THR Finally On The Recovery Side

[BellaMac]

Physical therapist will help you with the precautions given you, how to work around them and definitely navigating stairs . I'm glad your doctors report was positive, and you are doing well.

 

[Mersada]

Hi @Layla , thank you for the article. The assisted heel slide are on my list of exercises to do, as well...but they haven't been painful so, should I continue with them? What is "ROM"? I will avoid the bridges for now, he wanted me to do 3 sets of seven reps for starters and work my way to more.

 

[djklaugh]

@Mersada ROM = Range of Motion.

 

[Mersada]

 

[Layla]

Hi Mersada,
I’m tagging @Jaycey to look at these and advise. She’s been at this much longer than I and therefore more familiar with which exercises often prove problematic. She is in the U.K. so she won‘t be online tonight, but I’m sure she’ll be around tomorrow morning and throughout the day.

I hope you’re happy with your progress so far, Mersada. I’ll bet getting out of the house feels good after your first six weeks of recovery. Enjoy the week!
@Mersada

 

[Jaycey]

Wow - what is this guy trying to do? I'll be brutally honest and say I would not do any of that at this point in your recovery. All that is strength training and will only make you sore and stiff. Heel slides are fine but I don't think you need any strap.

The problem is these physios use a "one size fits all" approach. I'll bet he gives these exercises to everyone who walks through the door. They are fine if you are trying to rebuild muscles. But at this stage that's really not the focus.

The decision is yours of course. But please don't be afraid to say no.

 

[Ric A]

What is "ROM"?

Range of motion.

 

[Mersada]

Thank you @Layla and @Jaycey ,
When is a good time to start strength building exercises?
It turns out this physical therapist is not in network with my insurance company therefore I start with a new therapist tomorrow at a different facility. I did the strength building exercises today, they didn't cause me any pain. How do I know when its the right time to start them? I am not walking properly yet. This therapist said not to walk too much till my gait improved? I am not sure how he put it but I'm leaning I think. It will be interesting to see what the next therapist has me doing.

 

[HelenaM]

@Mersada
I was given some pt activities during my recovery that hurt too much. One involved stairs with many repetitions. My os said he didn’t like that activity anyway because of the banging. He told me just to walk mainly. And I did practice just climbing stairs regularly with shorter stairs that I located in my neighborhood. As many members have said, I needed to be careful about pt, and not do certain activities until later. My instinct was to follow directions, but I had to make some adjustments. Wish you a speedy recovery!

 

[Missy45]

Hello! I just wanted to chime in because my surgery was pretty close to yours. I’m not doing these exercises. I have done some bridges, but not with my arms crossed over my chest like that. Those with the band - especially with the leg bent across the body - look terrifying!

 

[Mersada]

i have a concern, The surgeon did that abductor tenotomy on me where he put a couple of stitches in my groin area and left a long string so it could be removed in two weeks. One of the nurses in the hospital said it was disovable and cut the excess string the surgeon left behind. The surgeon said it was not disolvable but when he looked to remove it, the nurse already had cut the excess string during my hospital stay. Now, I am worried I have a suture that may have buried itself under my skin and if it will cause an infection eventually, because the nurse didn't listen to me saying it was not disolvable. If it causes an infection can it affect my new hip??

 

[Layla]

When is a good time to start strength building exercises?

Personal opinion...I wouldn’t be doing so yet. I went to three therapy sessions beginning at three weeks post op and decided PT wasn’t for me. Many like and thrive in PT, I wasn’t one of them. I followed the Activity Progression For THR finding it useful. At this point in your recovery, seven weeks post op, the Activity Progression uses the following activity as a rough gauge -

Weeks 6 and 7
Start taking car trips to the shops but keep them short and sweet at the start, no longer than 15-20 minutes
Take at least one 5 minute rest while you are out.

Activity: ironing, washing, meal prep but get someone else to clear up after, wash up but someone else clears the table, brings you the dirty dishes, dries and puts them away after, not you!!

Weeks 8 and onward
Bed making and changing sheets, cleaning bedrooms etc., can wait until about now by which time, all things being well, you should pretty much start getting back to normal.

This article will be updated in the future with activity that’s more relatable. I mean who irons anymore? Not me.

