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THR Hiptopia!

I'm all for going back into PT, @Calgal, and asking the PT if he/she thinks Pilates might be helpful. As with finding a good therapist, a good Pilates instructor, particularly one that is aware you've had hip replacement surgery and is familiar with how to modify exercises to make sure you're not doing less than helpful moves, might be an added benefit. I felt Pilates really helped me, but I waited until I had done some work with my physical therapist before I ventured back into that class. I am sorry your friend was so crass in her assessment--even if she was trying to be helpful (my husband on occasion reminds me to stand up straight when I walk, as when I stand up I can have a little old lady hunch sometimes) she could have found a much more diplomatic way to comment on her observations! At least she did call you after the fact and apologized. Anyway, I think you are doing pretty darn great for 3 months out and you just need to keep up the good work and move ahead. There is no specific timeframe for being able to achieve various milestones, so relax, be proud of what your body has accomplished so far and will be accomplishing in the months ahead. You've got this!
 
Thanks @Hoppy Nanny , @Fiona444 and @Barbaraj !! All of you pals give such sensible advice even in the face of awkward situations. @CricketHip thanks too, I'll take my cue from my PT as to when /if Pilates us appropriate.

Thanks to all of you I'm much calmer now. I realize I've probably ditched the crutch a bit too soon. I walk really well with it. My hubby videoed me walking today without aids while we were out with pooch, and I will also show that to PT. But I'm going to keep using my trusty one crutch till I get an appointment. Bless you all for helping me to appreciate where I am and how far I've come. (But also there's more healing to look forward to!)
:roseshwr:
 
good for you @Calgal That's how I'm trying to view it. It's strange, I don't really lean on the cane but it really helps to stabilize me. Funny thing though. I was shopping a short while ago and kept leaving my cane behind. So exciting! Annoying, too. :rotfl:
You are doing so well, don't let anybody rain on your parade. We need to promise to check in at our half year and one year marks and see how well we are doing.. I recall with the first hip that I thought I was downright perfect at a year and then at 15 months felt another surge in improvement. Truly amazing. And right now you're only at 3 months.. that's not that long. I'm almost at 2 months. Yes, it's slower than last time, but I feel pretty darn good and am out and about so.... so what if I have a little companion with me? :old:
 
@Calgal At my 6 week post op appointment, my surgeon said that I should move from a crutch (I arrived there with one crutch) to a cane, as it was far easier to then progress to no aids at all. I don't know how true that is and everybody is different of course, but for me, I am finding that taking away some support is working very well . I still use a crutch when I get up in the night for the extra support though.
 
linette333 said:
move from a crutch (I arrived there with one crutch) to a cane, as it was far easier to then progress to no aids at all
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Wow! Great idea! But I'll have to pop out and get a cane at the right height. I'll mention this to my PT when I see her but if I've got s long wait I might try it myself. I don't really need the full crutch to take the weight, just for a little stability, like counter surfing. Thanks for the great idea! :idea:
 
Hi @Calgal , I would like to chime in that, if you do decide to take Pilates classes in the future, just make sure about those leg lift exercises Pilates use....I hurt myself with my first hip replacement...I so wanted to be "better" that I remember really straining to get that leg all the way up...wound up with painful tendonitis...

I still see a PT once a month and one of the first things she does is have me walk for her...So, don't think there's something wrong with you at this point....there was something wrong with your friend!!!
 
