THR Completed on June 14, 2012

[Elle11]

Alright, here we are 5 week anniversary. Interestingly (or rather NOT), I could not see any improvements this week, although as Dorothy just said in her post, it is like that sometimes, with nothing and then a spurt of improvement. This is my lull. Exhaustion was a big player. Amazing how tired one can get!

I am increasingly impressed with the body wisdom. As easy and naturally as I was able to get to the floor last week, at the start of the week when I attempted to kneel (following Alexthecat's directions from library; thank you, ALex, great directions alexthecat;) my body immediately tensed in an unpleasant way and I knew it was NOT time. If we listen, we know what we can do. Or can't.

The work this week was in training myself to stop standing like stork (which I have done for years, trying to alliviate the OA pain) and to try to walk without a limp. Since I am allowed to put full weight on the operated leg, it seemed like a good idea to practice the basic standing pose, tadasana (mountain pose) and its sister pose samasthiti (equal standing prayer pose: same as tadasana, but hands in prayer position and feet farther a part, hip width apart) to train myself.
Tadasan

Picture credit

The work comes in EQUALLY distributing the weight between two sides AND distributing the weight equally on each foot in a triangle between the base of the baby toe, the big toe and the heel. (The green spots in the picture.)

Picture credit
To make this pose more powerful, I put a yoga block between the thighs (can only do in samasthiti, not tadasana) and squeeze the block with the inner thighs while pushing out with the greater trocanters.
In this pose, one can stretch the hands up overhead and also do a gentle backbend (NOTE: NO BACKBEND if you had anterior approach). Long deep breathing through the nose.

Well, a little more ambitious than savasana...but not much!

Thank you, Cardie, Poppet, Dorothy, Annie, Debcakes and Cathy for visiting my thread. I hope you are all well. Some of you are more quiet than others. Debcakes, are you back at work??!! Sandy, I see you posting, but wonder how you and John are doing?
C Mac; rider1960; Anniepops; @Debcakes; VThereandnow;

 

[rider1960]

Elle, you amaze me with your knowledge! I read the posts and I actually understand your descriptions of the exercises/poses you are doing--that says a lot about your ability to explain things because I'm usually dense as a brick with stuff like this.

You also seem to have such an understanding and feel for what your body wants and needs. That is a wonderful ability to have after such a heavy duty surgery.

Thanks for all your caring posts on my thread and I hope to read many more updates about your progress. We are all getting there ...

Dorothy

 

[Elle11]

Thanks, Dorothy, yes, we all are getting there and I love everyone's company. I also like having a place to reflect on details of recovery, as my friends (dear as they are) are definitely over Elle's Miracle of No Pain. Today I walked towards one friend, caneless and perky and I said, "Look!" and she said "Look what?" I had to say, "I'm walking!" But I find this infinitely more tolerable than when I see someone when I am walking ok with my cane and people say, "Oh, you didn;t have your operation yet?" Ah.....
P.S. Dorothy, you can't possibly be "dense as a brick" about these things! If you are a horse back rider, you have an excellent body sense!

 

[Lgastreich]

Thank you for these descriptions. I appreciate the descriptions and the graphics.

 

[VThereandnow]

Ah yes, standing equally. I am working on that too Elle. Not being so in tune with yoga I was not calling it that but my Physical Therapist (PT) has me thinking about this while I stand. Seems so easy, but is truly not. I agree with Dorothy on your explanations, so clear and consise. You must be a fabulous teacher.

Yes, when fatigue sets in, it is suprising sometimes. I always thought of it, especially early on, as my body getting ready for another burst of something good. Keep up the good work Elle and make it a good day, cathy

 

[C Mac]

Wow, ok it is reassuring that I'm not the only one that has trouble standing balanced with my feet together -- although, I should probably be better at this by now!! For a long time, early out from surgery, I did think that this was "body wisdom" my leg wasn't fully ready to bear it's half just yet and so my other leg took on a bit more of it's "share."

