THR 50 Years of Yoga

[benne68]

Really dreading PT.

You don't need PT after a hip replacement. As a reminder, the following is from our recovery guidelines shared with you a couple of weeks back:

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.

My OS refused to prescribe PT after my THR (he did insist on PT after my knee replacement, though) -- instead he wanted me to just walk, gradually building up until I could walk a mile at a time.

 

[Layla]

Really dreading PT. It seems to be making walking painful.

Listen to your body, not the outside voices, well...with the exception of our advice lol.
It is not necessary to exercise your injured hip to promote healing. The controlled trauma sustained through THR will heal on its own. Often though, we're impatient and want to move the process along. In doing so we run the risk of struggling with pain and setbacks in the healing process. The best therapy for recovery is walking, but not to excess. Start slowly increasing time and distance incrementally in an effort not to overdo it. Give yourself the TLC you deserve and reap the benefits of a successful recovery.

Here is an article on side sleeping, which you wondered about earlier -
THR: laying on my side - when can this be done?

 

[Jamie]

@Yogini … I am confused by your statements about wanting an anterior approach to your surgery. Did someone lead you to believe this would be easier to recover from if you had an issue with pigeon toes?

 

[Yogini]

RSV is not just for kids. Horrible horrible stuff. Worse than flu or covid, at least for me. Just getting past a very bad week of nausea, bad headaches, and choking coughing. No treatment for RSV, no vaccine. Very contagious.

Set my "going oh so well" recovery back. Hardly able to get out off bed, much less walk. Had to cancel some PT appointments (no tragedy.)

Stay well away from sick kids and anyone coughing!

My 6 weeks of bending restrictions and stupid compression hose are coming to an end soon. Yippee!

 

[Layla]

Thanks for the warning! I am very sorry you're feeling so under the weather. RSV sounds awful. I hope you turn the corner soon so you can burn the nasty compression socks in a celebratory bonfire.
Hugs and best wishes for a speedy return to normal.
@Yogini

 

[Yogini]

Thx. Feeling a little stronger. Will play catchup on my hip recovery.

Great idea to roast the stockings!

 

[Yogini]

Advice needed.

I am 6 weeks out and doing ok. 90° restriction ended. But when I tried to reach my feet for sock application, the joint was stiff, and it hurt. Any technique to this?

Also, a real bath. How to get in and out of a bathtub? Any magic?

On and off the floor. Is there a technique?

Thx!

 

[Eman85]

You did Yoga, it's all about the slow easy stretch. The 90* restriction timeline is to give the hip time to heal and reduce dislocation risk. Time and healing lessens the risk, there is a timeline showing how the risk/time relationship goes. When stretching be mindful of the dislocation risk.

 

[Layla]

Hello Yogini,
I'll bet you are happy restrictions were lifted. Woohoo!

Socks can be tricky early on. What worked for me was sitting on the sofa or bed and raising my leg onto whatever I was sitting on with the outside of my leg facing / resting on the sofa or bed, providing easier access to my foot.

There are recovery aids you can research online to assist in easier access in and out of the bathtub such as -
Transfer Benches

Adjustable Bathtub Safety Rail Shower Grab Bar Handle
This has a padded rubber clamp with strong locking mechanism that allows rail to securely clamp on to the side of the tub to support the transfer in and out of the tub.

Also, Shower Step Stools (4.5") These are slip resistant and stackable.

Getting off the floor - Your best bet may be to do an online search where you'll find some YouTube videos demonstrating how to get up off the floor after THR. Familiarizing yourself through viewing these may help you feel more confident in attempting this when the time is right

Good luck with all, I hope this helps. Enjoy the week!
@Yogini

 

[Layla]

Happy Two Month Anniversary!
Have a great week and many blessings to you in the New Year!
@Yogini

 

[Yogini]

I am now 11 weeks past the surgery. I have begun some very light yoga. I basically narrowed down my old yoga routine, to avoid leg crosses, severe twists, and tight bends. I was able to do most of a sun salutation, except for one move that my surgery leg didn't like. This is the new routine:

Standing: triangle, reverse triangle, forward bend with legs spread.
Kneeling: neck circles, bandahs (kegles), reverse prayer posture, forward bend, entwined fingers arm stretches (changing finger twining and repeat), eagle.
All fours: downward dog, cat/cow, plank, cobra, upward dog
Seated: light forward bends, light twists, table
Back: rocking back and forth and side, bridge, wide leg toe touch
End: alternate breathing, leg elevation

Better than PT.

