THR Greg555's Recovery Thread

[Greg555]

I got my first lesson on cold temperature and it’s effect on my titanium hip. Wearing nothing but some thin, Nike running pants, 28 degree temp, and a brisk wind made for some interesting discomfort. Muscles around the hip began to spasm with the pain lasting until the next day. Not sure if anyone else has had cold sensitivity ?

 

[Layla]

Yes, others do experience this. It's especially true for patients with arthritic joints who have not had a joint replacement, but also the case even after you have a new prosthetic in place.

Weather changes are predicted by changes in barometric pressure, which is the weight of the air pressing against the earth's surface. These changes can trigger pain and stiffness in the area of the prosthesis. The activity of bone adapting and growing around the metal leads to the sensitivity felt during weather and pressure changes. These sensations normally disappear within one to two years following surgery.
Have a great rest of the week!
@Greg555

 

[Layla]

Happy Four Month Anniversary!
May it keep getting better and better.
@Greg555

 

[Greg555]

Checking in at the 5 month mark. So far everything continues to go well. Mobility is equal to the non-op hip. Strength is still a work in progress. I’m finally able to perfom unweighted lunges. Still a bit shaky, but improving. Still get an occasional twinge of post op pain. Numbness remains at the anterior site. I think it might be permanent. Im back to kettlebell training and have lost 12 pounds. It helps to be patient with your recovery and understand that the body heals at its own rate. If I had to guess, I’m thinking 9 months to 1 year for full recovery. At 5 months, I’m at 70-75%.

 

[Greg555]

Thought I would give my 6 month report. Not a lot has changed singe month 6. I still get crazy, weird twinges from time to time. Strength training is a very slow and tedious process. Leg extensions, hamstring curls, and body weight squats 3x weekly. I have found that the more active I am, the better the hip feels. Flexibility and mobility continues to improve. I can pretty much hike and walk unlimited distances without a problem. My issue is when I sit to long. My remedy, don’t sit too long. I keep thinking that it’ll be a solid year before things are back to pre arthritis days. But then again, I was a younger man then so I need to keep my expectations in check. Overall, I remain very very happy with the surgery.

 

[Pumpkin]

Great you are happy with your THR, sounds like you are doing great!
Thanks for the update.

 

[FCBayern]

Great to hear you are doing so well @Greg555, I definitely continued to improve for at least a year. I didn't have issues sitting but riding in the car for long distances took me 10 months plus. I made a solo trip recently and covered 450 miles with 2 brief stops and no issues, so I would expect that sitting will improve with time. In the mean time, being able to move pain free instead is a great trade off!

 

[Schaargi]

I'm so glad you posted your 6 month update! It sounds like you are doing well. I am at 7 months and am also slogging along slowly with strength. I am glad to hear I'm not the only one going slower than I had hoped.

It's excellent you can hike and walk. I wish you luck with your sitting stamina.

 

[Layla]

Numbness remains at the anterior site. I think it might be permanent.

I still get crazy, weird twinges from time to time.

Small sensory nerve fibers are cut with the incision. These nerve fibers run from the inside to the outside of the hip and cutting them causes the hip to feel numb after surgery. It is a temporary sensation that normally resolves over a period of six months to one year post op.

While healing you may experience sensations of tingling, pins and needles, itching, burning and even the feeling of a minor electrical shock. These are usually good signs that the nerves are spontaneously firing through the regeneration process.

It seems you’re doing really well at 6 months post op Greg, Just think how great you’ll be feeling by Summer!

 

[Greg555]

Great to hear you are doing so well @Greg555, I definitely continued to improve for at least a year. I didn't have issues sitting but riding in the car for long distances took me 10 months plus. I made a solo trip recently and covered 450 miles with 2 brief stops and no issues, so I would expect that sitting will improve with time. In the mean time, being able to move pain free instead is a great trade off!

It’s not so much sitting that bothers me. It’s when I’m inactive for a period of time or don’t a lot steps in through the day. If it’s been a day or two where I’m not walking much the hip acts up. The more acting I keep myself the better the hips works.