Elle, I couldn't get down to the floor at 5 weeks yet either. Good that you listened to your "body wisdom" on that, you will get back down there in time.... no rush

Thanks for sharing these poses
Take care,
Cardie

 

[Anniepops]

Hi Elle, great info about the tadasana, thanks for the detailed instructions. I've had a little go and it's not as easy as one would think, all that concentrating on the foot spots. I found I also really have to concentrate on breathing only through the nose, I want to open my mouth sooo much.lol. Although I often have that problem being a bit if a chatterbox

I am seriously considering looking for Yoga classes when I get my ROM a bit better, think it will be great not only for my body but also for my (crazy mind) being a bit of a hyper person I think I could do with some calm time.

Thanks again for taking the time to post in detail

Take care

Ann

 

[rider1960]

I should consider yoga too. Ann brings up some excellent reasons for it. I don't need to be a yoga star, but it sure would be nice to be more flexible and calmer (I'm a bit hyper too).

Thanks for all the info you yoga experts post to get me thinking.

Sorry, Elle ... I really *am* dense as a brick about this stuff ... you compliment me way too much.

Dorothy

 

[Elle11]

Josephine; can you put my mind at ease or put up a red flag on this:

The last few days my body had a shift. Five days ago, kneeling was impossible. Yesterday, I just followed the kneeling directions from Alexthecat in the library and in a second I was on my knees! From there I sat back onto TWO blocks between my knees (so twice as high as the picture). Feeling comfortable with this, I moved to one block (like the picture). There was NO discomfort at all on the hip. The stretch was felt only in the knee and in the quad of the operated leg. It was an extremely powerful stretch to this knee and quad, which was why I did it on blocks; the right knee was not ready to have a stronger flexion. The stretch felt great! Later when I was searching the net for information on poses and hip replacement, I was so surprised to see this on one list of “do NOT do”. I think it must be a mistake because it felt wonderful and I can’t see any violation of restrictions (and was only mentioned in one of about 4 articles I found). Can you see any reason this position would be “Banned” for THR? I do not want to do anything to damage my prize new hip! I always sat like this prior to my operation. Thank you, so much!

You can also have feet under the buttocks, rather than at either side. I was using this variation with the block.

 

[sharonslp]

Wow, Elle, I'm so impressed you can do that! It does look like it would be a wonderful stretch for the quads....an area I have ongoing issues with in both legs. I'll be interested to hear Jo's take on this pose.

Sharon

 

[Josephine]

Take a tip - don't believe everything you read on the internet! There are lots of surgeons out there who are, shall we say, not as progressive as their website might make you believe. They say these things to cover themselves in case someone comes at them with a lawsuit because "that's what it said on your website"! There are as many if not more surgeons who wave their patients off with a assurance to do whatever they feel like provided it's not bungee jumping or pole vaulting! Though whether they then go and make sure their liability insurance is up to date, who knows?

To be honest, I found your description a bit cheek sucking for four weeks out but provided it didn't cause you any pain and you were able to get up from it okay, I say "go to, girl" but go carefully!

 

[Suki]

Elle

I sorta "sucked my cheeks" a bit too. This is pose looks like a great stretch for the knees --which sounds wonderful to me right now--but I am pretty sure I would be calling for help to get up, even with two blocks under me. I used to be able to sit like that, 3 hip surgeries ago...hopefully again soon!

I appreciate your comments on my thread and read the article you attached regarding Yoga after hip replacement with great interest. I think I will talk with my OS before calling my Yoga friend, to get his take. I think I will bring this article along to make sure we talk about the right questions.

Reading your posts' makes me think of lovely summer evenings, soft swirly skirts, graceful hands and smiling faces. Your wonderful spirit shines through!

Suki

 

[C Mac]

Hi Elle,

When I had my 6 week follow-up I asked if I could do this quad stretch again and was told yes. It's not a big stretch, especially if you naturally have a fair amount of flexibility -- but it was a start!!

I think we get lots of warnings about the stretch you have pictured because it seems a bit more severe and requires a degree of flexibility that some people might not have in their bodies with their own "normal" joints. Also, I think I remember hearing someone compare the hip joint to a lever (as in the simple machines, kind of lever) and that you don't want to apply enough pressure through the femur to dislodge the ball from the socket of the joint.

When I complained about the difference between my two legs and the flexibility at the hip flexors (ability to bring knees to chest). I was encouraged not to force that motion or expect it to improve much... My response was that I had hope to be able to do a cannonball again when I was done healing!!

