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THR Goldpm's Recovery Thread

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@goldpm Your recovery is going so well! I'm sure it helped that you are young and were so fit to start. I too am anxious to do some upper body work. I am used to working out with free weights at the YMCA. Do you know whether bench presses are safe at this point? I assume biceps and triceps work with dumbells should be ok.
 
@Mamababs - I've started doing some light barbell exercises, lying on the bench and stood up. My barbell is on a stand at waist height so I don't have to bend down to the floor to pick it up, which I guess could cause a problem. Otherwise I would stress I've started with much lower weights than I'm used to, dropped down to about 50-60% of the weight I was doing pre op. No adverse reaction so far, so I'll gradually ramp it up.


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Thanks, @goldpm. That sounds like a good approach. Will definitely use a rack or have someone hand me the bar. I'm still not comfortable picking things up off the floor yet, so not ready to do that with weights :) I hope your recovery continues to go so well!
 
6 weeks post op today - how time flies! I'm really pleased with how well things have progressed since the op. Having done a few long walks using just a stick over the last couple of weeks without any pain or issues, I decided to lose the stick altogether for the last 5 days. It's no surprise that my gait is still not 100% "correct", i.e. I'm still limping a little - hopefully that will go over time as the healing process continues, I guess it may also be down to severe loss of flexibility and mobility in the joint over the last 2-3 years.

Walking without aids seems to have relieved the issues I was experiencing in my knee (non operated leg.) just wondering if that was down to my right leg having to pick up the slack so to speak.

I'm due to go back to see the surgeon on Tuesday next week so post op restrictions are not lifted just yet. However with caution I can pretty much bend, stretch, reach and twist as normal. Well actually "normal" for me bearing in mind my complete lack of flexibility. For example I can put socks on again without using aids or help, but reaching down that far is still exactly the same struggle as it was pre op. At least it is without pain now . On that score, I do get the odd little niggle of pain every now and again, but bearing in mind I'm only 6 weeks out I guess that's to be expected still.

Assuming the consultant gives me the all clear, I'm going to see a Corrective Exercise Specialist for rehab. I have no aspiration to get back to any high impact sports but I do want to restore some range of movement and build strength back up. It's cycling and golf only for me. I've already been on the spin bike a few times increasing the resistance and cadence a little at a time, all feels good. Ive also gradually upped the upper body weight training as well.

I feel lucky that my recovery to date has been relatively straight forward and pain free, especially when I read some of the difficulties that others go through on this forum. I'm sure that to a significant extent that's down to relatively young age and fitness going into the op. So then I have to remind myself that actually I'm unlucky to be having the op at my age.


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7 weeks and 1 day post op. Went back to hospital for my 6 week check on Tuesday and saw a doctor who works with the consultant surgeon. He was happy with my progress, it was all a bit of an anti climax really but basically I'm clear to go forth and get stuck into rehab. I had to reassure him several times that i would not be going back to any high impact sport. Static cycling and walking are both going okay, plus I'm getting back to weight lifting close to pre op load now. Stood watching my son's football match for over an hour this morning, strange that standing still for that long results in a bit of stiffness/soreness yet walking for that long is fine.

I've ramped up the spin bike sessions to 45 mins now and the resistance is up as well. Actually high RPM and low resistance is more likely to induce a bit of pain, I suspect that's because the new hip is more active, whereas higher resistance means the leg muscles take the strain more and the hip just moves more slowly with it.

I'm hoping rehab will get me some more flexibility and range of movement in my hip. As per pre op I struggle to bend down to put on socks and tie shoe laces. Could be worse I suppose - inflexibility without pain is definitely better than inflexibility with pain :-)

The doctor told me that recovery will probably continue on for best part of a year, and generally speaking however it feels after 12 months - that's basically the best it will ever be. So - I'm keeping my feet on the ground, literally and metaphorically.


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You sound like you're doing really well. I think you'll find that the flexibility improves with time. In my case it happened very naturally. I think it was around three or four months after the surgery. All of a sudden my knees could flop open without any strain or tightness.

Keep up the great work!
 
8.5 weeks post op, I went for my first session with a rehabilitative specialist today. It was quite challenging in comparison to exercises I have been doing to date. Largely it consisted of;
Muscle strengthening exercises - stepping up onto raised step and using leg weight machines in the gym.
Stretching (hamstrings, quads.)
Rotation exercises to improve flexibility and range of movement.
I'm pretty sure I'll be feeling it in my muscles in the morning, but right now it feels good to have this "next stage" underway.




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Also in my early 40's, and I must say....I am impressed with your recovery! Keep at it! Did you have the anterior or posterior. Just curious-
 
Hi @Toddlermom - I had posterior approach - to be honest it was the one aspect of the whole procedure I didn't read up on prior to the op. I was more interested in materials used, cemented vs uncemented, etc and it never occurred to me to ask how the incision would be made and the pros/cons of each approach. Since the op I've read that there is mixed opinion about whether anterior surgery results in quicker recovery, but posterior certainly hasn't held me back.


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And I am trying to learn about materials now...lol! I have a great surgeon, so I was just leaving all of that up to him. I gather that my 'tricky' hips have some qualities that guide the choices in devices.
 
@Toddlermom - Educating yourself AND having a surgeon you genuinely trust is a great combination - I'm sure you'll do really well.
 
