THR Equestrian's recovery with Ehlers Danlos

[Bodie’sMom]

So happy you are doing well! I really felt wonky too. Even at 12 weeks, I complained to my surgeon, at my follow up. She said, I still had a lean, to the right. It was so instinctual, to try and protect that hip. I don’t notice it, at all now though.

 

[PolarIce]

That gives me faith. I think everyone has a slight difference. If it’s fixable without surgery it would better even if it means insoles or otherwise. I think I’ll get more concrete info next week.

 

[PolarIce]

Feeling better every day. I feel like I’m living a dream sometimes. It’s hard for me to not get emotional over being so grateful for this surgery. I am just feeling so so blessed.

Last night I had my first big outing(day 9 post of). Hubby took me out to a movie. The only distance I had to do was from the truck to the theater which was perfect for the low level of walking I am doing.

My hubby is in PT for his shoulder, so we have arranged to start Physio next week on Thursday in case the surgeon says to start it then(the handouts say you start at 2 weeks(just gentle exercises). We are blessed here in that 7 appts are covered by our health care then I have another large amount of benefits to cover more with my work benefits.

Still finding my baby improvements daily! Feeling like I am living a dream tho-SO GRATEFUL for the blessing of this new hip.

 

[newguy]

Keep smiling!! I feel the same way . I have no problem telling you I was crying in the recovery room . They called my wife in . It is so emotional after the years of pain and limitations. I mean I had been running 100 miles a week for years . Been a runner since before High School . Two days before surgery I could not walk down the block to the park!! Now 7+ weeks I can walk 4 miles !! . Been slowly going a bit longer with my walks . Then taking an easy day . Even got back on the bike two days ago for 10 to 20 minutes of spinning. Take it slow . Yes sorry to say I will not run anymore. Nothing more to prove. Don’t want to do this again in 25 years !!

 

[PolarIce]

Oh my gosh it makes me feel so much better to know I wasn’t the only feeling so overwhelmed with gratefulness.

Thinking of your running, is there a different sport or activity that you enjoy you will be taking on? 100 miles a week is a solid commitment! Going to need to find another area of interest to keep you out of trouble. I know I’ve already planned some changes to the type of riding I’ve been doing, to lower my risk of falls and injury.

Four miles at 7 weeks! That’s amazing!!!! I cannot wait to start getting there! Thank you for your beautiful post!

 

[Layla]

I don’t think there is a single one of us that didn’t experience, the high, elation, thankfulness and gratefulness THR surgery brings, unless sadly dealing with a complication. The majority of of us are in considerable pain as we approach surgery and relief from that alone makes us grateful. Then there are the continued blessings of the ability to comfortably go through the motions of activity that caused us so much pain with a deteriorating hip. We’re all blessed to live in a time when we’re offered this second chance and I believe you’d be hard pressed to find someone who wasn’t overwhelmed or filled with gratitude time and again post op.

 

[PolarIce]

This makes my heart smile.

This morning I started small laps in our kitchen holding hubby’s arm for support. Re-learning to walk is a very strange feeling, and can tell it will take many weeks to get back to my normal self. I took a break, been icing for a few hours, and did another practice upstairs and I had my first walk with no crutches!!

I broke down crying because of the overwhelming feeling of not being in pain. I have suffered for so long. I am feeling really overwhelmed right now with gratitude.

 

[Elf1]

@PolarIce so happy for you, that no pain feeling is just amazing. There was a time during my recovery when I was water walking in a pool and all of a sudden it dawned on me that I had absolutely no pain anywhere in my body! I couldn't remember the last time I felt that. I about started crying but didn't want to have the couple others in the pool area to think something was wrong. Instead I grabbed my pool noodle and floated around with the silliest grin on my face.

 

[Giddsy1]

fantastic news polarice. go you. you have had a tough time and it's getter better better better, take your time but you are recovering great.

 

[Mojo333]

@PolarIce
Early days, and I remember well the pre-op days of pain and a continuous shrinking of activity and sleep with my two trashed hips.
Then the anxious days awaiting surgery, and the foggy aftermath.
Then, the tearful but happy emotions welling up full of gratitude that this might really be The Cure that brings my life back.

Still, so grateful.

Slow and steady wins this race.
Hope your day is Chillaxing.

 

[Moosehead]

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Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

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[Caison113]

Finding a few more improvements daily! This morning we are driving to the movie theater! My second official putting since surgery.

