THR Kritterkiddo's L THR recovery

[EssexGirl]

Sorry I’m a bit late to the party but I had my left THR on 27th October and have only recently found this wonderful group. I’ve been going through reading posts which are relevant.

I also used a leg lifter for a few days which was so helpful getting in/out of bed. Then one day, like you, my leg just did it all on its own! And another milestone just this week….I had been sleeping on the “other side” of the bed to the one I’ve been used to for the past 35 years which felt very strange. Hubby didn’t really notice that he was on the wrong side as well!
So this week I thought I’d try going back to my own side and it was no problem whatsoever, I just hopped up into bed ( actually much easier than before the surgery). It really is the little things…..

 

[Kritterkiddo]

I am going to use peace in your joint in my Christmas card.

 

[Kritterkiddo]

Day. Darn I need a calculator.
Day 5+30+8

My PT ends soon. I hope they extend it, because at every session I have questions about how to do something.

My Surgeon has lifted all restrictions unless something causes pain.
Yesterday I walked 2,400 pain free steps.

Don't you think that at only six weeks I'd still need the training wheels!?

All the best!

 

[djklaugh]

Suggestion - if your insurance provides more PT sessions, go to in person visits every 2 weeks or so and do exercises diligently at home in between. That is how I did all of my PT for hips and shoulders. For my hips I think I went to PT visits for about 8 months and for each shoulder it was about 4-5 months. For me that worked very well!

 

[Kritterkiddo]

I will call tomorrow, thank you!

 

[SurreyGirl]

I am going for pool therapy every two weeks with a physio and it is really helping. I still get stiffness but my flexibility is much better. She actually told me off for trying too hard with a squat exercise and said small movements only. The walking forwards and backwards in the pool helps too. I do feel it in my muscles two days afterwards and still ice if I need to

 

[Kritterkiddo]

Day 5+30+9
This high math is really something. (jokin)

I told my PT that I now ice my hip, other knee, wrist & other ankle. Her reply was something like 'icing is the best cheapest non-prescription non-addictive drug for helping with pain'.

 

[Kritterkiddo]

Day 45
Maybe the drugs from the surgery and the following days are working their way out of my body.
It used to be that when I over did it, I felt it the next day.
Now, if I over do it in the morning, I feel it in the evening. This even includes an afternoon of icing and elevation and a nap. Evenings are finding me with a challenging tired gait.
I hope that that is normal!

 

[benne68]

Yes, this is completely normal -- your body is telling you that you are doing more than it is ready for at this early stage of recovery. Scale back a bit and see if that helps.

Our bodies are really wise and let us know what they need!

 

[Kritterkiddo]

Thank you, I appreciate your insight
Back to one load of laundry!

 

[Kritterkiddo]

Day 48
Ending week six Hip Hip Horray!
All is right in my world.

Hope you have peace in your joint!

 

[CricketHip]

Yay, you! It's a journey, isn't it? But well worth it and when things begin to normalize, so well earned.

 

[Kritterkiddo]

Week 7
Something dawned on me while walking this morning.
I am having pain now and then. More specifically an ache or a discomfort, nothing like the seering burn PO.

But it is in the exact same spot in the joint.

It is unpredictable and not attached to a specific movement or sitting. At PT and in the doc's office I always say no pain but there is always something else to pay attention to in those places.
I can be easily distracted from noticing it, but when I wake up, there it is. Or walking alone, there it is. And then it is not there!
Is this new hip gaslighting me?!
Is it all in my head?
Or, since it is raining out, is it my own personal weatherforcaster?
Humph.

 

[Eman85]

Take it any way you want but at over 5 years I still get muscle aches in the hip area. To me I look at it as the compromise, they only replaced the joint the rest of the body has wear. What they do is totally unnatural, they forceably dislocate your hip joint before installing the new hip, I'll take the muscle aches over that horrid deep joint pain I had.

 

[Kritterkiddo]

Take it any way you want but at over 5 years I still get muscle aches in the hip area. To me I look at it as the compromise, they only replaced the joint the rest of the body has wear. What they do to perform this operation is totally unnatural, they forceably dislocate your hip joint before installing the new hip. I'll take the muscle aches over that horrid deep joint pain I had.

Boy-howdy, you got that right!

 

[Kritterkiddo]

Week 7 +
Boy the stars at night are big & bright here. I have been able to stay awake later and enjoy stargazing.
Question with regard to icing. What do y'all do after icing. Do you get up & move around, or do you continue to rest your hip?
All the best!

 

[djklaugh]

Re: icing. It depended on what time of day I was icing and what I felt like doing next. I went to sleep with ice packs for about a month or so after my BTHR. So just slept (and ice packs or rather gel packs usually ended up on the floor by morning). During the day I'd ice for a while then get up and go on with what ever I was doing that day. And it depends on how the hip is feeling. Do what feels best to YOU!

 

[Kritterkiddo]

Week 7+
PT gave new exercises to keep ROM, plus a new one for the future which includes touching the first stair with toe, then touch to the left.
For core strength, since I get vertigo, planks focusing on abs & holding, against the counter were recommended.

All the best!

 

[Kritterkiddo]

Week 8
One maid a leapin' with no pain in her hip! (Jokin. No leaping here)

But I am curious what the rule is about riding a regular street bike. It would seem that that would be the last thing one should do. My bike is mounted on a trainer stand for use in the house and has a regular seat, not recumbent. Is there a length of time to wait after a THR?

Yesterday, the Friday before Christmas, we went to the grocery store along with everyone else around, for one pound of hamburger to make some Texas Chili, (Yum) yet today, I have no aches or pains except in my right foot.

Oh I also got cat and dog food. The covid impact has not worn off on me yet and I feel like if I see it and it isn't the last bag of pet food in my pet's preferred type, I better buy it, just in case. The bill was 9 to 1 pet food to hamburger. Don't tell.

Peace be in your joint!

 

[benne68]

I think the main caution against riding a street bike is the risk of falling during the first few months of recovery. With your bike mounted on a stand, that's not a concern.

As far as how long to wait to hit the streets -- that's really something you should are surgeon, since different doctors/practices have different guidelines.

Sounds like you are doing well!