It’s my hip’s one year anniversary today. I thought I would provide an update as not many people do so at this stage.
My THR has been a great success and given me my life back – I feel a good ten years younger than I did a year ago. I am still feeling improvements even at one year out – I would say I am now about 95% although it is difficult to assess when getting a bit older.
Key points from my recovery include:
- I should have had the operation much earlier (possible 2 or 3 years) – I probably understated pain levels and did not ask the right questions when I first saw medics.
- I was remarkably calm for the surgery – probably because I knew it was needed and the success rate is high. The operation went very smoothly – spinal with heavy sedation. Care from hospital staff was excellent.
- Recovery was much longer than some suggest. 6 months for me to get virtually ache free and 9 to feel close to recovered. I suspect, but don’t know for sure, that my recovery may have been quicker if I had had the operation earlier. Otherwise recovery was smooth – although I did get a bit down about the time it was taking!
- In months 4 and 5 I made significant improvements and I became much more mobile.
- The main activities to support my recovery were (a lot of) walking, Pilates twice a week and swimming.
For those interested here is summary of my progress - for interest and not for comparison as everyone is different. By way of background I had been quite active (skiing, trekking, racket sports) before OA struck and this was my first surgery. I was in very good health although around 10lbs overweight pre-op. By the time of surgery I could not walk half a mile without a lot of pain, I struggled with shoe laces and I was limping very badly. The muscles in the right hip had atrophied – my left leg was much bigger than my right! I had posterior and had my bad leg lengthened.
Week 6 – stopped using the cane and able to resume all basic activities including driving. Back to the pool and gym for light work and “easy” Pilates classes. Hip still feeling quite weak and getting tired quickly. I could not stand on operated leg for long and walking was quite slow. Lots of aches and stiffness. I was sleeping on my side but could not lie comfortably on side on Pilates mat.
Week 9 – Walking faster but still getting tired. Did 15,000 steps for the first time. Now feeling a lot better than pre-op.
Month 3 – Doing all normal activities comfortably but still suffering from lots of aches and stiffness and feeling a long way from being fully recovered. Back to advanced Pilates and swimming up to 1km.
Month 4 – First 10+ mile walk and 30,000+ steps. Walking speed moderate. Swimming up to 2km. Still quite a few aches and stiffness after sitting.
Month 5 – First 20+ mile walk and 50,000+ steps. Walking at moderate to fast pace. Aches and stiffness declining.
Month 6 – Much fitter now and able to trek comfortably up England’s highest and toughest mountains. But still very conscious of the new hip and taking longer to go down hills than up them. Walking speed now fast. Aches and stiffness mostly gone except after vigorous exercise. However still felt quite some way from being fully recovered.
Month 9 – Back to playing squash at moderate club level. Post exercise stiffness had gone and close to feeling normal again.
Month 12 – I have pretty much forgotten hip now – the only thing I do not feel comfortable doing is running anything other than a short distance – probably not helped by the left hip being arthritic. I am still noticing some improvements although they are more subtle.
My left hip has FAI. An X-ray 4 years ago showed bone spurs and I have mild OA pain. I have no significant mobility issues in that hip and I hope that I will not need another THR soon but if the pain gets bad I will be straight to my GP.