What you now can't do now - that you used to be able to do

Bones, joints and muscles
1

A question if I may for the lucky people who have had their operations and are some weeks perhaps months into their personal recovery.

I would interested in your answers to the subject please -

Please cast your mind back to things that you could do before the onset of hip problems / pain - things you could do before the the long months even years waiting before the operation

Is there anything that you could do when your hip was "normal" that you can't do now following the operation some weeks / months ago - I appreciate the likes of contact sports etc. are not allowed but I mean general everyday sort of things

I think I am quite worried about not being able to do? whatever that is / will be !

I appreciate that the relief of pain itself will go a long way to alleviate my worries but just wondering - please

Good luck to all

2

Hi Dave

I am only 7 weeks post op so will be interested to see the responses.

i had my follow up appointment yesterday and the only thing my surgeon told me I would never me able to do was to sit with knees together and feet out to the side and then reach down to the outside side of my foot, to cut nails etc.  he said to always go through the knees to reach the feet. He told me failure to do this would almost certainly result in dislocation.

Good luck with your op! X

3

And that , I now realise must be just what happened to my mum, not the first time she did it bit eventually. A very independent lady she used to sit on the raised loo seat to attend to her feet, down the outside of her knee. She had her op at 80, dislocated at 83, recovered well and survived until 90

I shall continue to go for regular pedicures!

 

4

Good morning Dave ...  

Valid question but no cookie-cut answer for it ... I believe that it depens on age and perhaps other physical conditions - and maybe even being female or male ...

Is there anything specific  you worry about ? what were you able to do that is challenging for you now? or getting harder to do ...  

We are all diferent (wink duh!) and on our own journey - 

Gosh Paula, what a charmer your surgeon is ... do what feels comfortable to you and just listen to your body - unless he did a sloppy job, I don't think that it can pop out that easily (Sorry, but these remarks make me kind of angry) - be gentle with your self !!

looking forward to other posts -

big hug

renee

5

Hi Dave. 

One hip is 15 years old, done in my early 40's. It relieved the severe pain. I was well prepared by the dr and his staff as what all the pre and after surgery do's and don't were as it made my life so much easier after the hip was replaced.  I did everything I did before surgery except horse training. I have horses and rode in events. I did not want to take a risk of damaging the hip joint after recovering for 12 months. I do ride just a walk but never do eventing to dangerous.

Second hip done 4 years ago was recalled and had to have a revision. . 

I have not recovered totally from that one. Many issues. Lifting bending and walking to far or to long. Yet the groan pain is gone that's the best part.

Everyone is different. As I was ok the first 15 years with the first one and still have the origional thr done 15 years ago with no issues what so ever. 

My best advice for you is to find a surgeon who has many years of thr experience. 

Look at the surgery online and understand what the surgery proceedures are and lastly do everything that the dr tells you you. Follow all instructions .

be patient and never over do. Always remember that this is major surgery and it takes months to recover fully. He bone takes time to grow in the implant to stabilize the modules in the leg and joint. The components are designed to fit your body according to protocol as you will see on any you tube demo showing thr surgery and this will help your quality of life. 

Ask to see the components and the manufacturer. As for a copy of the sergical report with the copy of the Manu. Tag for the parts make and no.

Kind Regards

HOPEconfused

PS.

Water therapy worked the the best for me. It puts less pressure on the new implant and aids in muscles strength without strain. it also helps develop strong core muscles and always do the butt squeezes the most important exercise as it strengthens the I band that help with the leg strength.

 

6

Hi Dave,

Excellent question - and love the idea of a'cookie cut' answer: Us Brits don't know quite wot you mean but yes, no obvious answer and warning we'll all be different in our replies as usual!

My surgeon also said listen to your body and no bungie jumps. that breast stroke and all gym machines were fine, and to walk miles. (Dear Olive, sorry but true, and so hard for us piggies in the middle!!).

At 4 months post op at 71 yo, I dont think there is anything I can't do now; except finding squats at gym hard,can't crouch yet,  and use nordic walking poles. I plan to run 10K next year too...

Lotsa luck with your journey

Cheers

Mic

7

Hi Dave

It depends what you mean by "before". When I was younger and fitter i could walk to our nearest market town - 4 miles round trip and cycle to work - 15 miles round trip. Going to the village shop - half a mile away - I would walk - wasn't even worth getting a bike out. Immediately before my op I could hardly walk at all and certainly not without pain, I had to cycle to the village. 

I might mention the arthritis came on gradually, At one point I refused an operation because it seemed  I would end up with less independent mobility afterwards. I was told I wouldn't be able to ride my recumbent trike. As my arthritis got worse I began to feel differently.

