THR Anniepops THR Recovery

[VThereandnow]

Been out of the loop so trying to catch up on my "peeps". Sounds like you are doing pretty well. I am happy for you. Walking a mile a day? Oh oh, reminding me I need to get back to some consistent walking. Walking seems to be my worst activity. Still get home each time limping and hurting. This too shall pass

I also agree with Sharon on Toodlepip - that's a great one haha. Cathy

 

[Anniepops]

Hello Gals

Cardie, I had a good old chortle at your comment about the foam roller. Surprisingly, the lads haven't used it as a weapon, for once they are being mature and haven't messed about with it as they realise it's very important to me and.....they know I would knock their block off if they even tried it.lol.

The PT has suggested joining a gym nearer to home but you know, I think I would feel a bit awkward working out with all those fit chicks. I feel more comfortable in the gym with the other joint replacement patients but I am giving it some thought.

I had a bit of a blip the other day. It was a total fluke, was walking the dogs when the one on the right caught my good foot which kicked the bad leg on the calf just as I was about to walk on it.........that sounds confusing I know but basically it jerked my operated leg forward and tweaked my hip joint. I was in pain for a couple of days but just rested and it seems to be okay. I have read enough on BS now to know what to do thankfully and I ddn't panic about it but it shows how something so tiny can now affect us.

Cathy, it's great to see you back. Sorry to hear that you are still experiencing pain on walking distances. I'm okay on long walks on soft ground, which is what I mainly do but if I walk for a long time on hard ground I can still really feel it. As time goes by it is diffcult to maintain a constant exercise regime isn't it. That thing called life gets n the way

Take care

Ann

 

[C Mac]

Hi Ann,

Saw a car in a parking lot the other day with a license plate that said "Hulahp" and I thought of you!!

Sounds like you are doing well -- and yes, those trips & stumbles can be surprisingly painful for a while, but hopefully less so as time continues to pass. The first year is a long one...

Take care,
Cardie

 

[tashia]

How are you doing? You are doing so well it gives me hope. Take care. Tashia

 

[C Mac]

Hi Ann,

Are you able to kneal like this? If so, that might be a way to tie your shoe next time it comes undone on the dog walk.

Just wondering if you are having any progress on this movement yet and the tying of shoes while on the dog walk??

Hope all is well,
Cardie

 

[Anniepops]

Hey Tash and Cardie. I'm doing okay, plodding along so to speak. I've been very busy in the house doing things which have needed doing for so long now, I just didn't have it in me pre op. Much de-cluttering, took a boot load to the charity shop and binned lots.......it felt good to have a good clear out . Also have started Christmas shopping. It's good to be able to trundle around the shops for a fair bit of time and to carry bags of shopping although I still can't overdo that.

Still doing gym PT twice a week, have been using the treadmill and I love it, especially using the incline function, I could stay on that for ages, wish they had a telly on the wall though,lol,that would be the icing on the cake! Somehow I don't think the NHS would be open to that suggestion.hehe.

Cardie, I am much nearer to doing that exercise thanks but I still need to hold onto the couch to get down and when I am in the position my body is off kilter, quite twisted, I can't get the heel of my operated leg foot to the floor and I'm feeling a massive stretch to the thigh of my good leg.....it's a very strange feelng I must say, quite painful in a weird sort of way. I'm presuming it's to do with the position of my left upper leg. To the knee there is a noticable difference in length. I still limp just not as much. When I raise my hip on the operated leg I can see how it balances out my pelvis but I'm hoping I can get away with not having to have a raise again.

Still can't bend down to tie my laces from a standing position but if I pop my foot backwards on a wall I can manage to bend enough to do it that way, fortunately.....or not....the weather here is so bad I've had to wear boots or wellies so no laces involved at the mo

Cardie, that would be a great car registration to have, just perfect for me.i'm still at it and enjoying it but having no luck in trying to walk and hula at the same time.lol

Xxx

 

[tashia]

How are you doing? Are you able to bend more? I am thinking of you and hope all is fine.

 

[alexthecat]

Anne, that stretch you feel in the position that Cardie shared may be tight hip flexors. You can try to ease that tightness with this stretch:

The next step is this:

In both these, the bottom leg is the one being stretched.

Let me know if either of these doing anything for you, okay?

 

[Anniepops]

Thankyou Alex, I will give that a try.

 

[dianemarie]

Hi Annie,

How are you doing? I do think of you each time I bend to tie my shoes. It is a stretch but I can do it. Just wanted you to know it took me over almost 2 years to be able to do this so don't give up! Hoping you are doing well. Give us an update when you can.

 

[Anniepops]

Just wanted to say Happy New Year to everyone. (seeing as I missed the party in the social room last night)
Good health and much happiness to all of the Bonesmart family

Haven't posted in a bit due to personal reasons but I have been reading and seeing how everyone as been getting on.

As far as how I am doing, I have missed nearly a month of PT and I can really feel it. I haven't even been walking the dogs so much too and I know my leg has got weaker through lack of exercise. This proves to me that it is very important to keep up the activity for a long time.....if not forever after THR, I really think this makes a huge difference.

My walking seems to be getting worse due to the lack of strengthening exercises and I now know that I do still have a LLD (not as much as before) but for now I feel that I do not need a heel raise and am hoping to get away with not having to have one in the future.

Back to gym PT on Moday but I think she will sign me off as it has been some months now since I started and they have to make room for new patients so I am determined to get back into daily workouts at home and walking an hour a day again, I cannot do with going backwards and know it is all down to me as to how this all pans out. In this respect I am very fortunate that things went well and I now just have to work with what I have thankfully been given to the best of my ability.

Ciao for now

Ann.x.