Anyway, that's why I have found Alex's thread to be so helpful -- when we all sit around and try different stretches and knowing that there are hippies before me who've been successful in returning to their own normal level of flexibility after THR.

Good for you to go nice and slowly and envision what you are trying to do and how you are going to work your way out of the position as well. It's a bit of a test and re-learning a new body part for the first year out from our surgery.

Take care,
Cardie

 

[Poppyfields]

Elle.... have missed your posts post surgery but thrilled to hear you are doing so well!!!!!

I did not have any anti-biotics post surgery so new to me....... two weeks in was still in awful pain and could not sleep on my side/sides at all and on my back for more than six weeksHaving said that have come to love that postion although I can now comfortably, week 15 post op, sleep on operated side and also un-operated side( with a pillow between my knees) very comfortably!

Think you are doing brilliantly! I have gone into 'spontaneous' squats several times in the last few weeks and have been appalled to find myself down in that position without having thought about it! My body obviously knows what it is capable of doing without me controlling it!

Swimming several times a week doing the breast stroke very comfortably...... walking a lot...... doing housework to make up for the time before and post surgery when I could not!

I feel I am back to 'normal' and rushing around taking care of grandchildren, lifting them up and down, driving, shopping, cleaning, ironing etc etc Only thing I still feel uncomfortable with is sitting when driving.... feel something ' strange' in my hip area and also when stretching down to put my shoes on that operated hip side.....

Sending positive vibes for great healing

 

[rider1960]

I would always check with your surgeon for what you can do and what should be avoided, but I have read (but I don't remember where ...) that even with the newer larger diameter femoral heads that the combination of hip flexion combined with internal rotation is the one combo that can dislocate our hips. So, that "sitting like a frog with your legs out to the side" pose may be one of the risky ones.

I am also very impressed that you are able to do so many things like this. You must be super flexible!

Dorothy

 

[Elle11]

Ok, thank you everyone for your input. After kicking around more on the internet, there is indeed some internal rotation of the femur in this pose. (I cannot feel it, probably because this is how I usually sit in meditation and it is so comfortable; wish I had one of those skeleton models to twist around!) So even though it feels fantastic, I am going to hold off going deep into this pose (staying on two blocks!) until I see my OS as rider1960; suggests. (Dorothy, how did you know there was internal rotation in this pose??? It is so subtle!) I am guessing my OS will give me the OK, as it feels so wonderful in every part of the leg and hip that it can't be doing any damage. But better safe than sorry. Meanwhile I will use the quad stretch that Cardie reminded me of (thanks for that, C Mac; ,that runner's stretch works on the tight knee, too).

So, let's do something totally without hip movement, to focus on the upper body and core, but still engaging strong legs: a nice simple plank! No second guessing for this one! Phew!

Oh, and Suki; yes, certainly get your OS's approval first. But also know that doctors sometimes think that yoga means becoming a pretzel. My OS said no yoga for three months, but when I showed him pictures of some of the the poses I was planning to do, he was fine with that.

 

[rider1960]

Hi Elle, you are right--there is not much internal rotation with that pose, but I'm pretty sure there is some--and without knowing just how much is OK, better safe than sorry until you get your OS blessing, I think. It may be just fine and I'm just being a worry wart for you.

How I knew about the internal rotation??? I guess I just pictured the movement of your hips and legs going into that pose and kind of broke it down "movement by movement."

I think we are about to get a thunderstorm ... I hear thunder off in the distance. We do need the rain. Things are very dry here.

Dorothy

 

[VThereandnow]

Hi Elle, not much to add, all that wisdom before me Glad you are being so mindful about the things you are doing. It is serving you well in your recovery. Glad to see you are getting along so so well. , cathy

 

[rider1960]

Elle, hope you are having a great day today.

Something funny--Cathy had me thinking of blueberries a while back ... now I'm thinking about delicious mangos and wanting them. I have some frozen mango that I use for smoothies--I think I'll fix one. At least my cravings are healthful ones.

Take care,

Dorothy

 

[Lgastreich]

Elle, your posts encouraged me to try a plank tonight and to my surprise, I did it! I'll start adding a few seconds each night now until I can get back to where I was pre-surgery. Thank you for the information about yoga and THR. I know there's the need to always filter what we find on-line and only do what makes sense for us. But your information has been helpful and fun to read and test out.