6 weeks post-op I can still not do as much as I could 2 or 3  years ago but I am gradually doing more, walking further and best of all without pain. 

I still can't bend to cut my toemails, At the 6 week check up I was told not to bend more than 90 degrees for the time being - I don't think this limitation is permanent.

I don't know how far or how fast I will be able to walk after six months or a year. I do  know that I can do more now than I could 6 weeks ago.

Everyone is different and things like your age and state of health will also play a part. Best wishes 

 

8

HI Paula

Congratulations on the op - hope you are well on the mend

I will have to ask the wife nicely !

Thanks & Good Luck

9

Hi maggie

I am with you - pedicures is the way to fo for sure - no silly mistakes - Good Luck for the future

10

Hi Renee

Straight forward question, or I hoped it was - regardless of "our" age "our" condition - what could you as an individual(based upon when you didnt have the hip pain / condition) do that you cant do now following your operation

I have nothing in particular in mind - I just thought perhaps there were certain basic things which would (is) beyound capabilities after the operation - not including contac sports, climbing Everest etc

Just simple things for instance - can you get in and out of the car ok - do you have to sit with knees above hips for ever - can you run (not a marathon or 100 mts in 9 secs) but just run - can you dance (again not break dance) but waltz around the floor - can you do the egg and spoon race with the grand kids - can you take the dogs around the woods for 5 miles

These are all the little things playing on mind as Novemebr comes closer - I know being pain free should be enough for me but just wondering

Good Luck Renee for the future

11

Hi hope4cure

A fantastic reply - and well done for the 15 years but so sorry to hear about the other THR.

A shame the eventing had to stop but who can blame you for that !

My surgeon has a great track record and is up there with the best in this area of expertise I am happy to say.

I have watched the procedure twice on video - my surgeon said he wished I hadn't as I now know hat he is going to do to my body ha ha

I have ben going to the pool a little which as you say is easier as less weight bearing but also buildsd the muscles as required

Thanks again and hope you continue in a positive manner

12

Hi Mic

I am in the UK and didnt quite understand the "cookie cut" answer but not too worry.

Absolute no chnace of bungie jumping that scared the @@@@@ out of me when I was 100% fit and strong.

Breats stroke / gym machines I can handle - I also do a lot of snorkling when I go on holiday - so thats an excuse to find somewhere warm some 3 / 4 months after the op - so thats around Feb or March I will be looking for somewhere

At 71 my friend running 10k nect year you put me to shame at 59 - excellent mate - keep going and good luck

13

Hi Mary

Oh to be young again, rugby / running up & down mountains and generally being "a lad" during my 22 years in the Armed Forces - so as you say the "before" bit can be misleading - sorry

Your 2nd parapgraph rings true also I had a "niggle" in 2007 which was taken care of by a quick arthroscopy op (scrap, clean & polish as I called it) and I had no problems until Feb 2014.

I wait to the specialist - MRI etc and was told "you look like a guy thats wants info on the chin - your hip will be out with 18 / 24 mths"

So here we are date confirmed as 9th Nov.

Your 3rd paragraph is music to my ears and as for cutting my toenails - well I will just ask my lovely wife !

Thanks very much for your answers - Best of luck

14

Can't wall six miles every day now.difficult to get off the floor from a sitting position. And getting out of the tub the same reason.

Pull my leg into my crv car without pain.

15

Thanks ginger

Hope things keep going in a positive manner - how long post op?

16

I had some complications since surgery.

I Had anterior approach.So problems with iliopaso muscle shorting with hip flexors. And I.T band pain and nerve damage.

So my healing has been slow.I'm one year post op.hope all goes well for you.

17

Sorry to hear of your complications - I had to look them up

Hopefully your healing will continue and perhaps pick up pace for you - hope so - Good luck Dave

18

Hi All,

Lots of us in this community, same op, but one hundred different paths to recovery.

sad to hear some have been less jammy than me in better well.

hope all of us do what we need to do, without fear of failing, and all get better enuf to say 'I'm glad I had this op'

Mic

x

19

So true, Mic .... I realize how easy it is to focus on what I can not do (yet) instead of what,( guess?), I can do .... then I have the comparison of before surgery, surgery and now post up - what an I doing? surgery needed to be done to prevent me from becoming crippled and wheelchair bound gradually ... going up and down, being on this roller coaster, enotionally and physically and might be for a little bit longer ...

like you, I am glad I had this op ... eh, I have another one in the near future rolleyes - 

20

Thank you for your kind words.smile