 

[tashia]

Ann, It was so good to hear from you. Sometimes you need to take a brake. Please don't stay away so long. Missed you. Take care. Tashia

 

[Poppet]

Anniepops Happy New Year honey... I was sending you happy vibes in the 31st

I have to agree with you about the walking and exercises.. I myself have become quite lazy..

You will get there, we have these phases of not doing much for various reasons in life. Rug up and off you go again

 

[welshjane]

Happy New Year Ann! Sorry to hear that things have gone backwards a bit for you. But that just seems to be the case with recovery for lots of people - two steps forward and one back. But, if this makes sense, even the going backwards is part of the forward drive. At present I'm supporting a friend who has had horrendous treatment for throat cancer and she's finding it very hard to get through the days. We keep having to remember how she was last week or last month, to compare how she is today, so even if today has been a bad day, it's better than a bad day was last time. Does that help at all? Even for those of us who claim to be getting on just fantastically, there are sometimes days when a muscle aches or the back hurts. And even those of us who claim to love walking sometimes find it hard to motivate ourselves through these long dark wet days to get out there and just do it. I've been feeling like that lately, so one of my dozens of New Year resolutions is to walk a certain number of hours per week, whether Susie the dog wants to come or not (she's sick at the moment with a kidney infection).

Love and healing, Jane

 

[Poppet]

welshjane oh no, poor Susie. I hope she recovers soon.

Anniepops how are doing girl?

 

[C Mac]

Hi Ann,

I hope that PT goes well on Monday -- you may be surprised that you haven't backslided as much as you think. Sometimes a break in the routine just takes your mental focus off of all those individual little muscles and parts but they keep doing their job as you are moving around in regular day's activity.

I'm sure you'll get back to some of your activities and your hula hoop and dog walks. Maybe some evening stretches and clams as you are feeling up to it.

Happy New Year to you too and thanks for being part of the Bonesmart family
Cardie

 

[Anniepops]

Hi Jane, I love it that you are still popping in on occasions, would have hated to have not heard from you again
I'm so sorry to hear about your dear friend, she will be thankful for your support I'm sure, I will remember her in my prayers. I hope you are doing good, sorry to hear you are also feeling less motivated as far as the walking goes, it is consoling to hear even the most enthusiastic walkers get that 'can't be bothered' feeling at times..also really hoping Susie recovers from her kidney complaint, poor thing, isn't it awful when our pets are poorly, fingers crossed she recovers very soon so she can get back to enjoying her walks.

Sandy and Cardie, I'm not too bad thanks, you know how it is but I think I am doing okay. Have been back walking these past couple of days and I do really enjoy it except the walking through lots of mud, the fields are in a right state round here due to all the rain, the pooches are a bit fed up of everyday baths methink. Sandy, I read your post on another thread about John saying for you to walk faster to help with the limp...funny that as I realised I don't limp as much when I walk fast probably as we don't have the time to limp what with all the quickness but I suppose we can't walk like that all the time but I do do it when I am alone on a big stretch of field, it certainly gets the old heart pumping that's for sure.

Cardie, that would be good if I realise I haven't gone back as far as I think,I will soon find out when I get on that exercise bike and treadmill, I do think it will be my last session, expecting an influx of new patients after the new year but that's okay, I have the knowledge now to continue on my own at home. Just need to get my backside into gear and be dedicated again. Thankyou for your continued support ladies.

Ann.x.

 

[tashia]

Ann, I just got tried doing my own post. So I had to do something to change things. So now I spend most all my time at other people posts. And I would hate to lost contact with my friends that I made it. You all are so importance to me. I believe our friendship is on a different level than if we had meet at work, ets. When one is having health problems they want understanding, listing and support. And since we were all at the same level or need a true friendship developed which is special and will stand longer because we have a special bond. At least that is what I think. Life is hard at time and you need true friends that can help. Lets do hope that we all on the mend even thru we still have problem, we have come great distances and will make the full recover. That will be such a day for celebration. Until then keep letting me know how you are doing as I will and take care.

 

[Anniepops]

Tash, you are a lovely friend, thankyou.

Take care

Ann
Xxx

 

[alexthecat]

I realised I don't limp as much when I walk fast probably as we don't have the time to limp what with all the quickness but I suppose we can't walk like that all the time but I do do it when I am alone on a big stretch of field, it certainly gets the old heart pumping that's for sure.

Think of a bicycle. If you pedal a bicycle very slowly or stop moving completely, you wobble around or fall over, right? That is because the forward momentum confers some stability and makes it easier to balance.

This happens with walking too. When you walk very slowly the stabilizing muscles have to work harder because you have less forward momentum to stabilize you. If you lose your limp when you walk more quickly, then that is how I think you should walk. If you have a choice between walking slowly with a crutch or walking more quickly without a crutch, I would say to walk more quickly until you get tired. Then, when you find that you have to slow down, use the crutch so you don’t start limping again.

You may need to pick up the pace a bit anyway, if you find that other people walk more quickly than you do. I think that, with our pre-op hips, we get used to moving slowly and the people around us accommodate that most of the time, so that becomes “normal” to us. Able-bodied, pain-free people naturally tend to move at the most efficient and stable pace for their bodies, but I think many of us lose that instinct when we are slowed down by our pre-op hips. I relearned to walk to my natural pace, so I’m sure you can too. It did feel scary at first, when I felt like I was zooming around everywhere. Then I looked at other people and realized that I wasn’t moving very fast at all. It just felt fast compared to how I used to be.

So, you see, it’s normal to stop limping at faster paces first and then to be able to walk more slowly, as your muscles grow stronger and you develop the habit of not limping. Eventually, you will be limp-free and crutch-free at all walking speeds, but this is a great step in that direction, if you’ll pardon my horrible pun. Congratulations!