THR 1st Full Day Home After THR

[ruetheday]

I had my surgery on my right hip on Tuesday and was discharged on Wednesday. It' just me and Prince and Sherpa. Prince is a 4 year old male Tabby and Sherpa is a 4 year old female Calico. I was glad to see them and I hope they felt the same but who knows with cats?
I had been preparing for the surgery since early June, working out at home due to the pandemic. I missed my pool workouts but I was surprised that I enjoyed training by myself.I bought a stationary bike (boring! lol) and did leg exercises with an elastic band, besides chins, pull ups and dips at my local park. It sounds like a lot but most days it took about 45-60 minutes.
After two restless nights, I had a good night sleep last night. I had the posterior procedure, which makes sleeping on your side difficult but I imagine I was so exhausted that it didn't matter. I had to get up once to use the bathroom and I can see that's the time when a fall could happen.
My leg is really stiff and sore but the pain has been manageable with the drugs. It's a beautiful morning in Victoria and I've been out for a walk using crutches and putting about 25% of my weight on my operated leg. I walked for about 30 minutes. It was challenging but also good to be outdoors and moving around.
I feel grateful that the procedure was available to me, also that it was basically free due to our health care system and I'm also grateful that there's site like Bone Smart, where I can chronicle my experience.
Cheers
Robert

 

[Jaycey]

@ruetheday Welcome to BoneSmart and the other side of surgery!

I've been out for a walk using crutches and putting about 25% of my weight on my operated leg. I walked for about 30 minutes.

Easy does it! That's quite a bit of activity only just out of surgery. This is major surgery. Your body needs time to rest and heal.

Here are some recovery guidelines for you:
Hip Recovery: The Guidelines
1. Don’t worry: Your body will heal all by itself. Relax, let it, don't try and hurry it, don’t worry about any symptoms now, they are almost certainly temporary
2. Control discomfort:

rest​

elevate​

ice​

take your pain meds by prescription schedule (not when pain starts!)​

3. Do what you want to do BUT

a. If it hurts, don't do it and don't allow anyone - especially a physical therapist - to do it to you​

b. If your leg swells more or gets stiffer in the 24 hours after doing it, don't do it again.​

4. PT or exercise can be useful BUT take note of this BoneSmart philosophy for sensible post op therapy
5. Here is a week-by-week guide for Activity progression for THRs
6. Access these pages on the website

Oral And Intravenous Pain Medications​

Wound Closure​

Pain management and the pain chart
Healing: how long does it take?
Chart representation of THR recovery

Dislocation risk and 90 degree rule
Energy drain for THRs
Pain and swelling control: elevation is the key
Post op blues is a reality - be prepared for it
Myth busting: on getting addicted to pain meds
Sleep deprivation is pretty much inevitable - but what causes it?

BIG TIP: Hips actually don't need any exercise to get better. They do a pretty good job of it all on their own if given half a chance. Trouble is, people don't give them a chance and end up with all sorts of aches and pains and sore spots. All they need is the best therapy which is walking and even then not to excess.

We try to keep the forum a positive and safe place for our members to talk about their questions or concerns and to report successes with their joint replacement surgery.

While members may create as many threads as they like in a majority of BoneSmart's forums, we ask that each member have only one recovery thread. This policy makes it easier to go back and review history before providing advice.

 

[Layla]

Hello and welcome to BoneSmart and recovery! Thanks for join us.

Wondering about the side sleeping...which side are you lying on? It took me a couple months to lie on my op side, I was feeling pretty apprehensive about it. What helps me and I still do it three yrs post op, is a Body Pillow in between my legs. It’s inexpensive
($10 / Target) and I can’t imagine sleeping without mine. It‘s comfortable and offers the perfect amount of support. You could use any size bed pillow really, but I like the dimensions of the Body Pillow.

Following is an article on side sleeping -

THR: lying on my side - when can this be done?