10 weeks post op tomorrow - did a "proper" session on Tuesday with my rehab specialist - 48 hours later and OMG my legs hurt now!!! No issues with the new hip, just every muscle in both legs sore due to 3 months of inactivity. Really glad I'm doing it though - lots of mobilisation, rotation, lunges, stretches, stepping up and down, etc. What's really telling is that my new left hip (now non-arthritic) is better at a couple of the exercises than my non operated (increasingly arthritic) right hip. I'm determined to preserve my right hip for as long as possible so I'm going to be really strict with myself adopting this new regime of strengthening/flexibility/rotation in both sides.
I can't believe it's 10 weeks gone already - still a bit of occasional soreness down the inside leg/groin in my operated leg but otherwise feeling a hundred times better than I was pre op.
 
Past 13 weeks post op now and I've ticked off a few more milestones;
- Climbed to the top of Shuttlingsloe in the snow yesterday leaving my family trailing behind rather than vice versa :-)
- Played 14 holes of golf on Saturday - definitely ready for 18 next time
- Increased the resistance on the spin bike, only the awful wet and cold weather is stopping me getting back on the bike proper outdoors now.

I've still got a bit of pain and a lot of inflexibility in the inside leg/groin area which my physio says is the abductor muscles. I'm doing a lot of exercises to try to stengthen them and increase the flexibility so we'll see how that goes. Apart from that though my range of movement in the hip has definitely improved since I started the full recovery exercises. Putting on socks and tying shoe laces are no longer a major struggle.
 
15 weeks post op - played my first full 18 holes of golf this morning since the op (at 07:00am on a Sunday!!) Managed to play to my handicap which is okay considering it was my first full game for 5 months, but more importantly NO PAIN! That was followed by an hour bike ride with my son and then a post lunch 4 mile walk through the woods with the whole family. Then home in time to watch United beat City in the Manchester derby followed by a couple of beers and chilli con carne. Happy days!!
 
That is a really interesting thread @goldpm - thanks. It was particularly interesting as I am just at two weeks (with a reducing desire to at it too quickly too soon, thanks to this forum) post op and I can see the steady progress you have made

The only problem I have is re the football. As an Arsenal supporter, I am not sure whether to thank you or not!

Best wishes
Peter
 
Hi Peter - I was quite lucky with the timing of mine at least as far as the seasons and the weather were concerned. As you know it was particularly wet over Dec-Feb this year so I didn't miss out on much outdoor activity. I think I'd have been ready to get out on the bike and the golf course a bit sooner but waited until that awful spell of continuous wet weather was over. But as it was, getting out and doing plenty of walking from week 4 onwards and ramping up gradually was probably the best way to get going again anyway.
Looks like Arsenal are over their usual late season dip in form after that performance against Everton, but probably not enough to go on and win the Premiership now. I'll just be happy if United can nick 4th spot of City :-)
 
Hi

Ditto with timing. I was actually hoping to have the op slightly earlier, but the beginning of March was fine, with the idea being that the weather and I would improve at at about the same pace, to suit walking, cycling, T20 World Cup etc. Sounds good in theory ....

This year has been a bit disappointing, Arsenal wise. It was the best opportunity to win the League for some time, but the lack of depth in the squad is always an issue and the customary slump could not have come at a worse time! I rate the chances of winning the league now as nil. Although we have moved around the country a lot, my family originates from north London and we all support Arsenal or Spurs. So, just to compound matters, my two sons, my brother and his sons all support Spurs. I am hoping, without much optimism, that they will take pity on me. Some chance

I think Man U may well do that. City seem to have lost their way since the announcement of the new manager, I suspect there will be a mass clear out in the summer

Keep up the good work with the new hip
Peter
 
4.5 months post Op (I've started counting in months instead of weeks now) Spent 8 days on holiday in Iceland doing a lot of walking, some of it fairly challenging. Still getting some mild soreness/stiffness in the abductors and into the groin but it's gradually diminishing. Flexibility has improved massively compared to pre-op and immediate post-op. My golf has also improved - I can turn my hip into the swing properly for the first time in a couple of years and its great to finish a round without the pain and limping. Now need to get back into the routine of doing strengthening exercises again after holidays!
 
Went for my 6 month check up today (at 5 and a half months - but what difference does a couple of weeks make?) and all is well. My replacement is a hybrid - cemented stem with ceramic head and uncemented socket. So I've not actually been discharged yet, the consultant and his team would like to check me again at 12 months. I don't know how widespread this view is within the community of hip surgeons - but certainly they believe that uncemented sockets are the way forward particularly in younger patients. Apparently cemented sockets are usually the component that is most likely to fail first. Not that it's inevitable - just statistically the most likely. Hence they reckon that uncemented sockets will last much longer, the socket should fuse with the bone rather than relying on the cement which can eventually start to break down. They didn't use any screws either (those giant looking ones that you see on some people's x-rays - ouch!!) So I hope their theory is correct (!)
By coincidence I had another medical appointment later on today - I was diagnosed with nasal polyps a few weeks ago and the course of steroids/nasal drops that they put me on have failed to get rid of them. So it's more surgery to cut them out, but it won't be anything like the magnitude of a hip replacement and at least I know I'm ok with general anaesthetic now. These polyps most likely came about as a reaction to NSAIDs (ibuprofen basically) over the couple of years before hip replacement. Not sure how common that is.
On a more positive note my flexibility and strength continue to improve. Went for a 25 mile bike this evening including a fairly challenging climb and I'm really enjoying being able cycle in a tuck position on the drop handle bars again - a real benefit in the wind.
 
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