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THR and 32 years old

As always, wisely considered and measured words from @gullimac. Listen to him, he is definitely the voice of reason.

gullimac said:
We as patients are unreliable at times to judge how things are going.
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We have nothing to compare our progress with, so we all are feeling our way through it to some degree. The PT advice differs, the operation differs, and everyone here has vastly differing experiences of recovery so it's a question of listening in to ourselves more often than not. Seems to be natural instinct for some to push further than we should though, especially those who have been super-fit previously or are competitive in nature!

Gullimac points out the importance of gait. Before THR we get so used to compensating/adjusting our walk due to intense and unrelenting pain that habituated patterns and unconscious tendencies to swing the leg, list to one side, turn out the foot etc surface only too easily. I got blisters in the arches of my foot after my first walking some distances as my feet were not used to this contact in my shoe before. Just goes to show. The advice on BS is to get new shoes, as the old shoes have the old walking pattern worn into them!

I'm with you @medlence, the absence of pain post surgery is such a revelation and a motivator to increase our fitness, and in the early days after surgery the daily changes seem nothing short of miraculous! I was lucky to have a smooth recovery too (but was very cautious) - now suffering with my remaining 'old' hip until I get a date. Enjoy your new found freedom, the future looks bright!
 
@gullimac and @Sunny girl thanks for your advice and support.

I am working on my gait as my body has developed its own way of walking before the operation and now it is starting all over to relearn how to walk properly.

Every day is better and I am completely off the pain meds the only ones I am taking is the Apixaban for another 15 days. Walking about 2 miles every day and not using the sticks in the house which feels nice back to some state of normality.

To anyone from waiting or debating THR reading this, don't wait too long, in fact don't wait at all for a hip replacement as it is so much better once you are on the other side.
 
today while going up the stairs I could hear a click on each step coming from my right hip. is this normal? and if yes, is it something that I need to learn to live with or will it go away after everything has healed?

also I have throbbing pain in my heels when I wake up in the morning which than goes away only to come back when I take a nap? can anyone please shed any light on this?

thanks
 
Since you feel the pain when you get up in the morning and after a nap, I am guessing it is because you are sleeping on your back, @medlence, and your heels are pressing down into the mattress. You could try putting a rolled up towel or pillow under your ankles for support, so your heels don't have to take all the weight of your feet.
 
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Hi I had the heel pain and it was because I am sleeping on my back - something I never do. I elevated my legs with pillows so that my heels were not resting on the mattress and they are fine now unless I wear shoes with enclosure all round then they feel sore and itchy again. I think they are pressure sores. Hopefully will soon be sleeping on my side again and will be back to normal. Well done with your recovery you have done amazingly well just don't overdo things.
 
Thank you @Cas and @Krista , that makes sense as I only had pain in my left heel while I was elevating the right leg on a pillow and now that I have stopped using pillow under the right leg both heels hurt. I will test it tonight and I hope it will resolve itself in couple of days.

Tomorrow is 3 weeks from the operataion, and apart from the heel pain and some discomfort on the incision from time to time I am pain free. I was limping a lot before the operation but in the last week or so my gait has improved significantly and I am walking almost normal.

Any idea regarding the clicking I hear when going up the stairs? Thanks
 
I'm sure the pain in your heels will go away soon when you take the weight off of them at night with a pillow!

As far as sounds, I've never had any with my hip replacement. But there is a link here on BoneSmart (at the top of the page of the list of threads for hip replacements, and I've copied it for you. Maybe it will have an answer for you. Noise Issues
 
when have people gone back to work?
is it too early to go back part time in the 4th week?

I have a desk job and can setup the desk and chair so I don't break the 90 degree rule, but interested to know what other hippies experience has been as to energy levels ? thanks
 
Just an update, I have managed full days at work Monday and Tuesday with no issues at all.

Monday was more active day so I walked around the office without sticks for the first half of the day and after lunch I used them until the end of the day just in case I over do it.

Today I did half day and felt energised enough to go out for lunch with my wife after work, still tricky to sit on restaurant chairs as I am very tall but asked for 2 cushions that I stacked on top of the chair and was comfortable enough to stay for desert as well.

Done with work until after New Years so ready to relax more and focus on recovery which I think is going very well. No pain from the hip, just slight discomfort at the incision and even that is only occasionally. I am completely off painkillers for over a week now and have only 7 more days to go on the blood thinners.
 
you have done amazingly well. Maybe that's because you are one of the ( younger hippies ). can't believe you are back at work and still feeling so well. Am so pleased for you. Keep well and look after your new hip.
 
@medlence definitely not the norm for recovery but well done! Long may your success continue!
 
yes @Cas I guess needing hip replacement at this age was unusual so my recovery had to be out of the ordinary as well...

I did listen to the advice of everyone here on the forum and I am taking it more conservatively than I began with but each day I feel like I can do so much more... I was in a lot of pain before the operation so being without pain just gives me more will and power to go on...

I noticed today that I break the 90 degree rule without really thinking about it so I am worried that as I feel better it gets harder to focus and remember at all times. How do people remember it at later stage of recovery when there is no pain to remind them of it?
 
Hi medience. For most of us, the 90 degree rule gradually gets broken exactly the same way. We can do more, and unless the body objects by registering pain, we start to move more freely and naturally. By six weeks out, our OS usually lifts the restrictions anyway, unless a particular person has a particular set of circumstances that make it wise to continue for a while longer. Early on, when risk of dislocation is greatest, there is good reason to observe the precautions. But as we heal, the risks diminish accordingly. Did your surgeon give you a specific amount of time to be careful, or is he one of the super-conservatives who say you can NEVER cross your legs again? (So not true!)

Dislocation risk and 90 degree rule

Sharon
 
medlence said:
How do people remember it at later stage of recovery when there is no pain to remind them of it?
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Your hip will tell you if you have gone too far. I had no restrictions post RTHR except "if it hurts don't do it". My hip just didn't want to move past 90 degrees in the early days but by the fourth week post op I had no problems.
 
@sharonslp - after the op surgeon came in and he did mention that with my age I will want to do more but he suggested to take it easy and be cautious about the dislocation risks until I see him at 6 weeks post op... so he wasn't very precise and I didn't ask as I was thinking it will be painful and stiff until 6 weeks anyway... but physio working with the surgeon was a lot more relaxed about it and was saying how she is expecting that the hospital will very soon lift all restrictions and just give guidelines as you need to do an acrobatic move or fall very awkwardly to dislocate ...

@Jaycey I would have very much appreciated no restrictions as well - did you have anterior? I wanted to go for anterior but couldn't find surgeon in Yorkshire that does it so ended up choosing the most experienced one with posterior approach
 
also it is my 4 weeks anniversary today - I can't believe how fast time flies

i think i still have some swelling on the lateral side at hip height as my thigh and bum on the operated side are a little bit bigger than on the other one - other than that feels almost 100% normal with occasional mild pain on the incision

I slept with a pillow between legs lying on my non-operated side for about half an hour last night and it felt great to give my back a little break. when do people start sleeping on their operated side?
 
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