 

[Greg555]

7 month check in. No real changes. Hip continues to do well. Zero arthritic pain. Still some discomfort during certain movements. Mainly clamshells. If I take the hypervolt massage unit to the periformus muscle and the top of the inner thigh by the crease the discomfort becomes less. I’m a huge advocate of percussion massage units following the healing stage of hip replacement. The unit really works wonders. Walking and hiking are non-problematic. I can literally walk forever with zero discomfort. The improvement is much more incremental at this stage. Mainly strength. I’ve returned to a full yoga routine. The mobility and flexibility of the op hip matches the non-op side. I’ve overcome the cold’s impact on the metal hip structure by investing in a quality pair of under armor, thermal underwear. One fact is for sure. The more I move, the better the hip feels. If I have a period where I’m more sedentary then things get stiff. Not much else to report.

 

[Schaargi]

Hi @Greg555,

I have a question regarding yoga. I don't know if you ever do reclined cobbler (or reclined bound ankle), but do you have any trouble with it? I can do the pose sitting up, but it feels like something is stuck on my surgical side when I try it reclined. Any ideas?

It sounds like you are doing great!

 

[Layla]

Thanks for the update, Greg
Glad you’re happy with your progress. Enjoy the weekend!
@Greg555

 

[Greg555]

Hi @Greg555,

I have a question regarding yoga. I don't know if you ever do reclined cobbler (or reclined bound ankle), but do you have any trouble with it? I can do the pose sitting up, but it feels like something is stuck on my surgical side when I try it reclined. Any ideas?

It sounds like you are doing great!

I am able to perform that pose without any difficulty. The pigeon pose is what gave me difficulty. I think the slight geometry change in my hip (they never get it perfect) changed the angle and length of the piriformis. I continued to work at it and eventually it eased back into proper function. The mobility and flexibility of the op hip matches the non-op hip now. Totally amazing. As I said, it’s strength rebuilding that is my objective. The thigh and glute muscles were badly atrophied from 3 years of OS. I’m quite confident that given more time I’ll make a full recovery.

 

[Schaargi]

Thanks, @Greg555. Interesting. I'm ok with pigeon (not back to 100%, but there's hope). I'm trying to figure out the "stuck" feeling. I'm also working to regain atrophied muscle. Thanks for your input, and thanks for mentioning yoga. It sounds line you are doing great!

 

[Greg555]

Hey everyone. Here’s my 8 month report. Nothing has changed. Everything is still going well. I still have the occasional ache. No pain. Flexibility is still improving. As is strength. I’m venturing back to the gym on a more frequent basis since receiving the Covid vaccine. I set some realistic fitness goals to achieve by June 1st. I thought I’d be back to 100% within a year of surgery. It’ll be close, but if I had to judge, I’d say it’ll take a bit longer. Progress slows and becomes much more incremental. I’d say I’m 75%. Maybe 80%. I can do everything I could due pre arthritis, but the strength and confidence isn’t there. Overall it’s been awesome. I’m looking forward to the first pain free spring in 3 years.

 

[FCBayern]

With an average 12 months to fully recover I would expect it to take a little longer to regain full strength @Greg555. But it sounds like you are doing great and that 100% isn't too far down the road for you!

 

[Greg555]

Hard to believe, but it’s been 9 months since my hip replacement. It seem like yesterday that I was laying in a hospital room alone, scared to death about surgery. Well not much has changed. I’m still working on strength building. It’s been a long process get the glute muscles firing properly again. All abduction related strength. Adduction remains super strong. The process has been long and tedious. I’ve discovered some very effective exercises. It’s the last hurdle in my recovery. I still have the occasional ache and pain, but I’ve come to accept that as the new normal. Mobility and flexibility has been excellent. That’s really about it for now. I’ll keep posting monthly until the one year mark is reached.

 

[Layla]

Hello Greg,
Thanks for updating and Happy Nine Month Anniversary!
It’s good to read you continue to improve and hopefully you‘re enjoying your recovery.
Until next time...all the best to you!
@Greg555

 

[Hippielife]

@Greg555....Great update and your on your way to a better quality of life. Success is wonderful!
these new hip will last for many years . My first thr was over 23 years ago and still goin... take care of your new hip and it will give you many years in the future.