THR JamesUK's recovery

[mature mama]

Sounds like a great update! I loved hearing about your experience with the "pee pot", especially not endorsing the cardboard one.

Continued walking should encourage healing!!

 

[JamesUK]

Welcome James! All great and helpful information for anyone getting ready to have THR.
Sounds like you are progressing nicely, my only add here is use the crutch if you need it. It's best to walk properly than to hobble w/o crutch. You will have plenty of time to get rid of assistive devices.
I wish you a continued great recovery. Stay well.

Thanks for the advice. I managed to walk my self to the George Forman and make a cheese toasty today… limping a little so keep my crutch to hand if needed. I wish I could post the video of me walking, for a man that was doing 60 minute cardio sessions a month ago, it’s certainly a journey ahead. You’re right, I guess I have to apply the same advice as you hear in the gym, get the form right first, before considering lifting more.

 

[JamesUK]

Sounds like a great update! I loved hearing about your experience with the "pee pot", especially not endorsing the cardboard one.

Continued walking should encourage healing!!

Thanks for the response, I’m certainly going to keep the walking going. I feel like that’s taking away the pain and building the right muscles. I do the bed stretches, and mobility leg exercises, but walking gets me fresh air and I feel much better.

Those cardboard ones are just… I added the plastic one I got from Amazon. I spent more time than I’d like to admit, looking at pee pots.

 

[benne68]

Yes, @JamesUK, keep walking!

When I had my hip replaced a few years back, my surgeon told me that the best therapy was just that. He encouraged me to build up to the point where I was walking at least a mile a day. Of course, it took a while to get there, but it was great to know that the simple act of going for a walk would enable me to recover!

Keep us posted.

 

[JamesUK]

Yes, @JamesUK, keep walking!

When I had my hip replaced a few years back, my surgeon told me that the best therapy was just that. He encouraged me to build up to the point where I was walking at least a mile a day. Of course, it took a while to get there, but it was great to know that the simple act of going for a walk would enable me to recover!

Keep us posted.

Will do. Going for a 3 week physio session today. Had a 40 minute walk today too, so hopefully I’ll be tired out enough tonight to get a good sleep. I’m a keen walker in general, so the idea of having to get out in nature and go for some nice long walks in the winter sounds alright!

Here’s a question… do people use any insoles in their shoes, to absorb some of the impact of walking? I wear Dr Scholls… as they helped with the previous arthritis, but for the purposes of learning to walk again, should I ditch them?

 

[Eman85]

Can't comment on insoles as I didn't use them. I did make the mistake of doing a lot of recovery walking with slip on Skechers that didn't have enough support. That led to Plantar Fasciitis which was not something you want.

 

[JamesUK]

Can't comment on insoles as I didn't use them. I did make the mistake of doing a lot of recovery walking with slip on Skechers that didn't have enough support. That led to Plantar Fasciitis which was not something you want.

I’m sorry to hear that, and hope you’ve found a solution to that. Sounds like the last thing you need after already going through the hip-op. I tend to use the heel insoles that stop my feet from rolling and support my arch. I do actually use them with Sketchers, so I’ll definitely have a think about the footwear I’m using.

I just had physio and the guy couldn’t believe my progression. He said that I’m on par with week 6 progression, in week 3. Can tackle the stairs without crutches and walk down them one foot after the other (like before op). He said I’m very close to not needing a crutch and that I need to keep walking. He has put that down partly to my relatively young age and pre-op fitness routine. In 2 weeks he doesn’t expect to see me using a crutch, and has given me some strength building exercises which I found gave me a nice stretch and challenged me a little more. I think it’s a compliment to the surgeon too, and I’m so glad that I took the time to really find somebody that really knows his craft and theory. Scar is looking much better than I’d hoped for at this point, and the positive assessment has really lifted me. For anybody that’s feeling a little frustrated with their progress it will come, and keep at it.

Just want to add he did mention that if I ever felt tired, or sore, or was planning to have a busy day on my feet, to make sure I’m resting too. I’m fighting the urge to walk more and more, because I’m inpatient to get back to pre-op fitness, but I have to be realistic and sensible.

 

[benne68]

he did mention that if I ever felt tired, or sore, or was planning to have a busy day on my feet, to make sure I’m resting too. I’m fighting the urge to walk more and more, because I’m inpatient to get back to pre-op fitness, but I have to be realistic and sensible.

This is great advice! Glad you are making an effort to follow it.

Back when I had my THR, my surgeon told me that the MOST important muscle to exercise in this recovery is the Patience Muscle.

 

[JamesUK]

he did mention that if I ever felt tired, or sore, or was planning to have a busy day on my feet, to make sure I’m resting too. I’m fighting the urge to walk more and more, because I’m inpatient to get back to pre-op fitness, but I have to be realistic and sensible.

This is great advice! Glad you are making an effort to follow it.

Back when I had my THR, my surgeon told me that the MOST important muscle to exercise in this recovery is the Patience Muscle.

