Hi everyone . i have a question and I hope that someone might have been in the same situation.
I am 4 days post THR . I am self employed and need to get back to work at around the 12 day mark .
I am moving OK on crutches , at times just one . still some swelling but the pain moderate and I take paracetemol . Doing the rehab as advised and walking.
My work is mostly seated and somestanding .
My question is has anyone else been in this situation ? If so how did you find it and how did you cope ?
I am 49 and quite motivated .
Any answer or advice appreciated !
Hi there
I was 45 when I had the operation late December 2018 and my work is mostly seated, I am also mostly self-employed. To be honest I took my time and went back to work at the 6-7 week mark I didnt want to compromise my recovery at all. My work for that time was my recovery. I guess everyone is different as well. However well over a year down the track I can truly say I have no regrets and am glad I didnt rush things as I have had no complications/issues and wouldnt even know I have a piece of something inside me that isnt naturally a part of me, I have to remind myself I have had a hip replacement, I forget! In the early stages at work I did sit on a high cushion and would be intentional about getting up and walking when I could, I was really mindful of sitting for too long (my job requires sitting and listening).
All the best for your recovery and working things out.
Hi,
Until you’re comfortable getting around without crutches, maybe with just 1 walking stick I wouldn’t consider subject yourself to the rigors of working, getting up/down during the day maybe with some twisting.
I was told one of the biggest dangers for the first 6 weeks is hip dislocation, towards 6 weeks and over the chances are quite low.
I’m older than you and retired, 65 yo when I had my TLHR about 12 weeks ago, I used a walking stick to go home on day 4 days post op mainly because the doctors/nurses were watching me leave, as soon as I got home, I didn’t use a walking aid at all.
I was driving my BMW automatic SUV, RHD so left foot was resting on floor rest within 1 week post op but there was some discomfort, not in the hip joint but upper leg muscles.
Was playing golf on the golf course 6 weeks 1 day post op, first round in a cart and 3 rounds per week after all walking.
Recovery is an individual thing, we all heal differently, I mean both mentally and physically. My goal was to play golf in the 6-7th week and was highly motivated, I walked close to 30 kms from the Friday to Tuesday prior to playing on the Wednesday to test myself, I SURVIVED. ;^)
Just be careful with your hip rotation.movements, you must keep your leg fairly straight, bending knee up/down is fine, leg can go a little to the outside but no movements towards other leg and DEFINITELY DO NOT CROSS YOUR LEGS.
Kind Regards, Ken
Because of my knee problems after my hip I am still home from work it has been 4 months. Not going back until May.
Thanks for your reply . it’s great you did so well ! I would take the 6 to 8 weeks if I could , but sadly not an option . Thanks for your well wishes .
Hi Ken , thanks for your story . Sounds like you had a great recovery . Appreciate your reply . Keep sinking those birdies !
Phil
i was able to go back ( being sensible and mostly sitting at my desk ) after week 3( i got a lift or a taxi at week 3 ). I did not push myself too hard and i got up and moved around ( using one walking stick) regularly. by being careful and not overdoing things i was able to do a few hours every day and i was safely driving at about 4 weeks . By week 3 i only used minimum pain relief during the day and paracetamol and ibuprofen at night.
The benefits - financially and socially all further helped my recovery.
Take it easy and listen to your body, don’t push yourself too hard and you should be fine. Good luck!
Hi Phil
Bit of a difficult question to answer as it depends on a lot of factors. For example:
- Do you work from home or do you go into your client’s offices?
- Are you walking ok?
- Can you sit comfortably and for how long?
- Do you tire easily?
I had my ops in 2016 and 2017 - and boy were they both different. For the first op (recovery was very difficult), I took off 6 weeks and then went back to work part time for a further 4 weeks because I tired very easily. So I worked in the morning and went to sleep in the afternoon. By working 7 mornings a week, I was able to keep up with my work.
For the second op, where recovery was a breeze, I went back to work full time at 3 weeks.
If your concern is of a financial nature, you may be able to claim ESA. I doubt it will be much, but it might help.
If it’s due to impatient clients, then see if you can work mornings only.
Good luck!
Thanks Margaret . Thats given me some confidence . I wont need to drive . Have that covered , I can sit , take breaks to move . Heres hoping !
Thanks for your reply. I think the idea of just doing mornings is very possible . it is one i will look into . Thanks for the reply !
Hi Phil. I too am self employed (also aged 49) and needed to work at my computer 2 weeks after my thr. I managed with the help of a perching stool I was given when leaving hospital. I was able to sit comfortably (and more importantly safely) and I made sure to get up and move around frequently. I am now 9 weeks post op and although I no longer need to use the perching stool, I still get up and walk around frequently, not a bad habit to get into when working at a computer.
hi
I returned to work 2.5wks and from there my recovery progressed more rapidly
I was on crutches till wk 4
hope this helps
Phil
I am 53 and classed myself as young too for THR and had a real strive to get back to work and running . I thought my recovery was fast and was on the road on my bicycle from day 12 after surgery so do not see why you couldn’t return to light duty work . As you will see there is a vast difference in people’s experiences and the Information given by the health care people. I myself didn’t return to work until week 5 as I am based on site and was more concerned about soups trips and falls than anything else. By the way when I did return I was amazed at how much more tired i was for a few days and how much the surgery had taken out of me .
Thats fantastic . It is so awesome to hear people have came back and it worked . My confidence is growing . I cant tell you how much i appreciate you sharing your story . Did you find working helped your recovery ?
That helps so much more than you can think . The fact you recovered at a faster pace at work is something i would believe !
amazing you were back on the bike so soon . Knowing that is a huge boost to confidence and should not just be mine. Inspirational . Thanks for taking time to reply !
Are you in the UK? If so a short time on benefits (ESA) might help
the initial payments aren’t much (£76 or so a week)… once you’ve been assessed it’ll be more and the back pay. you’d also be able to claim housing benefit + council tax support then.
It really did ! I am a wedding photographer and am due to photograph my first wedding of the year this Saturday (9 weeks and 4 days post op) This was my goal and gave me the incentive to get fit as quickly as possible. I discussed this with my surgeon and he was happy to go ahead saying that my age and fitness would help with recovery. I am still a little stiff in the mornings and it I have to think about the way I move, but I am looking forward to getting back to normality and after the winter break, looking forward to my first wedding. I realise that there are some physical restrictions as a result of surgery and some people have some problems through no fault of their own, but mind over matter is a powerful thing. Listen to your body, be sensible, you will be fine. Good luck and keep us updated.
What does your surgeon say? I worked from home virtually immediately but that was from home and I just worked for a short time, as I felt like. I did take a couple of meetings three weeks after the op and was totally exhausted after it. How are you going to get to work? I was given a lift for the meetings.