Hello Forum Members
I am a new member considering a hip replacement due to OA in my right hip that has greatly limited my mobility and activities. I am 58 and was very active before the pain got to be too much for normal movement. Several years ago, when I was still living in the US I had one of my very few doctor visits to determine the source of the growing pain. X-Rays showed high wear and bone spurs but was told not to worry about it, come back in 10 years and in the meanwhile, just get over the pain. My general distaste for the impersonal medical system in the US was reinforced. I would still resist dealing with it even if the US system was not horribly expensive. Paying close to $1000 a month for insurance, and never really using it and getting very impersonal service and being limited to 5 minutes of time with a doctor all points to a very badly broken system.
Since that time I moved to St Petersburg Russia and tried to enjoy the city as much as possible but in recent months the pain from walking has caused me to stop walking more than a few hundred meters on good days and much less on bad days. I talked to two OS here in modern private clinics/hospitals and had my faltering faith in the medical profession boosted. I was very confident that the long unhurried discussions with the doctor was the way it is supposed to be. Can you believe that house calls are normal and at no extra charge? Someone less than 50 years old in the US has probably never heard of such a service. I have decided to have the replacement done soon, the low cost was a welcome surprise.
I have gotten lots of reasonable answers to my questions from the doctors but I wanted to ask some questions posed to patients.
I love to walk and this city is made for it. The winters can be icy however and now I have problems on uneven ground and feel pretty intimidated by walking on icy sidewalks post op. If you were walking with severe limp and limited range of movement in the effected leg, did you feel it easier to balance and handle uneven surfaces soon after the operation? How quickly did you venture outside for walking exercise?
My affected leg has withered in muscle mass and is quite a bit smaller than my good leg, and it has lost 2.5 cm in length which also adds to the unreliable balance. There are only two activities that do not cause tremendous pain; disco dancing and sex. Both might be pleasurable enough to overcome the pain while walking a hundred meters causes me to flinch in pain with every step, the gliding and careful movements in dancing in my own much modified-to-minimize-pain dance techniques allows me to stay on the dance floor for hours (most clubs here stay active until 6-7a.m.) for non-stop rigorous exercise yet almost not impact on my joints. The next day is guaranteed to be a "bad day" however. What limitations were place on you and for how long, before resuming these activities post operation?
Did you take long flights or train travel after your operation and if so, how long after? Did you do any special circulation exercises during the flights to lower clouting risk?
I have no pool available to me, is bicycling a suitable substitute? The doctor say yes but has never ridden a bike himself so may not know the details....such as stepping over the frame. I love to bike but have not gotten one yet in St Petersburg partly due to the fear of the crazy drivers. In the last 2 years recreational bicycling has become very popular here so the drivers must be getting better behaved.
A major concern for me is the possibility of dislocation. It is mentioned a number of times in posts and on each web site. How much of a threat is it? What types of movements have been the most likely to cause dislocation? If it happened to you, how did it effect your recovery?
What range of motion is not advised after longer periods of healing? Several sites mention flexing over 90 degree( I would be happy with half that now), what about movement to the side?
I do not have the luxury of taking time off work but I will be able to avoid going into the office for months if needed as long as I can work from my home and my Internet connection works.
Say, a year out, do you feel as if your range of movement was similar to before your hip started causing problems. If less, how much less? Even after a long recovery, are there any activities that you are restricted from pursuing?
How independent were you from needing help for the first month, 3 months or longer? I have a live-in partner but our relationship is fairly new and I would prefer to not require her to modify her lifestyle to tend to me. Although she would gladly help, I've always been the last person to ask for or accept help.
Sorry for the long post and too many questions but these are not generally what anyone but a patient could answer.
Thanks for this great resource.....
Stan
St Petersburg
I am a new member considering a hip replacement due to OA in my right hip that has greatly limited my mobility and activities. I am 58 and was very active before the pain got to be too much for normal movement. Several years ago, when I was still living in the US I had one of my very few doctor visits to determine the source of the growing pain. X-Rays showed high wear and bone spurs but was told not to worry about it, come back in 10 years and in the meanwhile, just get over the pain. My general distaste for the impersonal medical system in the US was reinforced. I would still resist dealing with it even if the US system was not horribly expensive. Paying close to $1000 a month for insurance, and never really using it and getting very impersonal service and being limited to 5 minutes of time with a doctor all points to a very badly broken system.
Since that time I moved to St Petersburg Russia and tried to enjoy the city as much as possible but in recent months the pain from walking has caused me to stop walking more than a few hundred meters on good days and much less on bad days. I talked to two OS here in modern private clinics/hospitals and had my faltering faith in the medical profession boosted. I was very confident that the long unhurried discussions with the doctor was the way it is supposed to be. Can you believe that house calls are normal and at no extra charge? Someone less than 50 years old in the US has probably never heard of such a service. I have decided to have the replacement done soon, the low cost was a welcome surprise.
I have gotten lots of reasonable answers to my questions from the doctors but I wanted to ask some questions posed to patients.
I love to walk and this city is made for it. The winters can be icy however and now I have problems on uneven ground and feel pretty intimidated by walking on icy sidewalks post op. If you were walking with severe limp and limited range of movement in the effected leg, did you feel it easier to balance and handle uneven surfaces soon after the operation? How quickly did you venture outside for walking exercise?
My affected leg has withered in muscle mass and is quite a bit smaller than my good leg, and it has lost 2.5 cm in length which also adds to the unreliable balance. There are only two activities that do not cause tremendous pain; disco dancing and sex. Both might be pleasurable enough to overcome the pain while walking a hundred meters causes me to flinch in pain with every step, the gliding and careful movements in dancing in my own much modified-to-minimize-pain dance techniques allows me to stay on the dance floor for hours (most clubs here stay active until 6-7a.m.) for non-stop rigorous exercise yet almost not impact on my joints. The next day is guaranteed to be a "bad day" however. What limitations were place on you and for how long, before resuming these activities post operation?
Did you take long flights or train travel after your operation and if so, how long after? Did you do any special circulation exercises during the flights to lower clouting risk?
I have no pool available to me, is bicycling a suitable substitute? The doctor say yes but has never ridden a bike himself so may not know the details....such as stepping over the frame. I love to bike but have not gotten one yet in St Petersburg partly due to the fear of the crazy drivers. In the last 2 years recreational bicycling has become very popular here so the drivers must be getting better behaved.
A major concern for me is the possibility of dislocation. It is mentioned a number of times in posts and on each web site. How much of a threat is it? What types of movements have been the most likely to cause dislocation? If it happened to you, how did it effect your recovery?
What range of motion is not advised after longer periods of healing? Several sites mention flexing over 90 degree( I would be happy with half that now), what about movement to the side?
I do not have the luxury of taking time off work but I will be able to avoid going into the office for months if needed as long as I can work from my home and my Internet connection works.
Say, a year out, do you feel as if your range of movement was similar to before your hip started causing problems. If less, how much less? Even after a long recovery, are there any activities that you are restricted from pursuing?
How independent were you from needing help for the first month, 3 months or longer? I have a live-in partner but our relationship is fairly new and I would prefer to not require her to modify her lifestyle to tend to me. Although she would gladly help, I've always been the last person to ask for or accept help.
Sorry for the long post and too many questions but these are not generally what anyone but a patient could answer.
Thanks for this great resource.....
Stan
St Petersburg