yesterday did a bit of furniture moving.Today my leg has been really sore and and a bit painful.I have never had any physio and have only seen my surgeon once since op and he never even looked at my leg just the xray .He told me all restrictions lifted and told me to go and get on with my life.My leg is still slightly swollen especially around my knee which feels tight by the end of a day.Ihavent been doing my exercises and just wondered if i should still be doing them or do you think it would be advisable to see a physiotherapist .I,m just so uncertain how long we should still have any kind of pain and stiffness.Anybody else at this stage ? xx Shouldnt moan really as recovery has been good just feel like ive
Hi Heather you will never get back the full strength that you had before, you have to calm down, and dont do too much, remember how it was before the operation, lif will never be the same again, you are walking about and can do immediate things, nothing too strenous, or demanding, you dont say how old you are, you have to get older in our head now even if your arms can do it your legs cannot, dont expect too much and see how you go , sounds as if you think you will be returned to normal, but I doubt that very much....Please stay in touch....Ian.
Dear Heather,
i am a very active 64 and 10 months post op so I can remember the stage you are at well. I haven't stopped doing the excersises, because they are great for keeping the hip infra-structure strong. Don't forget that the bone has got to grow into the implant and this takes time to complete, at least a year. I have no pain now but mine went in phases so don't get disheartened if you feel soreness after prolonged activity, just take it as a message from your body that you need to be sensible. I found it helped if I avoided any sudden weight- bearing such as running or twisting. I stick to walking, not too much up hill, swimming, dancing, Pilates etc. build up slowing it really is worth it. Best wishes,
betty
Hi Ian,
Surely some of our 'younger' hippies will get back to full strength, given time. I believe that the gardener, Carol Klein, has at least one replaced hip, and I haven't noticed her calming down!
Anna x
Hi Elizabeth,it does seem to go in phases.I have had phases where i feel almost back to normal but also days where my hip is quite sore and stiff.I think i need to slow down for a little while longer and stay with the excercises.I,m so glad to hear you are now pain free, it does give me hope as i feel like ive hit a wall.I havent seen a doctor or physio since i left hospital so the only advice ive had has been from this group which i must say are brilliant.Nothing like first hand experience .Thankyou x
Hello elizabeth andheather,
As a young 71 yo i was advised I could get back to full pre op strength, and at 5.5 months that is happening. Dee advised that healing takes afull year, and I agree.
So, walking, and your having fun is fine, with rest / paracetemol when u overdo it!!!
personally I WOULD see a physio once in a while, like seeing adentist, to check you are on the straight and narrow. Exercises are best when done properly, so advice is helpful. and yes, often many of our exercises can be done easily when stretching in the morning, or watching TV.
Cheers
Mic
PS I job and hil lwalk too now, all back to normal!
Hi Heather
I am determined to get back to as close as I was before as possible - sorry Ian but I believe that thinking positively (without getting grand ideas about climbing Mount Everest etc) is really important and if you think old git, you get old git
I'm not as far down the line as you, Heather, but talking to my physio, he suggested that keeping up a level of exercises is important for as long as you want to remain active. Obviously what these consist of depends on your overall state of health and mobility but from what you've said, you could be doing some useful things on a regular basis. Stretching you quadriceps (which will apparently tighten after THR unless you do something about it) will ease knee pain - tight quads are a well known source of knee pain.
In your situation I would go and see a physio and ask them to give me a set of exercises that I can do to keep my leg(s) in condition. Doesn't have to be a whole series of sessions.
Good luck
Neil
I can't believe you posted that about carol Klein. I was watching her the other night and she was walking heel to toe and I wondered if she had hip done. She is 75.
Ha! Mike you put a smile on my dial there, "Old Git" I would think more along the lines of "Distinguished Experienced" I think that the Full Strength issue is so subjective that it cannot really be discussed, OK so the Hip Replacement is an implant, and takes into the body very much like replacing a Ball Joint in a Motor Vehicle, so you should get the same performance out of it, well we would like to think so, But I for one will be very careful not to make the same mistake twice, as in my 30s I was a true Karate Loony that is why I feel I ended up like this and why I am making a speedy recovery, that is also not quite normal.
As I drive my nice new car I will not be cornering as quickly and I will go easy on the Gas. That was the kind of advice I was offering. I hope that this car turns into an Audi A4 not the Audi Quatro.
Kindest regards as always Ian.
Thanks mic, i will definately book myself in for some physio advice.Iam 52 yrs old and have a very busy household with my eldest son living back at home after 7yrs away,my daughter home from uni,and my 12yr old son who unfortunately was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes 2years ago.He needs a lot of help and support as type 1,s aretotally insulin dependant which can be very challenging.My husband works away all week so i have to keep plodding.I am a very optomistic person and am very active,so i think the righg excercise advice from physio and onwards and upwards it is.Hope your recovery is going to plan,thanks for the advice xx
Thanks Neil,i like you am very hopeful to get back to as near to normal as is sensible,i think at this stage you have times where you feel so close to it but then get a bit too ambitious and ouch!! the reminder is there. Definately going to see a physio for some new exercises.Hope your recovery is going to plan,how many weeks post op are you ?
I'm just over 5 weeks and am really pleased with how things have gone so far - basically doing most things as normal, just being careful. .... and still amazed at the simple pleasures of standing up and walking around without pain
I have a very good physiotherapist who's given me a series of exercises that I'm doing every morning, and along with some routines from qi gong (=moves connected with t'ai chi), these seem to be really helping me
You're right about not being too ambitious though!
Hope you keep on making good progress.
Neil