Side hip virtual party for us side sleepers

Bones, joints and muscles
1

HI I mentioned this to anothe friend on  here Cels. I think that we should havea Side Hip Virtual Party and celebrate those of us that are Side Sleepers when we have achieved the side sleeping.  I am a side sleeper but still sleeping on my back i have got used to it now though 10 weeks this week as those of you that know me i had to go back twice, for my Right Lateral Hip Surgery. I have my Cheese which my hubs and i call it between my legs that hubs made same dimensions as the Hosptal that i had when i woke up from the first op. So well done to you fellow Side Sleepers that have managed to lay on the operated leg a have a while to go yet. I thought we could annount when we had achieve it and pat our friends on the back x

2

I'm ready to party along with you when that wonderful time comes.   Possibly around the same time as the ceremonial TED stocking bonfire?

3

I am teasing myself with sleeping on my side.

But I will get the fireworks out when I can ditch the pillow. Speaking of which, is there a general rule about how long we should keep the pillow between our knees? 

4

I know you can never cross your legs again Michael - just read it in the Q&A section of the Arthritis Research booklet they gave me about hip replacements.  By the same token, maybe you can never allow the operated leg to cross the mid-line of your body, which could be a risk if you sleep without a pillow between the knees.  

5

When i left hospital they said not to bother with the pillow. So much conflicting information!

6

Thanks Cels - I have not crossed my legs for years so that is no great loss. But the thought of sleeping with a pillow for ever is a little depressing...

7

I prefer your version - ha ha ha Thank you Lynn

8

I know 

I'm sure you can sleep on your operated side without a pillow.

9

I must admit I sleep with a pillow by my side. Nice and cosy and maybe that stops me rolling over.

10

Michael, I ditched the pillow at about 6/7 weeks with my first hip.

I am a naughty side sleeper. I spent the first 10 days on my back for both hips but only because I was sleeping mostly on the sofa. I never got used to it and hated it because I have OA in my spine and it's painful on my back.

I read so many conflicting things on here and an article that said that in the US they don't ban you from sleeping on your side just tell you how to do it properly.

I started at about 10 days and perfected a 'leaning' technique. I kept my hips in line and supported my back with pillows. I put a pillow down the length of my body that I was going to turn onto (the un -opped side) and started to turn slightly towards it. I turned a little more each night until I was all the way over and moved the side pillow to between my knees.

At 4 weeks I sleep all night on my side still with the pillow to support my knees as I find it more comfortable.

On my first hip i think I ditched everything but always adhere to the lifetime restrictions I was given (no impacts, no pivoting, no raising and turning leg out to side, no crossing legs, no squatting).

So I am nibbling on party food, thanks and might even have a G&T!

 

11

Sorry Kate being a bit thick. What do you mean by raising?

Sounds like you are having a good time ☺

12

No, you are not being thick - I have no idea either.

13

Thanks Kate

I am now near the end of week 8.... I am feeling brave/naughty...I may try it soon. :-)

 

14

My surgeon did the movement to explain it - he raised his leg (lifted if you like) while standing and then moved the knee outwards to the side. It is a movement I would have done at yoga before but it is illegal now!!

Chips and dips?

15

That's my ballet days finished then 

16

I was much braver this time and felt more in control. I think you know straight away if you can do it or not. pain and stiffness stopped me before 10 days but it was still like rolling a baby hippo over when I did it the first few times.

When I get into bed now I lie down, put my knee pillow in place and then straight over. I can sleep on my op side for a while but it still feels lumpy.

I also lie on the sofa on my side now - like a sloth!

17

I side-slept on the first day. Nobody told me not to do it and I was more comfortable that way most of the time. I shifted to my back now and then. I have even woken up on the op side a few weeks ago (I am now 3 1/2 months post-op). Kept a bank of cushions behind my back for the first month or so.

18

Cels: I cross my legs all the time, although I try not to do it. I crossed them several times during my last hospital appointment and the doc didn't say anything.

19

When I slept on my back, I usually had my op-leg knee bent and supported by a pillow to the side in the early weeks...

20

Even more confused now. That sounds like an exercise my hippy friend was given to do by her physio! Who knew this replacement thing was so complicated.