 

[Jamie]

So glad this is working for you. It's a good thing you're starting slowly and paying attention to what works and what your body might not be ready for just yet. Things will continue to get better with more time. You're still in the early weeks of recovery.

 

[lanstan]

That is about where I was at at 11 weeks. I am now at 5 months and can do almost anything I want but have eliminated some poses where i might fall. I can finally sit cross legged with only a hint of discomfort in my new hip area side. I can put my full weight on my surgery leg (like tree) for a short time. I feel yoga for me was way better than PT. It has been baby steps all the way!

 

[Merrimay]

Fantastic @Yogini ! I'm at 11 weeks and way, way behind you. I have a limp and the instability has meant I can't yet come off my activity poles. Preop atrophied muscles shriek if I overdo. Your recovery sounds like a dream! Enjoy!

 

[Jamie]

@Merrimay .... I also have had problems with my surgery leg muscles. I believe they had tightened and compensated for hip problems over many years. I am seeing a therapist now for Trigger Point Manual Massage and it's working finally. I am a little over 4 months out from my THR and just now getting to where I can get off my cane when out on walks or errands. You can read more details about my journey in my recovery thread.

 

[lanstan]

I know everyones recovery is different. I feel especially lucky to be a nurse and from so many patients they told me to do surgery soon rather than later. I was able to do yoga every day before my surgery with modifications. i didnt go months limping. My advice to anyone wondering about doing it, do it sooner rather than later!!!!

 

[AllieBucks]

I know it’s been a while but if your knee still hurts I found these amazing wraps on Amazon called Theraice that you freeze and then slip onto your knee/arm/whatever are the BEST at getting rid of pain. You don’t have to cover it - it’s made of swimsuit fabric.
I’ll get a link. I wear one constantly on my knee. It’s tight and you can walk around with it on.

 

[Jamie]

@AllieBucks .... thanks for the information. We don't allow commercial links on the forum, other than for items that have been tested and approved by BoneSmart. However, members can purchase this or other items by just going directly to Amazon. We encourage people to use the https://smile.amazon.com/?tag=ate362da-20 link and designate the Foundation for Advancement in Research in Medicine (FARM) as their donation beneficiary. That way BoneSmart receives a small portion of the purchase and the member gets a great product. This can be used for any Amazon purchase as a painless way to help BoneSmart with our monthly operating expenses.

 

[AllieBucks]

Gotcha!

 

[zauberflöte]

@Yogini I've not read but the beginning and end of your thread here, but what drew me to it was your early comment that you should have been told that your congenital pigeon-toed-ness could be an issue during early recovery.

I felt strong empathy for you, having had a similar thing happen about 18 months ago. My screen name could be "Fifty years a professional flute player" lol. A year an a half ago I had to have a top front crown replaced. I'd had that crown for 45 years, and another before it for 5. It was a tad shorter than my other front top tooth. My embouchure, the musculature of the face while playing, grew around that crown, and served me very well. The dentist who replaced it neglected to tell me that he was going to put in the new one not to match what he was replacing, but to match the other top front one. He assumed, he said after it was too late, that I'd want them to match. The new crown collided painfully with two of my bottom teeth, so what did he do? Ground down one of them quite significantly. Now the problem for the embouchure existed top and bottom. I was devastated. I eventually had to change equipment, and am getting the hang of it, but my mouth will never feel right again. I am hoping that your hip has easily gotten past the time of precautions and is doing much better than my face!

In the hip department, for my first hip a "concierge nurse" (and not an orthopedic expert either) from my insurance company scared me about turning my leg out At All, whether at rest or moving. Sheep-like, I followed her instructions and set the muscles up for less flexibility in perpetuity. For the second I let myself move much more naturally, and that side has more rotational flexibility. Before surgery they'd each naturally turned out while I walked or lay down-- must have had to do with compensating for pain. Immediately post-op the op leg stood nicely, toes up directly at the ceiling, good little toes!

Your yoga practise does sound much nicer than PT. Maybe there's a studio in your future, Yoga For Bionic People!