Bilateral THR Any Bilateral THR equestrians out there?

[Clarice]

Im booked in for my Bilateral THR 14th Sept. I can luckily still ride (after loading myself up with Tramadol) although getting on/off is still a challenge. I have been advised to wait until a minimum of 12 weeks before considering getting back onboard. Is there anything I can do pre and post op to help? Does anyone have experience of riding after bilateral?

 

[Jaycey]

@Clarice Welcome to BoneSmart! Congratulations on getting a date for your surgery. Not easy in the UK these days.

I have been advised to wait until a minimum of 12 weeks before considering getting back onboard.

Yes, I would wait at least that long - maybe longer depending on how those new hips behave. There is just no predicting how you will react to surgery.

I assume you already have upper body strength since you are on and off that horse. Other than building that strength there really isn't much you can do pre-op.

You will need to confirm with your surgeon if you are to have any restrictions. Some don't impose any. Others impose several.

In any case, we have many member who returned to riding post op. Here's a link to a thread in the social room about some of our equestrian members. @PolarIce is one of our more recent members who might have some input for you.

 

[Layla]

Best Wishes tomorrow, Clarice.
Since your surgery is tomorrow, if you'd like to start your recovery thread today on the Hip Recovery forum, please feel free. I am sure you'll receive some best wishes there and we can leave a copy of the Recovery Guidelines for you. Please join us!
@Clarice

 

[PolarIce]

Hey there!
I am an equestrian but riding with only 1 THR at the moment. My right hip will need to get done in the next couple of years. I do know quite a few bilateral hipsters, and honestly the recovery was a lot easier on them, then those we went through with just the one THR.

The biggest theme I have noticed in those have gotten their second hip and got both done at once, is very tight PSOAS and hip flexors in general. If you can tolerate it, I would start working now on doing stretches daily and a couple of times of day if you can. That will help you post op(and do those post op when you are at a stage when you are allowed to do them).

As for getting back on, my surgeon and many equestrians have been told to wait at least 3 months before getting back on. It is such a demanding sport and can put a lot of stress on the joint, you want to make sure you give your body plenty of time to heal and mould to the new joint before you put stress on it. Of course always follow your surgeon’s advice before anything here, but these are the general guidelines I had to follow and know many fellow equestrians also had to follow. Three months in the grand scheme of things is nothing. You will be so busy getting yourself back into moving and exercises, that it will come to that date a lot quicker than you realize.

I do stretches every morning and at night before going to bed. If I don’t do them, I run into issues really quickly. Good luck with this journey! Can’t wait to see how you do! This is a really exciting part of your journey!

 

[FriesianRider]

@Clarice - Will be having my second hip done next week. Had the right THR done in Dec 2021. (I have bilateral hip dysplasia). I have a barn full of Friesians. I don't know what approach or what type of hip replacement you are getting, and your recovery, as well as how soon you can ride, will greatly depend on both. My first (and my second) are superior approaches and the surgeon went with a dual mobility replacement because I ride so much. The approach spared both muscles and tendons, so I had no restrictions. I used a PEMF machine (Pulsed Electro-Magnetic Field) on my hip every day after the surgery. I had no swelling, no pain (didn't even need to take Tylenol). Did my PT as directed and stretched as directed. Surgeon told me I could start riding again between 8 and 10 weeks. I split the difference and was on a horse in 9 weeks and was riding 6 horses a day at 14 weeks. Never had any pain or difficulty and have never looked back. PS. I am 60 years old.