I have a question in regards to leg length discrepancy. My left leg is very obviously off in length compared to what I had before. I’ve started to put more and more weight on that left hip as I start feeling better.

I do realize that your body adapts to length changes BUT let’s say it was a severe case of it? What could the consequences be? Do the joints get warm down quicker? Do I have to get surgery again? Can someone accommodate the change with physio?

I definitely felt a leg length difference about 3 weeks out or so, but it has improved. Don't know if it's the prosthesis "settling in" or what, but I went from a fairly uneven feeling standing still, to now (going on 9 weeks) where I don't sense a difference. I would give it some more time and see if it doesn't feel better before I got more aggressive.

 

[PolarIce]

I’m slowly coming along. It’s slow and steady but improvements of some sort every day. I got a new riding saddle yesterday, and I actually managed to sit on it.

I am starting Physio tomorrow. I’ve had a hard time stopping the thigh hamstring tightness I feel. If I were to sit on my ankles(sitting kneeling), then it stretches it out a little bit. I wonder how long that will feel that way.

Yesterday was the first day where I spent 75% of the day with no walking aids.

I’ve learned the hard way tho, that it doesn’t take much to overdo it. Trying to pace myself. Still feeling exhausted tho with very little amount of getting around. I think my body is sucking the life out of me to heal.

Still slowly progressing tho.

 

[Layla]

Yay for progress! Major surgery can be exhausting for sure, as you know from experience. Rest / sleep when you’re able. Best wishes for PT tomorrow!

 

[Giddsy1]

Good that you are coming on great polarise.
bit at a time. But sounds like your doing real well so that's fantastic news. Great incentive with the new saddle another few weeks and I am sure you will be on it all the time.

 

[Mojo333]

Hi @PolarIce
So glad to see you are doing well.

My thighs were very tender and my hamstrings were also tight for many months.
Part of the healing journey and our bodies response to having so much disruption in there.

I am starting Physio tomorrow. I’ve had a hard time stopping the thigh hamstring tightness I feel. If I were to sit on my ankles(sitting kneeling), then it stretches it out a little bit. I wonder how long that will feel that way.

Not sure if, at 3 weeks out, I would've been trying this.
I was using a wall or doorframe to brace myself and gently forward lunge.
Please do be careful as I learned that aggressive stretching early days just caused more tightness.
Lots of healing trying to take place.

I think my body is sucking the life out of me to heal.

Man, it does feel like that, right.
And the body does have a finite amount of energy to distribute, so its good (boring, but good) to let the healing happen first.
This Spring and Summer will be so sweet.

So keep that patience muscle toned up.

 

[Whoknew]

So nice to see other horse lovers here. When PT no longer was helping when I’d been hit by a car I went to a therapeutic riding barn to get exercise after not having ridden for 20+ years (used to ride andteach riding for years hunt seat, fox hunted and one day events. Boy the mind knew what to do but the body said nope . Haven’t ridden since my revision surgery sadly as back and forth too much. That pic of the Maclay finals took me back. One of my friends took the JR Hunter championship at the garden. Good times

 

[Caison113]

I've been back to teaching boxing for the past couple of weeks (I'm now 2.5 months post-op). I'm obviously modifying some of the movements to account for the continued need to heal, but wow, it's so nice to move without pain (the right hip isn't great, but not nearly as limiting). Boxing is good because there's not a lot of impact (well on the hips anyway, haha), but we do throw knees and kicks, so I'm just doing mild knees right now, and yes, my hamstrings are tiiiiight. Still, very happy to be back in classes.

My last horseback experience was a few years ago and it was a disaster due to my hips (I detailed it somewhere in @PolarIce pre-op thread). It was some of the worst pain I ever experienced bc of how tight they were and the big boy I was riding. I'm not quite ready to get back on one, but I might venture out sometime this year to try and see if my right one will give me as much trouble now that I have better range of motion in the left.

 

[PolarIce]

That is so great to see how some of you are doing after surgery. Horseback riding is definitely a full body involved sport. I don't think tackling it early would be a good idea for sure.

 

[PolarIce]

Yesterday was my first day of walking 100% pain free. I have had a continuous sharp pain in my groin which I think is induced from me doing too much(and I've barely been doing anything at all for physio, but clearly its too much). Let's hope today continues this way! I have been officially without crutches for 3-4 days now also fantastic. I see the surgeon on March 21st, so lets how much more improvements I can make between now and then.

Thanks again for all the support everyone