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THR Lseven Oct 26, '15

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@Lseven -- -aaah, I see (*acting like I'm a Doctor, which I am far from!). I had an anterior approach and Dr. only said it was "uneventful"; I'm swollen just in the very upper part of my hip, no bruising at all, so I don't think he had a hard time getting in there, so to speak! I had no tendons or muscles removed or reattached. I'm guessing you need those crutches until that reattachment is in the safe zone (I'm leaning on my shoulder surgery experience where they re-attached something; while it felt great, I was on limited ROM while that safely healed). My pt checks my gait each time I go so I can tell he's watching that aspect of things closely. Thanks for your response.
 
@Mtnmama I certainly don't see being on my bike at 6 weeks but lots of that has to do with the ice and snow about. If we get a dry stretch maybe some tootling about. I don't see falling off the bike as a good option for some time. Not that I fall off my road bike much but I did more mtb this summer and tend to do that in winter too. I'll take it as it comes. I'll be content with pounding some miles on a trainer/spin bike for now in winter I think.
 
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@sandiegomom Yes I think that's the difference and understand the anterior approach involves no muscle removal. They move slowly here on new protocols for some reason and my surgeon told me just one surgeon in Canada was doing anterior as of last Jan. A friend in Ontario actually paid privately to get his done in the states to do it anterior about a year ago. Oh well, it is what it is. I'm sure it will work out in the long run but a shorter long run would be nice too.
 
Not to worry, there are so many here on this forum (and in the States) who happily do posterior and have a few additional restrictions in the short term, but are just as happy mid and long term. My mother in law had posterior and that woman is chasing down tennis balls faster than prior to her surgery! We will all get there in the end!
 
Feel at a bit of a plateau about now. I am 4 weeks out from surgery as of today. All things considered I guess not really but it feels like it some. I went to one crutch and steady 7km walking a day. Moved now to just a cane as of just today. Yesterday I did 8km of walking with a bit more than half using the one crutch the rest cane. Still just one extra strength (night time) tylenol a night. Sleep pretty well but wake up and tired of the lack of sleep position options. I'll be done blood thinners in a couple of days and think I'll go to ibuprofen as I find that works better. Went to the gym today to check their stationary bikes and see it I can ride one yet. I can and I will sign up tomorrow and start on the biking. Hoping to break some of the plateau with cycling and looking forward to that. I like being on a bike...any bike.
 
Did 11minutes on the spin bike today. Felt a little awkward at first and the movement is different it seems. Bottom line is it worked well and think it will be key in strengthening. Would like a little better set up on the bike but might have to just make due.
 
Did 16 minutes on the bike today. Probably slightly lower resistance which brought my cadence up to 90-95 which was good. Only had resistance up a bit because the wheel keeps going and pressures the pedals which feels unpleasant. Resistance stops the wheel pretty quick and avoids that. Any way it felt good and for some reason I was able to reach the bars pretty easy. Maybe had the seat up a notch higher but didn't think so. Really do like how it makes me feel and lifted some light machine weights at big joint angles too. I think that is going to help a lot as well. Got off the machine and felt the cane was unnecessary which is nice. Met someone (next bike) who had an anterior approach 10 weeks ago, she was walking without cane at 2 weeks. Ya wish I'd had that. Same clinic as me but different surgeon. I suspect they'll all switch to it for the most part soon. We talked about protocols and lack of adjustment for different cases. Oh well.

I don't have the sense anyone actually is reading this stuff and that's cool. I think I took some heat for going at my own pace which seems to meet with quite a bit of suspicion if not down right derision. That's ok I'm highly suspicious of the 'one size fits all' approach to rehab my own self. It's funny the woman today progressing faster did nothing for a year due to the hip so she wants her fitness back. I was doing hard biking right up until the day before surgery plus walking 7kms daily with my dog. Really don't understand why anyone would think the two cases would have the same rehab path, let alone when you factor in vastly different procedures and their affects. Anyway I'm out....I may stop in somewhere down the road with an update but think good luck to everyone whatever their approach to rehab.
 
I've been reading your posts and following your progress. I've been trying to keep up my cycling and hiking but am finding increasing pain levels with elevation gain. I'm hoping I have a similar recovery as you given I keep exercising.
Good luck as you continue your recovery!!!
 
I've also read your blog... and yes, its not a one size type of recovery.. I totally agree.

I'm on a cane 10 days post op..... walking 1/2mile for last 3 days easily. It works.. just not the same for everyone. We're very fortunate that we've come this far, as I counted the roughest times of my procedure in mere hours, where for some its days and weeks.

I think its good to show the possibilities of outcomes, as there's some very depressed folks that have little hope, and are scared at even the thought of what we've been through....but quite possibly someone can glean some hope from your experience.. as this site does have a considerable readership apparently...for that fact alone you might consider continuing your blog.

