I realize all of us are different. Our recoveries will be different, different type of surgeries, different doctors recommendations. I am very thankful I was in somewhat of good physical shape before my hip replacement. Mine was not a scheduled replacement but one due to a broken femur and hip I had in a bicycle crash. I crashed at 8:30am on Saturday morning, had a new hip by 9am the next day and was home the following day by 3:30pm.
I’m 67 years old and a cyclist.
I had follow up appointments at 2 weeks, 6 weeks and 12 weeks. At my last appointment the doctor told me he did not need to see me for a year from that appointment day, not the surgery day. So the next time I see him it will be a year and three months since surgery? Is that weird?
I followed a PT’s advice that is also a young cyclist. I have not had severe pain since I started riding 20-28 miles per ride, 3-4 times per week. I do NOT stand up to climb hills nor do I try any sprinting just an easy fast spinning cadence. I do not try to push the larger gear and don’t hesitate to down shift IF I feel I have to exert some effort. All of that is for the few cyclist I see on this forum.
Cold weather and sitting longer than 20 minutes has been my biggest problem. I can still be quite sore when I get up if I have sat at the computer too long or on the couch watching a game/movie. Yet after a night of sleep that soreness is gone completely. When I say cold weather I only mean in the 40’s early morning. I live at 4,500’ elevation in the high desert of Arizona.
Now that I have been reading about “resurfacing” with people that run, I am a little concerned about what my cycling will do longterm. Although in my booklet given to me the day before surgery … running was prohibited as a future activity, cycling was NOT. In fact my PT friend told me the day of surgery that I could be back on the bike within a month but I waited a month longer.
I did add protein supplements to my diet after surgery as well as Collagen w/peptides based on a recommendation from a friend that had a knee replacement. A week after taking the Collagen my surgical side leg, ankle and foot returned to normal size after being swollen twice as large as my good side leg. I had read that swelling could last up to two months after surgery. I’m not sure if it was the supplement or just a coincidence.
I am still very very cautious when getting in and out of my car and truck. I am very cautious when riding my bike over small rocks/sand at intersections since that is what took my bike from under me, not falling more than 2’ and breaking my femur toward the hips socket. I also still get in bed the same way the PT taught me the day I left the hospital. I am still aware of my movements even if they are back to normal.
For those of you that have had a rough time recovering, I feel your pain. I remember the first morning I was home walking with a walker, feeling like I would never return to where I was physically. That is a terrible feeling. All I can suggest is follow your doctors orders, take one day at a time and remember each and every day you can have small amounts of improvement that you will not realize until the good changes further down the calendar.
Final question … is cycling going to be like running where I will need a “resurface” later on? My doctor was thrilled I was back riding my bike and never mentioned anything like “resurfacing” later on or even the consequences of bike riding after a hip replacement.