THR Anniepops THR Recovery

[alexthecat]

Vida Body Pump is a sort of weightlifting class set to music. The health club gets busy in January with people who spend a few weeks resolving to exercise. I teach Body Pump then until the crowds move on. It's important not to laugh at them, because they really do need support.

As Anniepops indicated, it's not the best choice for someone still recovering from THR. I do enjoy it though.

 

[Annie's]

JaneyGS. Hello! Just enjoyed reading your post about yoga poses...that has been my main rehab goal...prior to my surgery I was also still very flexible, but walking had become nearly impossible...at my 2 month check my OS went over about a hundred poses with me one by one, nixing some forever, asking me to wait on a few, and mostly green lighting them...he was a bit concerned though, telling me that the extra flexibility combined with the new surgical weakness might up the dislocation risk, so told me to hold off on extreme outward rotations for a bit yet...but my forward bends have returned to ALMOST pre surgical levels, and child's pose came back quickly once I started practicing regularly...my main issue now is any balance poses on the operative leg...just shakes like crazy in Warrior 1 ...but started practicing daily around 2 months, and it is slowly improving...stamina is still really low...we do so many high lunges, and after about 3, my leg has had it...so I just back off...I have a wonderful teacher, and do 7 classes a week...he has just been so encouraging through this whole process...so would love to hear more about your progress! I am just trying to be grateful to walk and develop patience with my hip and myself through this recovery...it is just amazing to slowly work your way back!

 

[Anniepops]

So, i decided to dust off the wii fit and try something new. First I went on the exercise bike and that killed me, haven't been on one for two months after gym PT ended and boy did I feel it, I was knackered after five minutes...eek. If you don't use it you lose it is so true!!!

Then onto the wii, done some steps which were fine then tried the jogging on the spot. I managed 1000 metres and felt okay afterwards except for some heel pain. Later on that day I tried some side abductor stretch thingies whilst holding onto the back of the chair and couldn't do it as my good hip was so sore I couldn't even take my weight on that leg.....very disappointing but I'm thinking/hoping it was because of the earlier jogging putting perhaps a bit too much pressure onto that good leg.

Laying off the jogging for a few days to see if good hip improves.

Got 12 month check up next Monday, hopefully will be getting xrayed so can ask nurse to have a look at the good side then too.

 

[Vida]

Hey AnniePops.

Can so see you jogging with the wii... although I have to say, it might not be your best bet. Personally I love the exercise bike and the cruddy knee on my good leg likes it too. My physio (now abandoned..as you've seen on my thread) told me my knee has become painful and crackly because the patella isn't tracking right due to all the limping. I was planning to get a shot in the knee but have seen an improvement since working to right it so am holding off. But it takes incredible concentration. I noticed while watching myself on the treadmill at PT that I do tend to throw the good foot around while focusing on the 'bad' hip so am attempting to correct that. I walk extremely well when I stand up straight, shoulders back sergeant-major posture, then do the heel toe thing with both. No pain anywhere on either leg when I do that. Plus I look super tall and could push people out of the way with ma boobs 'cause they are so sticky-outy. (My husband says he appreciates that posture!) But I couldn't hold a conversation while doing it. Try the bike with no resistance for 5 minutes, twice a day, that is if you can get your bum comfy, because otherwise it hurts the joint. If you can't, try putting a towel underneath. Make sure your bike is high enough that the cycle motion doesn't irritate your joint. I feel it loosens everything-- I do my stretches afterwards and it seems easier. Am now up to 20 mins twice a day. Its a force because god knows, I hate working out. (Sorry Alex and Cardie, notice I didn't alert them? They work so hard.. in comparison I feel like a slug.)

I am looking forward to hearing how you get on at your checkup . Keep smiling - you're an inspiration.

Vicki x

 

[Anniepops]

Thanks Vicki, my Patella isn't tracking properly either, PT thought that's why my lower leg jutts out at the bottom when I lift my knee but I'm not so sure about that...does yours stick out too?

Good idea to do the exercise bike twice a day, now you mention it I forgot that the seat doesn't seem high enough on mine but it's at it's highest...what's that all about I ask, what about people with longer legs, which I haven't even got. I am going to keep at the bike though, hoping it will help my knee which isn't getting any better despite the exercise, it looks very freaky I must say. I will try a towel cos that will give me extra height, ooo I'm pleased you stopped by Mrs Great suggestions all round

You're doing very well doing twenty mins a day, I know what you mean about it being a force though, I find the bike very boring even with the telly on to give me something to watch.


Lol at your hubby appreciating your assets....and so he should i can't hold a conversation and concentrate on my walking either, it's just too much.


Oh just re-read your post, is it the good knee that has the patella problem? Does it actually hurt you....just with you saying about getting a shot in it.

Will post back after my check up

Xxx

 

[C Mac]

Hi Ann!

Good for you on the Wii!! I did that at one point really early on -- in fact I was still in my outpatient PT program. I remember once when I'd finished some component it had this little feature where it would announce my "age" based on my balance & movement and I'd scored like age 35 and was just so tickled by that that I bragged about it at PT!! We have the Wii Fit game so I'd do some of the "yoga" types of movements, balance related exercises, hula hoop (hey, you should check it out!!) and some other little activities -- it was a bit silly and pretty minimal, but that was all I could do at about 3 or 4 months out... My husband used to do a different program, Wii Active and it was much more "active" than I could muster at that point with my gummy fake hip!!