Looking at your list of operations, you must know what you're doing by now! There is me complaining about having to go through it once! Listening to my body is something I've become good at through sport, so I've definitely been reigning it back when I feel soreness or just general fatigue. I must admit, I'm not known for my patience, but I'm taking this serious if I want the joint to last 30+ years.

 

[JamesUK]

I’ve been looking at the cement-less stems, and the pain it can cause as the bone fuses with the new joint. Does anybody else have some dull pain around that area, and how long did it go on for?

 

[Eman85]

No cement with mine and they are pretty hefty, I'd say they pounded them in pretty good. I have had and at times still et dull pain in my thigh but it's soft tissue.

 

[benne68]

I must admit, I'm not known for my patience,

Neither am I! And it will be tested next month when I go in for my 2nd knee replacement.

We'll see whether I can practice what I preach!

 

[JamesUK]

I must admit, I'm not known for my patience,

Neither am I! And it will be tested next month when I go in for my 2nd knee replacement.

We'll see whether I can practice what I preach!

Your second! Im sure it will, but I hope everything goes as smooth as possible! My mum has just been referred to a specialist as her x ray is showing arthritis on her knee. She gets a lot of bruises around the area, and she’s had two injections now, which only helped for a week (if that). She is a year and a half from retirement so I think she’s probably going to end up with a knee replacement and spending a chunk of that time off work, on sick leave. I have bought her some Dr Scholls (heel to knee relief) insoles, just to help reduce some of the impact.

 

[JamesUK]

No cement with mine and they are pretty hefty, I'd say they pounded them in pretty good. I have had and at times still et dull pain in my thigh but it's soft tissue.

Now I’m going to have to ask to see mine! Ye, I was watching an interesting video where this guy takes out the whole replacement kit that a surgeon would use and he was talking about it basically being a cold welding, so everything is so tightly knocked in to place, it’s essentially as strong as a hot welding. Not sure how a hot welding would go with all that oxygen etc being pumped in to the air at the surgery table but right on the end of the stem is a cold weld component that slots on to the ball… it’s all a little above my head, but I found it fascinating seeing all the parts coming out the packets, and a bit of the thought process behind them.

 

[JamesUK]

Quick question… I’ve been given the ‘clam’ exercise to do and to be frank, there’s not a chance that I’m going to continue doing it. It hurts and seems to put a lot of strain on the joint area. I’ve done a little digging and some seem to say ‘ban the clam’ after THR… I’m going to bin it off, but has anyone found an alternative?

 

[SurreyGirl]

I stopped my physios trying clams on me too. During my last hip recovery five years ago Clams caused a lot of issues... I am mainly sticking to walking and stretching and this is working. Seeing a physio tomorrow for some pool therapy but am going to take it very easy.

 

[Jenntee]

Hi James I would advise you to trust your gut feeling when it comes to exercise and recovery. I'm just past one year since my THR left leg and I'm walking well now. My specialist told me to walk as it was the best way to heal. It took me almost 6months before I stopped limping but I still do if I'm tired. As I understand it recovery time is highly individual and depends a lot on how bad you were presurgery. My whole body feels like it has had to realign. Just keep going and be kind to yourself

 

[Eman85]

No clams, no bridges, no problem. Doing things that hurt don't help the healing. Everyone and every hip is different and why they tell everyone to do some of these exercises to do is pretty questionable.

 

[Tazmanian]

@JamesUK
Hi, I'm a couple of weeks ahead of you and I think your write up should be very useful for people to refer to.
My recovery has been pretty uneventful and I think I benefitted greatly from from reading posts on this forum beforehand. The one thing that did catch me out was the effects of the morphine based stuff, it left me a bit blocked up for a couple of days. Taking the laxative type meds was a must, I'd thought that I wouldn't need it because I was so regular beforehand!!
All good now, I'm back in the gym and building up some strength again.

 

[JamesUK]

@JamesUK
Hi, I'm a couple of weeks ahead of you and I think your write up should be very useful for people to refer to.
My recovery has been pretty uneventful and I think I benefitted greatly from from reading posts on this forum beforehand. The one thing that did catch me out was the effects of the morphine based stuff, it left me a bit blocked up for a couple of days. Taking the laxative type meds was a must, I'd thought that I wouldn't need it because I was so regular beforehand!!
All good now, I'm back in the gym and building up some strength again.

Im glad you took something from it. Its helped me reading other stories too, and it was reassuring to know that I’m not alone. The morphine certainly stopped the passing of waste, and I ran out of my hospital discharge laxative bottle. It wasn’t very smart of me, but I reduced my pain killer dose so assumed it wouldn’t be so bad. Before I had the opportunity to stock back up on laxative it was too late. As long as you’re not on laxative long term, I’d just say speak to your nurse and get on that bad boy as soon as you start any opioid pain killers. I did a little digging, and morphine does some crazy things to you, including pumping out endorphins that make you feel great… my only saviour when I did first try and go to the toilet was that I was pumped full of strong pain killers, because they were needed…