THR Discomfort on Standing

[Annie's]

Another agree from here...I went back to work on Jan. 18th - teaching, so I am on my feet all day as well, and it has been very hard. Have felt so low since I returned, not totally sure why...the worst for me is that I take yoga classes in the evening, and by then I am just exhausted, and they are my love, but such a struggle...guess we all just need to cut ourselves some slack and time...so strange though - felt so positive about everything until going back to work!

 

[Paddles10]

Funny how we tend to think the "rules" don't apply to us. Josephine and Sharon were quick to remind me that I was not immune when I first posted. A change in perspective then continue to move forward. Two things I have done: Look for smaller advances as the norm. For each small advance take time to consolidate your gain. Maybe the warmup is all you can do when you go to class. Understand that it is OK to sit out the rest of the training. Pushing a little is essential, pushing a lot will not hasten recovery. It may just set you up to start the next day behind the curve. Relax we'll get there, just not on our original schedule.

 

[bottomshollow]

Paddles10, please do not quote a post as reference to your replay when it is just above your post. It takes up space and is unnecessary. The quote feature is mainly for when you are replying to a post that has several other posts between your reply and it or when you want to select a sentence or two from the whole post to quote. Thanks for your cooperation.

 

[Paddles10]

bottomshollow: Sorry. Think I've cleaned it up.

 

[bottomshollow]

No need to be sorry. And lots of others do this to. If you need the post right there when your posting, you can use the quote function and when you're finished with your message you can delete it before you post reply---I do that frequently. And you did not have to go back and delete the ones you'd already done---just didn't want you to do more---but since you obviously have---THANKS!

 

[Annie's]

Paddles10 I appreciate the reminders...and tried to apply them in class last night with some success...since going back to work it has felt like my progress has stopped...but if I am objective about it, it has actually just slowed down...last night I was able to sit cross-legged in moderate comfort for the first time in a year, so that IS something to celebrate, however much I took it for granted before...thanks for the encouraging words...they really help.

 

[Paddles10]

Annie's Went out for a slow 2 mile walk in the hills behind our place yesterday, greatest distance so far. The big step this week is climbing stairs two steps at a time for the first time in over two years. My PT is great. He keeps the pressure on while being so careful not to kill me in the process.

 

[Annie's]

Paddles10 Two miles...that's great! Haven't done more than a mile or so...but after reading your post, tried the two steps at a time, and could do it! Nice work-out too! Glad you have a good PT...I've been so fortunate with that as well...mine suggested I get a BOSU - the half balls with the flat bottoms - and have been doing lunges,squats, and tree poses on it...very challenging but encouraging. My husband and I decided this weekend to try for a trip to Newfoundland this summer...we had to cancel last years' because of my hip...it will involve lots of hiking, so it's a great incentive to keep working! Glad to hear you are making such great progress...keep in touch...

 

[Brigitte]

Just a quick update as it has been a while since I have posted anything. From my first experience 9 months ago, I found that patience is the hardest virtue to practice when it comes to having total hip replacements! You always think you should be further along then you are. My second experience four weeks ago was so totally different, I can hardly believe it! No pain, therefore no narcotics which is really great. An occasional Tylenol when I overdo things and I am good to go. Mt PT tells me to be very careful, especially since I feel so good, because that is when you tend to forget about restrictions, and things can go south in a heartbeat. Next week I see m surgeon for my first checkup and I hope to have the 25% weight bearing restriction lifted. That is the only thing that has kept me mindful of my limitations. Getting rid of my walker is hopefully on the agenda with that visit. I have been so tempted to push the envelope on that one and try using the cane to get around. Am climbing the stairs, walking around the house with no problems, though am still stiff when I get up in the morning or have been sitting for a while. This time around is so much better, thank goodness. I guess we all heal in different ways alright. Would love to be thinking about getting outside and going for a real walk, but Canadian winters are brutal at times, so will have to wait for the snow to melt before I can risk that! Either way,this journey has been so worth it,even though I still have a long ways to go. To everyone contemplating hip replacement, go for it, you won't regret it! Losing the bone on bone pain is fabulous.

 

[Qdulany]

As I posted before, I am going to school which requires me to be on my feet for 4 hours. I was hired so far and will start working in a little over 6 weeks which will require standing for 8 hours at a time. I'm fine with it until I make the long drive home. My ankle swells up which I can feel swell. The swelling isn't huge, but it is uncomfortable and I tend to put my feet up when I get home. I then tend to do nothing else, which is hard on everyone. Would exercise help the swelling. While I am standing, I'm not walking much. Please let me know what you all think about maybe using an exercise bike or something,

Thanks,

Quinn

 

[Brigitte]

Hi Quinn: Sorry to hear that you are having issues with swelling, it's not much fun. Have you tried wearing compression stockings for when you are at school? Even those pesky stockings helped me. With both of my replacements I had swelling, but I found that sitting with my feet up really helped. Can you possibly find some time during your day at school to sit for a bit with your feet up. . We all heal differently, and I even notice that between my first replacement and my most recent one in Jan. Even now if I work in the kitchen and stand for a long time, versus walking, my feet get a bit puffy and I am very stiff until I start walking a bit.I suspect that because you are standing versus walking could be what is aggravating things. Then sitting in the car on the drive home, depending on how long that takes, further impacts by making you stiff. I had that stiffness for quite a while when first getting up from a sitting position, and still do. It will get better, but it takes time. I know different things work for different people so there is some trial an error involved in finding what works for you. Good luck with this, let us know how it goes. There is a wealth of knowledge available on this site from others who have, and are going through this journey of ours.! I takes a long time for everything to heal, so try and be patient, ( I'm one to talk) and most importantly, give yourself a break once in a while. Resting is so important.

 

[Paddles10]

@Qdulany Hi, You didn't mention ice. When you work your kids harder than normal you probably ice them down or do 10 minutes of cold water on their legs. Ice while you sit at the end of every day.
I guess my first thought and something I used to say to folks I coached: You train to race, you don't race to train.
You are out there racing every day. You should be training every day conditioning for the job. If you can't afford to devote time to train, (ie you need the job to pay the bills) then you need to figure out how to minimize the impact of racing to train. Try icing on breaks or at lunch or both. Make sure you stretch in the mornings before you go to school, maybe do some reverse lunges 10 per side during the day. I would try to add some exercise to the day and see if that helps. I have still not tried to stand for four hours but I am walking and doing work with weights every day. No strength training purely endurance with body weight and free weights.
You can achieve good results either way but it takes longer to race yourself into shape than it does to train toward a goal. Can you "march" while you stand at school? Can you do isometric contractions upper and lower leg, butt?
Can you add some component of training to your standing? Then ice after your day or during lunch. Pick one of these suggestions and see what adding it to your day does for you. Always ice after the workout. 6 weeks is quite a way off in terms of healing. In that time you have to find something that will help with the swelling. Remember it takes only 14 days to loose 50% of your strength if you don't train. We lost a lot of strength both leading up to surgery and then during healing. Now we have to work to regain the strength. The exercises you learned to rehab are and will remain a part of your life. If you have stopped them to help you stand for class you need to start back. Now you need to keep doing them and continue to build your endurance.

So get back to your stretching and rehab exercises slowly at first. Imbed some training in your standing at school. Find some easily accomplished exercise and add it to your day. Ice after your work. Try the stockings Brigitte mentioned as they are supposed to help circulation. Don't try everything at once. Ice no matter what. The stockings if you want. Add something else for a few days and see how you feel. Not as good as you like drop it and try something else. Always stretch and make time for the rehab basics and a walk. See if any of this makes any sense for you. Keep me posted on how you're doing.