To answer this question - it depends upon any restrictions such as don't bend past 90 degrees which will make a difference to this 1. if you have restrictions, then you cannot/should not try sleeping on your side until these have expired. Maybe 6, 8 or even 12 weeks - it depends upon the...

bonesmart.org

Stop back often. We’d love to follow your healing journey offering encouragement along the way.

@ruetheday

 

[ruetheday]

Hi Layla,
Thanks for your reply. My op side is the right. I have been using a pillow, just a regular pillow but I'll check out the Body Pillow. Thanks again.
Cheers,
Robert

 

[Hip4life]

I’m in the body pillow camp. I also was posterior approach. I had no sleeping restrictions except what didn’t cause too much pain and didn’t violate regular restrictions: cue the body pillow. Regular pillows work as well, you just need more of them. Lol. My husband still jokes about what he has nicknamed my “boyfriend pillow.” I think he might be just a little jealous.

 

[zauberflöte]

@ruetheday 30 minutes in a row of walking on day 3, oh my! How's your hip been today? I got my walks in shorter bites, still got the exercise but rest in between. In Virginia in July it is not necessarily good to be outside, so I just recovered on my sunporch with the ceiling fan plus a circulator fan, and sweated plenty lol.

 

[ruetheday]

Virginia in July sounds hot. It reminds me of that scene in "Biloxi Blues" where Matthew Broderik gets off the bus in Mississippi for boot camp and says, "Wow, it's hot! It never got this hot in Brooklyn. This is Africa-hot!" LOL
It's all good 4 days after surgery. I was out for a while today, enjoying our brief Canadian summer. Patience is the key for me. EZ does it, especially when my leg starts feeling stronger.
Cheers
Robert

 

[zauberflöte]

I lived in Montreal for 4 years attending McGill. I'd come there from Vermont. So when the temp hit 85F, people started dying, back in the '70s. I moved here after school and apartment hunted on Sept 1, temp about 95F, humidity sopping wet, and I rented an apartment in a building that I'd originally gone into for ice cream! Now, 40+ years later, to me 85F is heavenly.

You are so right-- patience is the key! Also, as you say, EZ does it! Keep up the good work!

 

[Layla]

Hi there Robert
It sounds like you’re a patient, patient. Good for you, just chillin and taking it all in stride. Before you know it four days will be four weeks, then four months and all the while your strength and energy will be increasing and you’ll be loving life.
Enjoy the rest of the weekend!
@ruetheday

 

[Mojo333]

Congratulations on your shiny new hip.
Getting comfortable these first weeks is quite the trick...not sure I ever learned it.
Time is the greatest healer. .and All Temporary became my mantra.

Healing vibes coming your way

 

[Softtail]

Ruetheday, I had my hip done anterior approach so I had fewer restrictions right after surgery, but my good friend had his also done posteriorly and about 3 months out he is running around like a youngster. Since you had muscles cut, you will have to give them time to heal so they can keep your hip where it’s supposed to be. Just don’t get discouraged, and take it slow, and you will end up in great shape down the road.

 

[leejaa]

@ruetheday ,I also had the posterior approach. Slow and steady is the best mantra for healing and returning to activities you enjoy. Your muscles and your body have to heal so lots of elevation and icing in between regular short walks really does the trick without set backs. Increase activities and give it a couple of days to see if your hip and body object. I have had a great recovery again following the bonesmart advice. Have a great day with your furry companions.

 

[Jaycey]

Since you had muscles cut, you will have to give them time to heal so they can keep your hip where it’s supposed to be.

Just to clarify - muscles are not cut during posterior THR. They are retracted to gain access to the joint area. The trauma of moving them around needs to ease. They will stabilise and tighten around the joint again given time.

And many surgeons are no longer imposing post op restrictions no matter what approach is used.

 

[Layla]

Happy Two Month Anniversary!
How are you doing? We’d love to read an update and share in the joy of your progress.
Hopefully you’re feeling stronger and steadier on your feet, week by week. Hope to hear from you soon.
@ruetheday