THR Cstinchcomb's Right Hip Recovery

[zauberflöte]

@cstinchcomb re "be the yoga teacher" YES! Channel your favorite yoga instructor- what do they say, how do they say it? My favorite college flute teacher had so many things each student got to hear, and I internalized so many of them. I aimed to give my own students a little voice inside them or a little video of me moving as music coaching, so they could learn to teach their own selves. My barre teacher has a very distinctive "voice", and my mind will often beat her to a saying now

Gravel bike paths? I had a bike with trailer fall over on gravel on me. Tot in trailer ok, me very embarrassed and somewhat road-rashed. All in slow motion, not my bike (I have an ancient touring bike and this was a sit-up-straight bike, terrifying!) so I had no idea what to do except topple from a great height! Ouchies!

I almost guffawed-- I read you saying that you were excited to ride your bike in the pool.... classic double take on that one! I mean, there's hydrotherapy and then there's cstinch's hydrocycle!!!

For my first hip, in my cohort were several women who enjoyed beach walks, and reported varying degrees of unexpected difficulty walking on sand when they first tried. I had "muscle sympathy" with them at the time but have completely forgotten how it felt by now!

Three little off-to-the side incisions and a mesh patch which by now is supposed to be 60-85%"remodelled" with collagen my body produces. Takes up to a year to get to 100%! Much of my problem is that the low abs, having recovered from a long transverse bikini incision 30 years ago, and healed up not quite according to original specs I guess, have gone pthththbbbt and are playing hide and seek with me

 

[cstinchcomb]

Channel your favorite yoga instructor- what do they say, how do they say it?

Yes!!! I do this. I have several favorite instructors and if I really focus, I hear their voice in my head and can do separate classes inspired by each. This is *exactly* what I meant. It's so cool that you give your music students the analogous capability.

And as well as I am -- or we are (you too) doing, it does seem to take a little longer to heal up, the more years we have the good fortune to live.

Biking in the pool ... ... the kiddie pool next to the lap pool where I swim now has small fixed bicycles in it, when a kid rides one, water squirts out the back and showers them and nearby playmates. So almost. And there is a pond / small bayshore lake near me where they rent, uh, pedal-boats? Not really a pedal-kayak; I think two people can share one device. They also rent small sailboats and paddleboards, too bad with the covid, not sharing any stuff. And it's palo alto, $$$$. So many fun things, not enough time.

I am walking on those gravel bike paths right now. When I go there are really no other people. I'll wait a while before any offroad cycling. Sorry you crashed ... pulling a trailer, not the easiest thing to maneuver.

Re: walking on the beach, yeah I know, walking in the sand might not succeed the first time. I need to pick a place with a shoreside trail, not just a sandy beach. "the beach" here in norcal is not like the East Coast beaches where one could seemingly walk from South Florida to Long Island (with a few challenging open-water swims).

 

[zauberflöte]

@cstinchcomb we have a sprawling city park that meanders over lots of property. It includes three small artificial "lakes" (hardly!), one called Swan Lake. They rent swan boats-- pedal boats for two in the shape of a swan! Those lakes, being about two feet deep, used to freeze over for ice skating.

Okay-- now there's something that I probably won't do again-- ice skating!!! A fall would hurt So Much! I'd be going fast, and the possibility for wrongly twisted limbs exists... there. I've scared myself thoroughly!

 

[cstinchcomb]

Another week, now 11.5 weeks out ... hot here, so a lot. I bought a monthly pass, I get four swims a week on it, so am trying of course to swim 4x week. Back to back days do not seem to be a problem, given these 35 minute sessions. No fins yet .. but otherwise I am just swimming per normal, which is mostly freestyle.

I rode my bike around the neighborhood a couple times. It feels so much better than the last time I rode it. I'm not pushing it. This week I'll start biking to the pool, if I have time (10 min each way). Covid means that I'll be riding home in my wet swimsuit ... so we'll see how that actually goes.
No hills so far, and no offroad. The seat is ... ok for short duration but not as comfortable as it will be in another month. All in all, things are great.