Oh @Calgal so tei es people speak meaning well but unfortunately the words used hurt. Don't rush to Pilates if your body doesn't feel ready. I think speaking to the pt would be a great idea and they can give you gentle exercises to work through at home to support you improving your gait, if you are still unstable . I saw your post on 'our' normal posting place so thought I'd come straight over and send masses of virtual hugs. I know @Mayhip8 and @ahipgma are with me when I send positive vibes and remind you, my hippie sister, that you need to get that smile back on sky we can 'stand up, sit down, shake it left, shake it right, elevate, ice, ice, ice ' (while shaking our Pom poms!!) xx:friends::console2:
 
@Calgal - I've read all the advice and suggestions since your post earlier today and have to say I can totally understand your reaction. I hope you feel a little more reassured and less concerned now- as you say your friend seems to have realised the impact her ' throwaway ' remark had on you and has apologised- I have a saying ' put brain into gear before opening mouth' ..
Do you think sometimes people don't understand the massive assault on our bodies after this major surgery ? They see you ( us) trying our hardest to push ourselves to good recovery and assume we are back to ' normal' and as @ ChrissyW rightly pointed out a few posts ago on my thread regarding the use of the term 'normal' I don't adhere to the 'normal' for every one - it is what is acceptable and ' normal' for ourselves in a given situation..
In your particular situation I'd say you have done tremendously well :SUNsmile: I'm a bit ahead of you and am aware I have an ' off kilter' gait at times .especially after a long day or intense walking episode.. Our muscles are still recovering and can't support us until they are fully healed and strengthened - it's still so early in terms of your ( our recovery) I was flattered the other day when my nurse at Pre-op said I was walking so well for the short amount of time after surgery - it really boosted my confidence to be ' praised' by her. So what I'm saying is please don't be disheartened - I was using a single crutch when she said this! I walk unaided around my home but use a crutch outside - even if I just loosely carry it for a period of time- it's there when I feel the muscle ache kicking in. Then I rest a few mins and start again . Another saying ( I do like a ' saying' ) is ' slow and steady wins the race..be kind to yourself when others aren't thinking. I'd advocate carrying a cane/crutch to support your weakened but healing body,you are so early in recovery that it may help you feel confident to continue the excellent progress you have made so far.
I can't advise on PT or Pilates in this situation as its out of my area of expertise - I do think a chat with someone well qualified and trusted may help to assess your situation at the moment ( though I note also the excellent advice you've been given by other members) I bloomin well love this forum and site for the fantastic support evryone gives . I hope you manage to be reassured that you are doing so well lovely, keep up the good work ( and rest when needed) stay strong and remember soon this will all be a distant memory .
Sending loving hugs and positivity :loveshwr::loveshwr:
 
Hi @Calgal
Wow, the things people say. Your posts on your thread were so full of positivity and happiness ( had to search for the point at which you needed the hug!?) Right before that lady opened mouth and inserted foot.
The thing I love about this forum is that people do understand ---the impatience and fear and pain, but also the caring support and hope, because we get it, we've been through it. It's a shame she said what she said, but it makes no real difference in your reality of recovery.
Practically speaking i would definitely check with PT before Pilates but that's me.
They know what they are about with someone who's recovering from surgery and you don't want to have a setback after all your hard work.
I had my surgery on may 1 and I still limp badly at times --you're almost a month behind me. I havent been able to put on shoes and socks on normally for about two years, been limping on my job about a year and a half, so a while of not normal to start. So between my hip impaired state of 2 years and the major surgery I just have been thru I dont expect to be leaping about like a gazelle! I am actually limping going into my second surgery, I'm really going to be gimpy after Wednesday!:scaredycat:
I truly am in for the long haul and however long it takes it, it takes!
You're doing great, it's a process, and dont let one silly sentence negate your happiness and accomplishments, you hear??:dancy:<-- imagine it's me with pompoms! :friends:and heres your hug.
 
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I started Pilates when I was 3 months post-THR. I'd done Pilates for years though and I had a pretty good idea of what modifications I'd want to make as I was easing back into it. I'd "graduated" from PT by then and I felt ready to get back to my Pilates. It sounds like you might benefit from a few PT sessions to get your gait on the right track first. You doing so well though. I doubt you would need anything more than a little gait training.

As for what that person said to you... the world is full of well-meaning, clueless people. Lots of them know less about joint replacement than they think they do. I had a blog where I used to write about my surgeries (among lots of other things). There was one person, whom I known for years, that I had to block from commenting, because she couldn't resist sharing whatever idiot thing popped into her head. Sometimes it's a form of self- care to take a break from certain people. It's doesn't have to be forever. Just for now...

