THR Cyclist post op Hip replacement

@Sluggo,

Another Aussie cyclist (social riding club level) and Medacta implant here.
I can confirm that you’ll get at least 6000km out of your Medacta implant

That’s what I’ve done so far!

And re: cold.
I can feel the cold around the cup on very cold early morning rides.
 
@Sluggo
I'm pleased to see so many Aussie's on bonesmart. My second daughter has just moved to Brisbane - but I'll just go to Australia on holiday and to visit her - we (me & hubby) are too old to emigrate there).

I'm an enthusiastic cyclist. I like to cycle in the landscape (trekking bike), and in the last few years I've also practiced cycling for triathlons. I finished a 70.3 Ironman near Heidelberg last July. I received my implant (left hip replacement) in April 2015. In Germany, many of us go to a rehab centre after hip replacement and don't go to work until after at least 6 weeks - occasionally 12 weeks and after that - phased-in return to work - but that's with a cut in the salary after 7 weeks (if your time off work due to sickness is more than 7 weeks). This has disadvantages as well of course - many colleagues and managers don't appreciate it when you stay away from work so long and become grumpy - some would bully you or say bad things behind your back. Anyway, I was back at work after 6 weeks.

I rode a stationary bike in my rehab centre under supervision as part of the physiotherapy. At 4 weeks post op, I was able to ride my normal bike - an extremely light trekking bike with a carbon frame. As the years go by, you will actually notice that your cycling will be better than before the op because your muscle strength will improve. Before the op, it didn't stand a chance to improve because you were unable to use your muscles in an optimum way.

As far as wearing out the device is concerned: I think the new devices are very durable, so don't worry about wearing it out. I have a titanium stem, ceramic ball, and ceramic lining in the cup. I didn't quite understand whether your Medacta device had a ceramic lining in the cup as well - and what material the ball was made from.

I also learned that cycling would not wear out the device no matter what material the device was made from - only long-distance running would. But I do it anyway because I'm already among the older sports people and want to enjoy myself while I can. Both my legs feel strong and I don't feel the device at all. I've had only left hip replacement - the right one doesn't need replacing.

Re the cold: I can assure you that we have temperatures well below freezing in Germany and I hate getting cold. But I never felt my left hip replacement during cold weather.

Enjoy your cycling - Constanze
 
@Sluggo,

Another Aussie cyclist (social riding club level) and Medacta implant here.
I can confirm that you’ll get at least 6000km out of your Medacta implant

That’s what I’ve done so far!

And re: cold.
I can feel the cold around the cup on very cold early morning rides.

Thanks mate, i'm just outside Canberra, we get down to -8 some days, here in winter, not looking forward to it.
 
@Sluggo
I'm pleased to see so many Aussie's on bonesmart. My second daughter has just moved to Brisbane - but I'll just go to Australia on holiday and to visit her - we (me & hubby) are too old to emigrate there).

I'm an enthusiastic cyclist. I like to cycle in the landscape (trekking bike), and in the last few years I've also practiced cycling for triathlons. I finished a 70.3 Ironman near Heidelberg last July. I received my implant (left hip replacement) in April 2015. In Germany, many of us go to a rehab centre after hip replacement and don't go to work until after at least 6 weeks - occasionally 12 weeks and after that - phased-in return to work - but that's with a cut in the salary after 7 weeks (if your time off work due to sickness is more than 7 weeks). This has disadvantages as well of course - many colleagues and managers don't appreciate it when you stay away from work so long and become grumpy - some would bully you or say bad things behind your back. Anyway, I was back at work after 6 weeks.

I rode a stationary bike in my rehab centre under supervision as part of the physiotherapy. At 4 weeks post op, I was able to ride my normal bike - an extremely light trekking bike with a carbon frame. As the years go by, you will actually notice that your cycling will be better than before the op because your muscle strength will improve. Before the op, it didn't stand a chance to improve because you were unable to use your muscles in an optimum way.

As far as wearing out the device is concerned: I think the new devices are very durable, so don't worry about wearing it out. I have a titanium stem, ceramic ball, and ceramic lining in the cup. I didn't quite understand whether your Medacta device had a ceramic lining in the cup as well - and what material the ball was made from.