Started some yoga .... feels OK but it's been more than 6 months ... it'll take a little time .... that's why they call it a practice, right?

 

[leejaa]

You are moving right along the recovery road. Walking, swimming and biking plus yoga. Fantastic report. Have a great day/evening.

 

[Schaargi]

That's awesome! You're almost a triathlete, if they had yoga instead of running. In my opinion, that would be a more interesting event...

You are just two weeks ahead of me in your recovery, and I thank you for your posts so I can see what I can look forward to.

Yay!

 

[cstinchcomb]

You're almost a triathlete,

At my gym in Boulder, we had a lot of ironman-length triathletes training there, and at least one Olympian. No, srsly, not. Not even corrected for age.

yoga instead of running

I miss , but yeah, it would be. What does competitive yoga look like? I wonder every time I watch the Olympics on the tv ... I went to an inversion class at a yoga festival once, was kinda like that.

 

[zauberflöte]

I think Crossfit competitions are kind of triathlon-ish. Some of everything!
Here's a good one-- swim/yoga/KNIT!!!
also, for conductor, strings, and brass, a Bruckner symphony is pretty much two weeks of Olympic events crammed into 90 minutes or so....

 

[Schaargi]

I think Crossfit competitions are kind of triathlon-ish. Some of everything!
Here's a good one-- swim/yoga/KNIT!!!
also, for conductor, strings, and brass, a Bruckner symphony is pretty much two weeks of Olympic events crammed into 90 minutes or so....

Ha ha ha!!! Yoga in a wet swim suit- yuck. What would the knitting portion be? Complete a sock?

So, swim 1/2 mile, complete 3 sun salutations and then Pranayama (breathing) until your heart rate drops below 60, then knit a sock.

 

[Schaargi]

At my gym in Boulder, we had a lot of ironman-length triathletes training there, and at least one Olympian. No, srsly, not. Not even corrected for age.

I know! Those Boulder people! My sister and brother-in-law live in Broomfield--my brother-in-law was an Iron Man triathlete and even ran ultra marathons (Ick). When I was coaching synchro, we had competitions at South Suburban. Very athletic community.

 

[cstinchcomb]

I to the this afternoon, no ill effects, although I certainly prefer the ability to shower before riding home. Seat actually felt fine. So things are continuing to improve pretty rapidly.

I think Crossfit competitions are kind of triathlon-ish.

I like watching these on TV, especially the women.

Very athletic community.

Absolutely. A friend ran ultra for years; I was always in awe, overnight 100 mile runs ... I'm more in the 5K category, even a 10k was long for me ... everybody there does *something*.

swim/yoga/KNIT!!!

..., a Bruckner symphony

The knitting part, I would fail. Not that my Mom and Grandma didn't try to teach me ....

Now, the Bruckner, that I should be able to play here ... on the stereo, as a listener, I will think of you

 

[zauberflöte]

I to the this afternoon, no ill effects, although I certainly prefer the ability to shower before riding home. Seat actually felt fine. So things are continuing to improve pretty rapidly.

Now, the Bruckner, that I should be able to play here ... on the stereo, as a listener, I will think of you

Riding home all itchy and chlorine-y yeah... not fun. Please don't listen to Bruckner unless you REALLY love him. I will be happy with Mahler, except I think in the spirit of keeping our spirits up, you might want to stick with Haydn for awhile. I heard the slow movement of Beethoven 9 on the car radio the other day, and had leaky eyes all the way home. Granted, it always does that to me, but it put me in a sunken mood for several hours! Anyway, your hip will heal faster with happy funny hormones than long-winded -- what's the German word I'm looking for, a depressed "weltanschauung"..... Maybe French, "tristesse"? Only deeper and more German. Or Russian even.

