Hip Arthroscopy Is there life after THR & Arthroscopy? You Betcha!!

[bottomshollow]

and it's those milestones that keep us going!!!!! Enjoy the feeling and store it away for a bad day when you need reminders of how far you've come.

 

[Elosarabrab]

Meggzie It is a huge milestone for us hippies when we can get our shoes and socks on by ourselves. We understand how happy you are. People who haven't been through it might be dismissive of the achievement but you can be very proud of yourself.

 

[sandpiper]

Meggzie. Don't worry Megzzie! My daughter fell going over a jump and ended up in a clam shell body cast for 6 months in a hospital bed in my family room due to an L1 burst fracture. It was very frightening but guess what....a yr later she delivered my first granddaughter and not long after that she got back in the saddle. You will be just fine!!! ;-)

 

[Meggzie]

Wow sandpiper that's amazing. I know I'll be back in the saddle, I'm just impatient, I guess

I survived my first half day at work today. I was pretty zapped of energy by the time I got home. Had a lovely nap on my couch in the winter sunshine coming through my front window. I really am SO glad I convinced the doc it was too soon to go back full time.

I think I'll sleep pretty well tonight ;)

 

[sandpiper]

Meggzie. See....it will all work out! I believe Jojool was also told she'd ride again also!!! I want to show you a pic of out TB. Shes a rescue horse. Previously owned by a guy who bred TBs for the track but got ill and died. His kids got rid of all the horses and our lady was a 5 yr old unhandled 16.1 1/2 baby! I tried to attach the pic here but it only shows up as a link which doesn't open when you click it. Do you know how you know how to do it?

 

[bottomshollow]

sandpiper, see if this helps
https://bonesmart.org/forum/threads/uploading-a-picture-in-a-post.14731/

and pictures you take with your camera or phone are usually very large and need to be resized

 

[sandpiper]

bottomshollow tx!!! It worked!

 

[Paddles10]

Hi there,
My Doc did not want me riding for 6 months. Did a bunch of PT and was on in 6 months. I started back with a couple of lessons on a forth level horse. Someone to watch and a horse that I could count on. After that I moved to one of our geldings just to do specific strength training on my legs within the next month I was back on a very green very athletic stallion prospect. The Dr. was conservative, having worked with a few riders before me and I worked with a PT that had some experience with horse nuts as well. I could have probably started earlier but between my Dr. and reading here I waited. Looks like you're an eventer, a little different than the occasional trail ride. Take your time, lots of two point, and work without irons are in your future. Good luck.

 

[Mollyb]

Meggzie, yes, get the MRI conducted and then concentrate on Hip #1 recovery..

I am going to tag Jo to comment on the measurement methodology Josephine and the rest of your post

I also have several fat and lazy horses that have not seen much work. I too have wanted to find out when I can ride again. Before my doctor said that I would be able to ride but mount and dismount would be an issue. Let me know what you find about riding. I am 10 weeks, but I had pretty much resigned myself that this year would ot be good to resurrect my cutting horses and lots of time in the saddle. I may have to try just checking cows - but not yet .

 

[Meggzie]

work without irons are in your future.

YAY!! My favourite!! Not....Still it will be nice to sit around a horse, rather than having an inflexible hip making me perch on top

mount and dismount would be an issue.

It wasnt until the end of week 5 that I could swing my leg over the back of the saddle (on a stationary stand!!) in something approximating a normal mounting/dismounting action. Of course, the stand is WAY shorter than a horse - mounting blocks (or rocks or fences, or anything else that we can safely stand on) are definitely in our future. In fact, they've been a part of my life for a while - I'm short and my horse is tall (17hh) so I'd probably do both myself and the horse a damage trying to heave myself into the saddle from the ground! Its not a pretty picture!

 

[Mollyb]

YAY!! My favourite!! Not....Still it will be nice to sit around a horse, rather than having an inflexible hip making me perch on top



It wasnt until the end of week 5 that I could swing my leg over the back of the saddle (on a stationary stand!!) in something approximating a normal mounting/dismounting action. Of course, the stand is WAY shorter than a horse - mounting blocks (or rocks or fences, or anything else that we can safely stand on) are definitely in our future. In fact, they've been a part of my life for a while - I'm short and my horse is tall (17hh) so I'd probably do both myself and the horse a damage trying to heave myself into the saddle from the ground! Its not a pretty picture!

Meggzie I can't believe you tried swinging your leg over a saddle at 5 weeks - even one on a stand. Good for you. Which hip did u have operated on. Mine is the right maybe I could try mounting from the other side for the first couple of times or as u said mounting blocks or fences. I am short also but cutting horses are smaller only about 15hh so it will be a little easier. I did manage to get on our quad swinging my left leg over and that wasn't too bad. I may try in another month to get on one of the quieter horses. Summers in Canada seem so short so I would like to get out and do some riding before the cold weather sets in.

 

[Poppet]

Sounds like you are progressing very well Meggzie... jolly good.