The surgeon did that abductor tenotomy on me where he put a couple of stitches in my groin area and left a long string so it could be removed in two weeks. One of the nurses in the hospital said it was disovable and cut the excess string the surgeon left behind. The surgeon said it was not disolvable but when he looked to remove it, the nurse already had cut the excess string during my hospital stay. Now, I am worried I have a suture that may have buried itself under my skin and if it will cause an infection eventually, because the nurse didn't listen to me saying it was not disolvable. If it causes an infection can it affect my new hip??

I‘d call the office today and share your concerns. I’d ask that someone on your surgeons care team speak to your OS about it and get back to you. Don’t wait, it will weigh on your mind. Get the reassurance you need to have peace of mind over the weekend.
I hope you have a good one!

 

[Mersada]

Thank you for your input and suggestions @Layla .
I.sent my surgeon an email with my concerns, hopefully they get back to.me soon.

I went to.a.new.PT today. She did about three exercises with me then put that tingly machine on me and sent me on my way. It was about a twenty minute session. I kind of felt cheated. The ride there was about twenty minutes. I will be going to get a different location because this one had very little street parking. They have a different facility with parking so, I don't have to walk too much. So, I will probably have a different PT again. Ill see how it goes on Monday. I stopped doing the ones they suggested for home since they do seem excessive.

 

[Layla]

It was about a twenty minute session. I kind of felt cheated. The ride there was about twenty minutes. I will be going to get a different location because this one had very little street parking.

It was probably to your advantage that she went easy on you, so please don’t feel cheated. You did exercise and had a treatment so all is not lost. I do understand the drive time of forty minutes round trip felt excessive for a twenty minute session. I’ll bet you won’t suffer any repercussions tonight or tomorrow either, so all is good! You’re healing and you have an exciting trip in the Fall to focus on. It’s going to be an awesome trip and holiday season for you this year, Mersada and it’s all within reach, focus on that and enjoy the weekend!

 

[Mersada]

I had another PT session with yet another PT. She seems ok. She used the stimulation machine on me, watched me walk and gave me a few pointers on walking properly, she did a few exercises with me and sent me home. It was not to strenuous at all. I can tell my left side is still very weak.

I go back to work on the 28th so, I am hoping I gain some strength by then. My doctor told me I could have went back after the six weeks but I thought that was too soon. I decided to take the additional four weeks.

The nurse practitioner called me regarding the suture I thought was left behind. She assured me even if it was left behind, A superficial infection would not affect my hip (relieved). She said my body may have already expelled the suture just to keep an eye on that area.

Next PT session is Wednesday.

 

[Elf1]

Hi @Mersada! I have been away for a while but was so happy to see that you were finally able to get your surgery!

 

[Mersada]

Hi @Mersada! I have been away for a while but was so happy to see that you were finally able to get your surgery!

Me too!! @Elf1
The worst is over, thank god!!

 

[Mersada]

My new PT gave me these exercises. I am going to avoid the bridge exercises but the others are not too bad

 

[Layla]

Hi Mersada,
I notice what looks like marching on your exercise instructions. Please don’t do anything that hurts, or push through pain. If it hurts while doing it, or the next day, you may want to step back and re-evaluate. Check this article out again and the issues that can arise from some commonly prescribed exercises.

BoneSmart philosophy for sensible post op therapy

You will have noticed there is a significant opinion here about the potential hazards of PT. You may feel that your therapists are experts and know what you should be doing. However, over the last several years I've been here, I have observed that the more intensive the regimen of exercising...

bonesmart.org

Have a great day!

 

[Mersada]

Hi and thank you @Layla,
The exercise you see is not marching but, it's holding the knee up for 30 to 60 seconds. I can do 30.

PT has been working with me and she tells me to let her know if anything hurts and she'll stop. So far, not much is hurting. She has me picking up my knees as I walk to prevent limping. It's been working but, sometimes I don't realize and I limp again.

I had pt today. She does very limited exercises. It last maybe a half hour. 15 minutes of which is on that stimulator machine that they put on my incision.

I plan on going back to work on the 28th. That will make it about 10 weeks off. I think I am ready. It's a desk job, so not too strenuous.

The thing that concerns me most is the commute. Either I take the train which is a 20 minute right with stairs down to the train and stairs when I get off going up. If I drive I have to worry about finding parking close to the job which is hard. I think I will be taking the train, which is across the street from my home and lets me off one short half a block from the job.

I can't believe it's just about over with. I had been so anxious for so long and here I am almost ready to go back to work. I really appreciate all of your support through this whole ordeal, it helped prepare me and guide me through the whole process.