THR JamesUK's recovery

[JamesUK]

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.

Ye, I think I’m with you there. I’ve tried the crab walks with the thinnest resistance band that I have and that felt a lot less painful than clams on the bed. I’m 6ft 3, 100kg, I don’t think the physio appreciates just how much weight and strain it causes to lift my leg against gravity, this close to surgery. He did say not to do anything that causes me pain so I’ll just keep plodding along walking around the park and do the other exercises. I must say, when I do the exercises I feel so stretched out and can walk unaided…

 

[JamesUK]

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.

Bridges I’m not too bad with, you mean laying on my back and bringing my hip upwards? Clams are definitely out the window though, it’s unbearable just going 1.

 

[Eman85]

Bridges have been discussed many times on this board. Seems they play no part in THR recovery but for some reason they keep telling people to do them. Seriously what's the point? If your muscles are healing what good is straining them?

 

[benne68]

@JamesUK. Hips actually do not need any exercise to get better. They do a pretty good job of it all on their own if given half a chance. Trouble is, people don't give them a chance and end up with all sorts of aches and pains and sore spots. The current thinking among the top orthopedists is that walking is actually the best therapy for recovering from hip surgery.

 

[SurreyGirl]

I did bridges pre-op so that I could lift enough for a nurse to get a bedpan under me!

Once that part of the post op recovery was over (thank goodness) I haven’t bothered since..

I am
Having pool therapy for the first time ever today so will post on my thread how that goes.

Last week and the week before I had to manage quite a lot of stairs with a laptop in my backpack. I was shattered by the end of this… so lots of icing this week.

Walking though is definitely the best excercise.

 

[JamesUK]

@JamesUK. Hips actually do not need any exercise to get better. They do a pretty good job of it all on their own if given half a chance. Trouble is, people don't give them a chance and end up with all sorts of aches and pains and sore spots. The current thinking among the top orthopedists is that walking is actually the best therapy for recovering from hip surgery.

Ye, I’m definitely focused on the walking, thanks for the info. There will come a time when I go back in the gym and probably begin to use the bike and cross trainer, but right now I just want to build those muscles and the balance I use for walking. I guess you can’t do a better exercise for that than walking itself. With that said some of the exercises that I’ve been given have given me a nice stretch, after a couple of weeks of mostly being stuck in bed. Before my op my range of motion in my right leg was like 50%, it was awful, so in time I do want to get much better range than before, I feel like I need a solid strengthening routine to retrain my muscles after years what was constant compensation and pain avoidance. I expected the hip range to be a struggle considering it’s only been half used for more than a decade.

 

[JamesUK]

I did bridges pre-op so that I could lift enough for a nurse to get a bedpan under me!

Once that part of the post op recovery was over (thank goodness) I haven’t bothered since..

I am
Having pool therapy for the first time ever today so will post on my thread how that goes.

Last week and the week before I had to manage quite a lot of stairs with a laptop in my backpack. I was shattered by the end of this… so lots of icing this week.

Walking though is definitely the best excercise.

I want to go in the spa pool and do some walking in there… coming up to week 4, am I allowed to go in water yet…?

 

[benne68]

I feel like I need a solid strengthening routine to retrain my muscles after years what was constant compensation and pain avoidance. I expected the hip range to be a struggle

Of course you will need to work on strengthening your muscles -- but not yet. It's very important to heal first. If you start training before you are fully healed, you can delay your recovery.

You will get better ROM in your hip -- it just takes time.

 

[SurreyGirl]

Jamie I think you need clearance from
Your Consultant re going back into a pool. I had to wait quite a while!

 

[Hotchocolate]

@JamesUK You can ask your surgeon because everyone's a little different, but I think it's still too early to submerge your incision in the pool. That's going to be one of the first things I ask mine when I see him in two weeks lol

 

[Kritterkiddo]

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?