 

[cstinchcomb]

I like the Russians; Ashkenazy's Rachmaninoff was my real introduction to my love of classical music. My physical music (LP records and physical CDs) are a mess right now, but now I have Qobuz and Tidal streaming services, and they offered some ... interesting selections when I searched Bruckner. But ... right now I have everything powered down and unplugged. We had remarkable (and unusual for the SF bay area) thunderstorms here on Saturday night. In Colorado, we lived on a ridgetop in a tall house, and I am used to storms ... and used to taking precautions. Now it's hot and humid ... so everything remains off. Yes, Haydn, so glad he was so prolific.

Riding home from the pool was not so bad; I intend to repeat it. The pool water here is better than average.

Ok, one more note. I've been surfing around on other folks threads, and the subject of limping / gait training has come up again. So I'll repeat myself (endlessly) and encourage all y'all limpers to get a pair of hiking poles, watch a few Nordic Walking videos, and go forth to practice your new perfect gait. No need to go fast (as might be emphasized in the videos) ... just go properly, and with two poles. The poles provide a little support too. Heel toe, heel toe ... Ok, offa my soapbox.

 

[cstinchcomb]

Weekly update; 3 month hip-iversary coming up on Tuesday. Everything going along just fine here in terms of my new hip, energy levels etc. I have started working on stride length during my neighborhood walks, have started to work a little more yoga/flexibility (gently). And have been expanding the roster of my little exercises (but not their frequency, I never do the same exercise on back to back days, except for maybe abs).

I mentioned having turned off our stereo systems a week ago, in response to a remarkable and rare set of summer thunderstorms. We are safe (very near the SF Bay itself) but ... omg, the fires lit by those storms are an incredibly sad nightmare.

 

[Jaycey]

We are safe (very near the SF Bay itself) but ... omg, the fires lit by those storms are an incredibly sad nightmare.

I was born in SF and grew up in the Bay Area. Still have family there. The fires are horrific! So tragic to see so many lose everything. Stay safe!

 

[Layla]

Happy Three Month Anniversary!
Stay safe and well.
@cstinchcomb

 

[cstinchcomb]

Thanks, @Layla ! Hard to believe it's been three months. Seems both longer and shorter.

I did a few sun salutations in the grass today, and it was the first time they felt normal -- in some ways better than they have felt in 18 months at least. So I am still on the steep part of the healing curve.

 

[Layla]

I did a few sun salutations in the grass today, and it was the first time they felt normal -- in some ways better than they have felt in 18 months at least

And to think it will get better and better! I’m happy for you, you’re doing so well.
I hope you have a nice day and weekend. Stay safe, the fires are such a tragedy.

 

[leejaa]

Wonderful report. Have a great day.

 

[cstinchcomb]

The fires are a tragedy. Much of this area has not burned in my lifetime. They say that some of the grand old redwoods will have survived. But a lot of folks have lost their homes.

The weather has been cooperating, and the fire fighters are making progress, which is certainly good. They were able to keep the fire in the Santa Cruz mountains away from the somewhat more heavily populated areas east of 9 and north/west of 17 -- Scotts Valley, Felton, parts of Ben Lomond, parts of Boulder Creek, and from the city of Santa Cruz.

--

And to think it will get better and better!

Yeah, seriously. I thought that the curve was flattening out -- and it has -- but only a little. There are things, like these sun salutations -- that I thought would just be a struggle -- and that's not how it's going. Uncomfortable things are just, suddenly, perfectly OK. So the strategy of just leaving out stuff that feels difficult -- continues to be the right path. Wait a week or so, then re-try it and don't worry too much if the body is still saying ... no, not time for that yet. Suddenly I regained flexibility that I thought I'd have to re-build -- with no effort. So my experience is that I'm not tight in those areas -- I'm still injured there, and need to heal. Now I can stretch areas that feel good and normal to stretch.

This is my second hip replacement. I thought I knew how this was going to go, and I did/do, somewhat. But I didn't log my progress last time ...