You know patellar tracking is an issue that many people struggle with in "normal land" and there are certain ways of doing certain movements that can assist in strengthening the muscles in the quads that can help with this imbalance & tracking. One of which involves doing leg extensions in a particular way which I'm sure alexthecat could detail properly for you both - Vida also. It would involve a trip to a gym-like facility that has exercise machines, but those can be happy fun places to visit. You will especially feel a great sense of happiness when you've done your tiny routine successfully and can walk out with a little less gimpyness in your leg and a greater sense of strength and improvement -- trust me!! Alex works hard, I'm still trying hard but not yet breaking a sweat...

It takes a long time for our bodies to adapt to the change in geometry that we've had with the new hardware, lots of muscles/tendons that are stretched and angled differently and trying to do their work with their neighbors smoothly and functionally. Still the year of healing and experimentation for you both -- Ann's is coming to the 1 year mark and then you can have the Adaptation Year too!!

Take care,
Cardie

 

[Anniepops]

Well get this Cardie....when I first done that age thing on the wii about three years ago I was cock a hoop that it gave my age as 30........this time my age was flippin 47 which is my actual age but I wanted to stay younger.lol.....guess that THR has aged me.......could have been worse tho' could have added another ten years.hehe. Now I have to work at getting it down again.

I'm wondering if Alex has already gave me instructions for improving my patella tracking, I must look back over my thread to the time when I was whinging about it.... ....you know I do like a good moan now and again.lol.

 

[Anniepops]

Oh yes Cardie, as I mentioned on your thread, I am getting into Adaption year mode and looking forward to it

Xxx

 

[Vida]

No to the foot extending thing Anniepops. She just suggested it as a possible diagnosis and by experimentation, I've found that walking correctly reduces the pain, as does wearing a brace, which I do if it gets bad. Mostly its clicking and crackling ... the pain is eased by the 40 mins on the bike, no question. C Mac, I have a gym membership languishing somewhere so if Alex or you suggest a move, I probably have access to the right equipment. TTFN ladies!

 

[Poppet]

Hi Annie, it is been so long since I visited your thread.. Sounds like you are chomping at the bit to move onto the next phase.. I hear you my friend

 

[alexthecat]

About the patella tracking thing... if you stand up straight on both legs and then kick your foot behind you, as if you kick your bum, how is your patella tracking then? I'm really asking if flexion of your hip affects how your patella tracks.

Vida there's a neuro-muscular cue for breaking the habit of swinging your foot out when you walk. You walk around lifting your knees high like a horse. Not all the time. Just a few minutes morning and evening. Anniepops did this a long time ago, I think ... before the hula hooping and nut cracking.

 

[Anniepops]

Hiya Alex, have kicked my foot behind me...do you mean as if to actually trying to kick my bum, (I can't get my foot to touch my bum with either leg).....how then will I know if my patella is tracking okay or not. I'm watching my knee as I do it but haven't a clue what I am actually looking for

I am still doing the horse trot thing in the garden on a morning and I can still feel a pulling in my groin when doing it, I do like it though as I think it does release the groing tension somewhat. Oh i am also slapping the raised legs knee when doing it too.

 

[alexthecat]

If it doesn't hurt and it looks like your foot is moving straight up (not swinging out to the side), it's probably tracking okay. Maybe Mr. Pops can check that for you.

So, you still do that horse walk thing? Now I have a mental image of you prancing in your wellies through mucky fields with dogs and a hula hoop.

 

[Anniepops]

Haha you are a funny one Alex. Strangely enough I actually did the horse walking thing today whilst walking down a sloping hill....in my wellies(no hoop, now that would have looked crazy) there was nobody else about though.lol

Thanks for that, have tried it again and no it doesn't hurt and my leg doesn't flip out so it's only when I do the horse walk movement that it flips out at the bottom. It's got to be due to the new position of my hip joint and leg. No pain in that knee at all now so that's good.


Cheers m'dear.xxx

 

[alexthecat]

How much hip flexion does it take to cause your foot to flip out when you bend your knee?

 

[Anniepops]

Vicki, I'm pleased the brace is helpful, I thought about using one initially with my knee problems, even thought about using my sons which he had made when he broke his knee but decided I had better not use something without a doctors say so. So I just hsve stuck to the exercises.

Might be good for you to have a go at the horse trot. Let us know how you get on.xxx

 

[Anniepops]

As soon as my foot leaves the floor. My foot goes to the side, like inside foot goes up and outside goes down, lower leg goes outwards and I feel the pulling high in my inner thigh when I try and fight it.

 

[alexthecat]

Are you doing (or have you ever done) any squat-type physio exercises? If yes, how did that go?

 

[Anniepops]

Yes, I am squatting with the exercise ball against the wall and that's good, no problems there apart from my right knee sometimes kicks off....got ligament problems in that so prevents me continuing at times.

Doing it without the ball is okay so far down but then my foot wants to twist...it's painful and my heel lifts off the floor.

 

[alexthecat]

If you move your feet farther apart and/or externally rotate your legs slightly, does that make the squats work better?