Hi,
We had our surgeries the same day ! Sorry you had confusing expectations after yours.
My surgeon & team were really thorough, with a booklet and material pre-op then lists and more material PO.
Plus a portal upon which they would any questions if I wrote to them. I am really grateful.
I really wanted to say the clam exercise is the only one I cannot do comfortably, but find all the others feel really good. Yes! Ban the clam I say, too!
All the best!

 

[JamesUK]

@JamesUK You can ask your surgeon because everyone's a little different, but I think it's still too early to submerge your incision in the pool. That's going to be one of the first things I ask mine when I see him in two weeks lol

I can’t wait… I forgot to freeze my gym membership… so that’s £95 it’s cost me for mine and my partners. I hate chucking money away, but I really miss the sauna and hydro pool. Don’t get me wrong, i love how working out makes me feel, in fact i am not the same person without it, but that feeling of doing nothing, and just relaxing is also a big part of how i cope with a pretty frantic and fast paced life. Saying that, I’ve found sitting around doing naff all the most stressful thing of all of this. I don’t know how people cope long term.

I’ll take your advice though, and I’ll check with the surgeon rather than risk it.

 

[JamesUK]

Jamie I think you need clearance from
Your Consultant re going back into a pool. I had to wait quite a while!

I’ll take Jamie, close enough :p I’m going to do what yourself and a couple others have said and speak to the surgeon. I really need that steam room…. First world problems.

 

[JamesUK]

I feel like I need a solid strengthening routine to retrain my muscles after years what was constant compensation and pain avoidance. I expected the hip range to be a struggle

Of course you will need to work on strengthening your muscles -- but not yet. It's very important to heal first. If you start training before you are fully healed, you can delay your recovery.

You will get better ROM in your hip -- it just takes time.

Can’t I just wish for it hard enough and be back to full speed tomorrow, please :( I walked for 30 minutes today, without using the crutch once. First time since op, and it’s been 4wk tomorrow. It felt so good I nipped in to the shop for a Rolo pot and some scones. I’m not fully there with the healthy diet yet :(

 

[SurreyGirl]

You are doing very well for 4 weeks out!

 

[benne68]

Can’t I just wish for it hard enough and be back to full speed tomorrow, please :(

If only wishing would make it so! I recall asking if anyone had a "magic wand" they could tap on my leg to help me jump ahead in my recovery!

A sense of humor is a great tool to get through this journey.

 

[JamesUK]

Can’t I just wish for it hard enough and be back to full speed tomorrow, please :(

If only wishing would make it so! I recall asking if anyone had a "magic wand" they could tap on my leg to help me jump ahead in my recovery!

A sense of humor is a great tool to get through this journey.

With all the things I’ve purchased out of boredom in the past month, I’m surprised I’ve not managed to find one of those on Amazon. Instead I’ve ended up with yet more tat for the loft lol

 

[JamesUK]

You are doing very well for 4 weeks out!

Thank you! The physio said I’m more like 6-7 weeks post-op, but I guess that’s age and pre-op fitness level. I was trying to maintain the gym right up to two nights before the op, and get as much wear out of the old boy whilst I still had him. I must admit, in those first few days I was questioning my decision, as I felt like I was playing catch up with pain management, but all the pacing up and down carefully in the house I think has paid off. And I have to say that reading advice and stories on here reassured me and helped me focus on walking, no matter how little it felt.

 

[Newhip_Pol]

Hi @JamesUK It does sound as if you are doing very well with your recovery. I've just checked my notes and I was swimming (slowly and gently) after 4wks with my first hip replacement. Your scar looks good and that is the main issue for pools apart from excessive hip rotation with some (?professional) versions of breaststroke. My second recovery was slower and it was week 10 before I was in the pool - partly because I was relying on my physio giving the go-ahead for free access and he was extra cautious!

 

[Layla]

Hello and Happy One Month Anniversary, James!
I hope you enjoyed the weekend and I wish you a wonderful week!
@JamesUK