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@alexthecat thanks so much for the first hand Pilates info and very realistic recovery mindset. I thought I had my head on straight and taking my sweet time to get where we all want to be, so I'm a little embarrassed that off hand comment got to me so badly. :blush:
Laughed at your blog blocking trick! Sometimes, especially on line, people say the stupidest things I think because there is no interpersonal interaction (facial expressions, tears, etc) to tone them down. My neighbor frustrated me more by not elaborating on what she meant and trying to drop the subject! It made me nuts trying to understand exactly what about my walking reminded her of an old man. Gait? Stoop? Noises when I sat down gingerly on my trusty cushion? The mind spiraled out of control! :what:

But thanks to Bonesmart community I have a place to vent and ask questions and get the most amazing support! I truly couldn't have managed so well in this process without it. Thank you.
 
Mayhip8 said:
I was flattered the other day when my nurse at Pre-op said I was walking so well for the short amount of time after surgery - it really boosted my confidence to be ' praised' by her.
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Isn't that great! I know I beamed with pride every time I saw my PT as she gave me that praise - it's so needed as we recover. I don't ever mind the caveat at the end of such praise '...for X weeks along' when they know what they are talking about with hip replacements. Maybe that's a good reason to continue a little PT, especially after you pass the 6 -8 week mark and enter what I now call the recovery desert. You're walking and walking and walking but still have a lonnnnng way to go! It gets lonely too.

To ease my mind I asked my husband to video me yesterday afternoon while walking the dog. I watched the video last night and I was definitely NOT limping!! So for the life of me I still can't figure out what my neighbor meant. Oh well it doesn't matter. I'm going to book an appointment with my old PT on Monday, and I've already booked an assessment from the rehab Pilates person (who was also a physiotherapist) for September 2. Onwards and upwards!!:walking:
 
Morning everyone. Well the sun is beaming here so let's make this a really good, positive day. @Calgal my husband got me a foldable walking stick off amazon so I can pop it in a bag and wherever we go if I feel the muscles starting to shout at me I can whip it out and get help, sometimes for me it's just the reassurance if it being there and it was brilliant on holiday. our sticks are 'walking AIDS' so some clever person made them to help us walk when we feel we need it so don't reprimand yourself for feeling you want it at times, I still do and as @ahipgma has also commented I too still walk and wobble (that's how I like to refer to it now) in an evening when I'm tired, clearly when my body as a whole is tired my poor 'new' side is more tired. Go with the flow and know you are doing amazing (did you watch any of the surgery videos?)
Love to all and enjoy the sunshine while its here xxx
 
I can answer the size matters:heehee:
My cane has 4 sizing holes ( it's made of metal with a wooden handle) so you can make it longer/shorter. There is a video somewhere about how to size it, with your arm at your side ,how much you bend your elbow, etc. I was never offered a crutch by my OS or the hospital but used a walker then a cane. It was very helpful. Editing this: just google "sizing a cane" it pops right up!
 
Oh, @ChrissyW I did watch a hip replacement film and had to stop halfway through, since i.am going for another just couldnt watch. I was so frustrated by my progress I thought just what was done to me and when I saw it well, I think we do better than we think!!!:scaredycat:
 
Shopping on Amazon done! Foldable walking stick coming in a few days. I got an aluminium one in blue, which looks like Nordic trekking poles so hopefully keeping the dreaded old lady look at bay for a few more years, ha! :heehee:

I've used my one crutch today and to be honest my leg feels just so much more supported and the thigh muscles definitely less tight. Sigh. But I'm ok with this and not thinking of it as a setback just my body telling me I may have jumped the gun a bit on aid-less walking. Thanks to @linette333 for crutch to cane transition idea and @ChrissyW and @ahipgma for the honest report of your own wobbles, even ahead of me. :loveshwr:
 
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