 

[Mollyb]

Hi there,
My Doc did not want me riding for 6 months. Did a bunch of PT and was on in 6 months. I started back with a couple of lessons on a forth level horse. Someone to watch and a horse that I could count on. After that I moved to one of our geldings just to do specific strength training on my legs within the next month I was back on a very green very athletic stallion prospect. The Dr. was conservative, having worked with a few riders before me and I worked with a PT that had some experience with horse nuts as well. I could have probably started earlier but between my Dr. and reading here I waited. Looks like you're an eventer, a little different than the occasional trail ride. Take your time, lots of two point, and work without irons are in your future. Good luck.

Glad to see another horse lover in the group. Just read that you waited 6 months to ride and after talking to your doctor and posts on this forum. Was the general opinion that riding before could cause some problems?

 

[Meggzie]

Mollyb I went veeeerrryyyy slowly ( I had the right done too) I started with the stand only (no saddle) I started standing with my back to the stand on the off (left) side - left hand on the "wither" and the right hand where the cantle would be and lifted myself til I was sitting side-saddle, then I could swing my left leg around the front of the stand. I would get off the same way. After a few days I put the saddle on the stand and did the same thing, making sure I could cope with the extra width of the saddle. (I am using a dressage saddle, so no horn to get in the way) Once that was comfy, and I was feeling stronger (several days later) I started dismounting by almost lying flat on the stand and swinging my right leg off so that I dismounted on the correct side...not very graceful, but effective. That wasnt so bad as gravity did most of the work. Then I gradually worked on being able to lift my right leg enough that I could get on in the reverse action to getting off...now I have the strength to stay more upright and swing the right leg over without kicking the stand in the 'flank' on the way.

I've been playing with this over a period of about 4 weeks - just doing a bit each day. I'm working on the theory that if I can be comfortable doing all of this on a stationary stand, then I'll be much less freaked out about sitting on the real thing when the time comes (Edited to add: Hopefully the time will be in another 5 weeks - depending on what we find out about my left one!)

Thankyou Poppet - I am really happy with how things are progressing - but I have to keep disciplining myself not to do too much. I"m not always successful and pay the price occasionally - but I've always had a tendency to needing to learn the hard way

 

[Poppet]

We all do Meg

 

[Meggzie]

Hmmm, not sure if this is going to be a vent or a whine. I did promise early on that I'd try very hard not to whine...so maybe it just has to be a vent!

I'm coming up on 8 weeks post op now and in general things are going pretty well...BUT...pre-op my gait was almost normal, in fact I could still run. It was only when it came to riding that I found myself in crippling pain, so much so that I stopped altogether.

Fast forward to week 8 and I'm getting a bit grumpy about walking like someone who still has an arthritic hip (event thought I didnt pre-op). I'm not bad in a straight line on flat ground, but uneven or sloping ground sees me lurching like a drunken sailor. I'm grumpy that I'm still needing a cane or a crutch - I do NOT want to train my body to walk in that way so I use it...but I dont like it!! There's damage there that needs to heal, I know this, but I just hate that feeling of weakness in my gluts that makes me limp...

I was also starting to feel some muscular/tendon type pain in the front of my operated leg up near the groin, so I've cut right back on my exercises and have been trying to rest, ice and elevate as much as possible. As a result, that issue seems to be resolving, but the limp goes on.

So...I know I have more healing to do, my recovery will be what it is and nothing more...but can I just say I feel a bit like maybe I made a mistake. Pre surgery I was walking fine and not riding - now I'm not riding AND not walking very well at all..... OK, maybe this is a whine. I think I have all that off my chest now, thanks for listening!

 

[Poppet]

Hi Meggzie, it is ok to vent, that's what we are here for..

You are very wise to stay with your walking aide until your gait improves, it is so very important. The length of time that it takes to get off your walking aide is not important and will not determine the success or failure of your hip replacement. You will walk without support when you feel you are safe and can walk comfortably without dropping your hip or limping.

I understand the frustration and your desire to get back to your riding, patience grasshopper

 

[Shadow09]

Meggzie I can so understand! The roller coaster of this is what can be frustrating and I am only 3 1/2 weeks into it! I want to be done with the "aids" and want to get back to "normal". I know I have to take it one day at a time. I can't wait until the time I no longer think about my hip. Feel free to vent at any time.

 

[Meggzie]

Kind words from the master Poppet Thankyou! And to you too Shadow09.

I already feel better, just putting it out there. And now that I've had my whine and got all of that negative stuff off my chest, it's helped me to focus on the positives too. I might not be completely fit and healed, but I CAN sit in a saddle without pain - something I couldnt do pre surgery - this WILL transfer on to a flesh and blood horse, in due course. And I'm also very thankful that although I limp a bit, I'm not in any real pain. There is much to be thankful for...including the wonderful support from my fellow Bonesmarties! Thanks!

 

[sandpiper]

Meggzie You are so right! There is soooo much to be thankful for! You'll be riding again! You had to stop doing the one thing you probably loved the most! Now you can already sit in a saddle! I find that amazing! Just the thought of swinging my right leg over a saddle....even on a saddle stand, makes me queezy! You are doing just great!!!!! The gait will come. Mine is off too but I was assured that's normal for a while ! Just one thing you owe us here pn BS and that's a picture of your very first post-op mount on a real horse!!!!!
RTHR July 1, 2013