I also learned that cycling would not wear out the device no matter what material the device was made from - only long-distance running would. But I do it anyway because I'm already among the older sports people and want to enjoy myself while I can. Both my legs feel strong and I don't feel the device at all. I've had only left hip replacement - the right one doesn't need replacing.

Re the cold: I can assure you that we have temperatures well below freezing in Germany and I hate getting cold. But I never felt my left hip replacement during cold weather.

Enjoy your cycling - Constanze

Thanks Constanze,

Sounds like you had similar rehab to me, I was 6 weeks off work, first week only 5 hr days, now back to normal.
Will try riding on road in a week or so.
In regards to cold, we have very cold overnight temps here in winter, sometimes down to -8c, will just have to wait and see how I feel. I double checked my prosthesis is Ti with a ceramic ball and poly cup.
I can't wait to get back to riding more, and also competing again, as in the past few years I think I was racing with one leg. Not planning to race for at least 6 months, and with also a few miles in my leg.
thanks for the info.... Tony
 
Gee, Sluggo I have been wondering the exact same thing!

Another thing I have been wondering about is if I will loosen the implant while standing, applying upward and downward pressure on the cleats, especially on long climbs. I also have a medacta implant, but I would guess they are all subject to wear and tear. It seems to me to be logical that the more you use it the quicker it will wear out, just like a chain and cassette.

Anyway, I am seeing my OS next week, and will be sure to ask him this, and I will report back to you.

Not sure mate,

I hope it will last a lot longer than a lot of new chains and clusters :)

I'm just gunna use it, and see what happens, but still going slowly....Tony
 
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Well today I decided to ride outside for the first time, just did 10k's, slowly on my mountain bike, on a flat road, felt good. Which is good, because I drive my car to work and ride my bike the last 2 k's so I don't have to pay for parking. Hopefully in a few weeks I may be able to do my 15k each way commute to work.
 
I am not a competing cyclist like many of you, bit I do like to ride. My balance hasn't been the best so I haven't attempted my bike yet, but I think it may be ok. I will have to give it a whirl.
 
Hi there, I am wondering how long other people have had numbness on side of leg above the knee after an
anterior THR, I am at 10 weeks now, has improved a little but still there.
thanks in advance.....Tony
 
I didn't have the numbness quite that far down...but had anterior BTHR and I kept numbness and dissipating tingling for close to 6 months in the mid thigh area.
Began to think it might've been permanent...but it all came back to normal.
I had resolved myself that if it were permanent it still beat the heck out of that bone crunching pain...but all normal now.

Hope you are doing well @Sluggo
 
Like Mojo, no numbness, but I've got a tiny patch of muscle up and to the side of the knee that's stubbornly refusing to operate up to spec. I mostly notice it when I'm spinning up a hill, or climbing stairs, in that my knee tends to drift out of a straight line. By the way, I approached riding same way you did: stayed on the trainer until I got up to 30 minutes, then turned it loose on the streets. Had on minor bout with ITB (possibly related to the knee instability) that slowed me down, but we're good now.

Love to have more cyclists on here, by the way - although as a triker, I'm the guy the phrase "on your left" was invented for.
 
Hello @Sluggo .

Former runner and current cyclist here. Rode my first post-surgery, 50-mile race this past Saturday - RTHR 01June 2017. Windy & Hot, no one had a PR. Windy!!!

I have no numbness in my right leg, but still have a small numb patch on my left leg - LTHR 21NOV 2013. It is at the base of the incision, maybe 4cm/sq. I quit noticing it after a while. It probably isn't coming back.

I am approaching cycling with a bit of moderation, mostly because I am still married.

As a member in good standing of the *ODIC, I have no advice for you. I walked two-miles at two weeks post RTHR, my incision leaked, a lot, and I got yelled at by the nurse. Back on the bicycle at 91-days. They made me promise to wait 3-months.

I heard 'you are not normal' a lot. I don't think it was complimentary.

