THR A hiker's tale (male, age 49)

[cold_brew]

Good luck figuring out what volleyball-within-a-safe-post-THR-envelope even means! Awesome to get out there and figure it out.

I know I wouldn’t trust myself to stay in that box, for sure I’d go and do something stupid

 

[pdx_hiker]

Day 295: Turns out it's really hard to get your hip scar and mountain scenery in the same butt-selfie.

I'm pretty much back to my old hiking routine, although so far I've been keeping the distances on the shorter side: I haven't tried taking on more than about 8 miles in a day. But I haven't shied away from steepness or difficulty, and I've spent plenty of time scrambling off-trail and traversing sideways on sketchy slopes. (I guess scrambling is technically easier than before, since my left leg's range of motion has improved.)

When I go any real distance (or play sports), my thigh definitely aches toward the end of the day — and a bit the next day too. It's not debilitating, but it's like the implant wants to remind me that it's there. (Naproxen sodium helps.) When I have my 1-year followup with the surgeon in a couple months, I'll ask exactly where that ache is coming from and if I should be concerned at all.

 

[Eman85]

I get aches from my muscles and soft tissue when I tax them, don't think it will ever go away. I don't think our bodies like having the hip dislocated and the muscles don't seem to ever recover fully.

 

[golfer67]

I get aches from my muscles and soft tissue when I tax them, don't think it will ever go away. I don't think our bodies like having the hip dislocated and the muscles don't seem to ever recover fully.

Eman85 I think you are correct that the soft tissue never gets completely over the trauma of the surgery.

 

[Eman85]

I get aches from my muscles and soft tissue when I tax them, don't think it will ever go away. I don't think our bodies like having the hip dislocated and the muscles don't seem to ever recover fully.

Eman85 I think you are correct that the soft tissue never gets completely over the trauma of the surgery.

All I have to go by is my own experience, but a hip dislocation isn't a common occurrence you never hear of it except in rare sports injuries. Granted most of us are on the over 50 side that have this done so I'm sure that plays into it. I can also say that for me it seems all of my previous injuries have come back to haunt me as I passed 65.

 

[pdx_hiker]

Day 938: I thought I'd pop back in and give an update 2.5 years post-surgery, at age 52: so far, so good. When I do nothing at all for several days, my hip complains a little bit. It wants to be active.

I've been playing volleyball and disc golf regularly in the winter, and softball in the summer, with no major ill effects other than a loss of speed on the basepaths.

The only time that I really notice my hip is when hiking downhill on hard surfaces. And it's the same sensation I've mentioned before: like an ache deep in my thigh rather than near the hip joint. Granted, I still haven't done any serious distance; I don't think I've cracked 12 miles in a day since the replacement. Maybe not even 10.

 

[Jamie]

Hi, @pdx_hiker …. How wonderful of you to take time to come back to BoneSmart and report on how your hip is performing. And it sounds like it’s doing very well. Congratulations on regaining the things you want to do in life. That’s what having this surgery is all about.

We’re always glad to hear what you and your hip are up to!

 

[myglasshalffull]

Great update, I just started Year 3 in February. Year 2 was amazing & I'm back to all my activities. No volleyball for me but lots of walking & just enjoying life again.

 

[Deni444]

Great update! At two weeks post op, it's incredibly motivating to hear about active hippie lives. Thank you !