THR Confused and Regretful

@AngiesHips Don't believe everything you hear or read from those bragging. If you read on this forum you'll see that the people hiking the Himalayas after 6 weeks are few and far between and shall we say stretching the fishing story a lot.
As far as me sitting crosslegged on the floor it's not going to happen. I was never able to sit crosslegged on the floor, I've had limited ROM all of my life. I have much more ROM in my L hip now than ever before. I still have limited ROM in my R hip and it's hurting a little more each day so it's probably in my future.
I had posterior and I had pins in my femur that had been in there since 1969 that had to be removed. I'd say he needed a little more room to work so it wasn't even a question for me. I wasn't worried about scars, that's the 3rd time in that hip and it's in a different spot, my other scar is on the side like yours. My posterior incision was 10" and now it looks like a thin pink pencil line. My uther scar looks like a football!
You'll be fine and it will all fall into place. Your job now is to heal first, ten worry about the rest.
 
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Things will work out great. I was a gym rat before my hip broke down and I believe that’s helped my recovery. It sounds like you are an active person and I think it will help you in your recovery. I had the anterior approach and I will be 6 weeks out on Tuesday. There will be times when you are feeling down just find the small positives in your recovery to push you forward. Keep us updated and if you need a place we vent I’m all ears!
 
Hi AngiesHip
As skopg said, it will work out. Your young and this hip issue seemed to come on pretty quickly. Your muscles have not learned enough bad habits yet. You may or may not sit Indian style again, but definitely not for a few months (6+). You do have restrictions, due to the approach, but after a given period, you can "push" those limits some.

I must disagree with Eman85. At 4 weeks, I'm back at the gym on a regular basis. I have had 2+ years to get myself ready for this recovery. You may not have "trained" for this recovery, but your young so that kicks :yikes:.

Hang in there.
 
@AngiesHips, I had the anterolateral approach as well ... Your incision looks a little further back than mine ... Anyway, one thing you should know is that one advantage of the anterolateral approach is that there is a low rate of dislocation ... which means you can bend (later on) a lot and still be safe ... Your surgeon sounds extremely conservative ... and cautious ... Lots of surgeons these days are not nearly as restrictive. My surgeon said there is very little evidence that restrictions are needed long term ... though they may be needed short term.

Just keep going, pay attention to your hip ... you'll know when you're overworking it ... You may very well be able to sit Indian style on the floor. (It may simply be the case that your surgeon is up on some of the latest research.) Follow restrictions at first ... but after about three months, you can see what feels right. Note: I'm not a doctor and I'm not telling you to disregard all that your surgeon says. I'm simply nothing that your surgeon seems really really cautious.

More important is to just go through your recovery ... let the hip get stronger and more flexible ... you'll see what you can do with it over time ... Just don't rush ... I get the despair over the coldness and distance of your surgeon ... and the despair over restrictions ... But you're early on ... You may in fact have quite a robust hip. And your surgeon might later tell you that you can ease up on the restrictions.

@vern748, happy to hear you are feeling great at four weeks. The point is that the vast vast vast vast majority of people do not go to the gym after four weeks. You're an outlier to an outlier ... which is great.

The problem is that people read about the super-fast recoveries like yours and they think they SHOULD be recovered at that point. I'm in touch with a highly athletic community of runners who've had hip replacements and hip resurfacings. They almost all say they felt really good running at 15 months to 18 months ... though they resumed running much earlier than that.

At four weeks, your device is still fusing with bone ... no approach speeds up the growth of the device into bone. Which is why even the most aggressive surgeons (maybe with a rare exception) don't want people running for at least three months, which is the time it takes for the device to "grow in" and be solid.

Enjoy your recovery. But your recovery is exceptional ... We just don't want people to think the exception is the rule.
 
Complete agree. So far my recovery is NOT typical. Go slow, your body will tell you what works.

As for running, not going to happen. Did not run before the injury for 17 years, and not about to start now. Worst thing you can do for a hip replacement.
 
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@vern748, actually my understanding is that there has never been research evidence to say running was bad for hip replacement. Surgeons who in the past recommended against running--when polled on this question-- admitted they were following intuition only.

Now I get it--an experienced practitioner's intuition is not to be denied. But the advent of the cross-linked polyethylene liners have changed the game ... that and ceramic heads ... Basically wear rates (compared to the old polyethylene) of the liners have dramatically dropped ... In the past it was particles from the liner that got into bone that over time led to loosening of the stem. But wear rates have plummeted, not to zero, but as two top surgeons at research practices told me, "almost zero" after a decade of wear. They can see the wear through radiographs.

These plummeting wear rates (and the absence of particles falling off the liner into bone) is why lots of top surgeons no longer oppose running or place any activity restrictions for that matter. Cross-linked polyethylene liners have been a major breakthrough in hip replacement materials ... same with ceramic heads, which produce very low friction.
 
Hi Angie :wave:
I hope you had a pleasant weekend.
Try to look at your progress week by week, rather than looking for daily
improvement. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.
I'm sure you're doing well and will continue to do so. You're young and the future looks bright :SUNsmile:
Take it slow, you'll get there.
A great week to you!
@AngiesHips
 
Best thing I can say is give it time! I had many days where I felt I was “behind” in my healing. Just over 4 months out I’m thrilled at what I AM able to do given three months ago I couldn’t walk at all. It takes patience, self care, not pushing it beyond what your body is ready for and LOTS of ice lol. Hang in there
 
Hi :hi:
Wishing you a Happy One Month Anniversary!
I hope all is progressing nicely for you.
Leave us an update when you have time. We'd love to hear how you're doing.
Happy Healing as you move forward. :)
@AngiesHips
 
Hope all is well...and you are able to let go of the stress caused by your surgeons lack of communication.
Stress is horrible for our immune system and hinders our ability to get on with recovery.
Sending good mojo your way!
 
I hope you're doing okay, Angie.
Wondering how you're feeling about your recovery in relation to your May show date?
Hopefully all is progressing nicely...
@AngiesHips
 
I, too, have been thinking of you and hoping all is going well.
I know this surgery was not what you expected but I hope that you haven't let that deter you from recovering well and getting on with a great life!
All the best @AngiesHips :tada:
 
Hi Angieships. My first surgeon wanted to do an anterolateral approach but for insurance reasons, I wound up with another surgeon who did an anterior approach. However, I know that ALL approaches heal just fine. The restrictions are only for 6 weeks. Surgeons are, well, surgeons. While a good bedside manner would be nice, the main thing is their skill.

Another thing to keep in mind is that people who get hip replacements are very prone to post-op depression whether they have a history of depression or not. And for you, that may hit right about ...now. It can make everything look worse and hopeless. However, it goes away! There is a very nice section in the recovery section on post op depression above the recovery threads.

You are going to just fine! I had my first hip done when I was 58 and went on my first 1.5 mile hike 2.5 months later. (Would be out dong easy stuff now, but I have to wait for the snow to melt).

Hang in there!

PS: at my 6 week check up my surgeon kept asking me how my knee was doing!
 

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