I'm not fast, but I don't care. I'm 60. I love endorphins. I am riding 50-70mi/wk. That will drop to 30-40 over the fall/winter. I still walk 4mi/wk and do all the PT exercises I did in recovery including Yoga and Pilates. I will do some lifting over the months when it is too dark/cold after work to ride. I am signed up for a nice short 42K race in October. Hoping for 90-min or less.

Welcome Hippy!

*ODIC- Overdid it club.
 
I had an anterior in June on the right side and I still have numbness in upper thigh and little above the knee. Doc told me it will take time and like @Mojo333 it beats the pain pre-op. You cyclists inspire me and I have been doing a lot of walking and some yoga. Going to hop on the bike today after my son dusted it off and pumped up the tires for me.
 
Hi guys I am now at 3 mths THR and am having no issues apart from numbness on left of thigh. Before I had the hip done I had a slight leg length discrepancy, my OS got both legs the same when he did the THR, my back get's a bit sore, I am wondering whether this might be because I am actually straight now and the muscles are used to it.
Just wondering if anyone else has experienced anything similar?
 
I certainly did! Lots of retraining muscles AND improvement to be had for up to a year in my case!
 
Hi Tony (@Sluggo ). So nice to hear from you again. I also had my leg length discrepancy corrected. In the earl weeks after hip OP I had a stiff back while standing a lot, and that disappeared after a few more weeks. I also get sore after exercising hard (long-distance running, fast running, fast cycling). The answer is rest after that sort of exercise. You can train hard so long as you rest between 24-48 hours. In my case that works. The soreness/stiffness always subsided after resting. Please don't overdo and observe the resting periods. I've just learned that one of my favourite heroes - the world's best male Ironman finisher Jan Frodeno has got a fatigue fracture (if you can say that in English) in the hip and won't be able to take part in Hawaii Ironman. He won Ironman Frankfurt and the half Ironman at Kraichgau (in southern Germany near Heidelberg, the same race which I finished last June). And he won the world championship at Hawaii twice. What a shame. I wonder whether he will ever fully recover and take up professional sport again. I'm sure he overdid it. Take care - Constanze
 
Thanks Constanze, I haven't ridden the bike much so resting hasn't really been needed yet, but am still being careful not to do too much just yet, thanks for your input :)
 
Hi, I am going really well doing nearly 200k's a week on my bike now, all good 'cept for the left thigh numbness, hopefully will go away, will be a question for OS next week, I have my follow up appointment, which will be a bit just over 4 months.
Another question I have for him is how long do I wait to have my right hip done, it's not painfull (touch wood), just range of movement is pretty ordinary, and doesn't seem to worry me on my bike, so I guess the question for him do I just wait for it to be painfull before having it replaced.
thanks again.
Tony
 
Hi Tony (@Sluggo) - thank you for your update which I enjoyed reading. Enjoy your bike rides.

My unoperated leg also doesn't hurt so I will leave it alone. Yesterday I cycled in the evening and enjoyed the moon-lit sky. We still have summery and warm temperatures here in the Frankfurt area during the day.

Best for you and your cycle rides - and the German-Australian friendship. There are many talented Ironmen and Ironwomen from Australia. And there is a fun Ironman in Cairns where I travelled 5 times in a life time. Great place, but I never actually tried the Ironman there. I'm still not sure how they keep the crocodiles and the jellyfish out for the Ironman swim in the sea.
 
Hi Tony (@Sluggo) - thank you for your update which I enjoyed reading. Enjoy your bike rides.

My unoperated leg also doesn't hurt so I will leave it alone. Yesterday I cycled in the evening and enjoyed the moon-lit sky. We still have summery and warm temperatures here in the Frankfurt area during the day.

Best for you and your cycle rides - and the German-Australian friendship. There are many talented Ironmen and Ironwomen from Australia. And there is a fun Ironman in Cairns where I travelled 5 times in a life time. Great place, but I never actually tried the Ironman there. I'm still not sure how they keep the crocodiles and the jellyfish out for the Ironman swim in the sea.

Thanks again Constanze
 

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