It might be hard for some to actually show you support when "you've got this" too... so I wouldn't expect too much on feedback when "you've got this"... Instead I would encourage you to blog in your thread for yourself rather then for others.... and if someone surfs in on it that needs some hope and reassurance, your experience just might ease someone else's mind thats been scared and in pain, and thinking the worst... and your story is just the opposite.. sounds like one of the easier recoverys I've heard.

Its nice to read that others have same/similar experience as I am.. great... I'm not crazy... and there are others out there too that have an accelerated recovery... for whatever reason, no doubt about it.

I've had a very good experience, and a great recovery so far, and I'm not fast at anything...never have been.. don't want to be.. I'm just reading and listening to my body.... and very fortunate.

I hope it all continues for us... and I'm glad that you shared up to this point. Thank you, and I wish you well in your future. Good luck to you.
 
Lseven, of course everyone has different levels of fitness to start with so it makes sense that there are different expectations of recovery afterwards - and different levels of ability.

Hope the recovery continues to go well!



RTHR 25 November 2015

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Ok, well there are some people interested. I don't need convincing there are different paths and rates of recovery it just surprising me some others don't see it easily. I'm not so much writing this for my benefit more that others read it and I end up with others who are like minded to follow and for support. While I appreciate the warnings of overdoing it and the knowledge of specific perils the repetition of it can add up to being a bit negative. I want to be motivated, stay motivated and keep working this to get through to a more functional point as quickly as possible.

Got 30 minutes on the bike today for the 4th day straight on the bike building progressively. Heart rate was up decently too which is great and kept the cadence mostly 90-95 with a bit of lagging at the end. I'm also doing some weight machines. My hamstring remained surprisingly strong which is great. Doing some leg press and can go up a increment at a time which is getting the strength back for walking quite well. Things around the joint are really feeling quite strong and solid but still can't ditch the cane. My glute is firing and feels reasonably strong but maybe not through full extension in the hip. Tried kneeling leg raises for the glute which I can do but can't bring the leg to horizontal. I now suspect this is a lot to do with the cane issue. Stretching would likely help but I'm leery to do that due to muscle reattachment so that may wait until seeing a physio (a week or two). I'd just like to feel like I'm relying on the cane less and less and I'm not sure that's coming. Snow isn't helping with that but it's not that much of a hindrance either. I suspect I'll take the weekend off the bikes and weights, not sure what other trouble I may get up to instead.

DGrant, I'm curious what procedure you had. It seems the anterior goes a bit quicker so curious if that's what you had?

MtnMama when you say elevation gains do you mean when you get on to steeper terrain or do you actually mean you're feeling a pain effect just from altitude? I'm not on to a lot of hilly stuff at all myself....may start playing with some soon.
 
Hi! 30 minutes on the bike is encouraging. So is your walking. Are you working with a physical therapist? My doctor said it wouldn't be needed but I don't see how to gain back the strength without it.

I mean steeper terrain. Everywhere I ride there are hills and that's what is really painful. But we have snow right now so no outside riding. I'd hoped to be riding up to the day before surgery as it helps me stay positive. Seems the closer I get the more emotional I get.
 
Hi @Lseven, I just caught up with your thread. For some reason, I didn't get (or missed) the alerts. One way to get more responses is to visit the people who've posted on your thread and leave a comment on theirs.

I have mixed emotions as far as returning to fitness. I had the anterior approach, and was walking on my own on the 7th or 8th day. (I had both hips done together.) Like you, I was in really good shape before the surgery. I went to the gym every morning.

But, I hesitate to say too much on this forum, because I see how many people get injured and even have to have revisions. Some get infections. It makes me very careful of what I write. Sometimes the people who are the most fit and athletic end up with the worst stories. (I was a professional dancer, and at least 20 of my friends have had THRs.) We were all really high achievers and hard workers. The whole thing kind of shocked me. It's not something I planned on doing.

Glad to hear you are comfortable on the bike again. I like having the seat at 8. Being up higher seems to help. (That way you don't have to bend the knee as far.) I've been riding my own bike every morning with my dogs. I do 8 blocks, back and forth. I used to go several miles, but I don't want to overdo. It feels great, and the dogs are happy to be running again.
 
@Mtnmama I keep forgetting that you're not on rehab yet, you're still working on the old beater hip. I think downhill was worse on my hip as it was going. The bike pretty much fine up to the end. Hurt a little warming up but would settle in fine, steeps and all. That was mostly all mtb though. I'm not working with a physio yet, not allowed until 6 weeks. That's a bit goofy I think but oh well.

@hip hip hooray I don't want to encourage anyone to over do it, 'listening' to your body is key. Everyone going their own 'reasonable' pace is key too.

So that being said I went to the mountains today to see what might work out. Thought a bit of incline might help out. Ended up doing a 5km total out and back with 1000' of climbing. Soft snow and used adjustable walking poles. I'm a bit stiff and tired now but nothing excessive.

So something interesting did happen. Earlier in the week I felt something at the top of my incision. I thought it felt like it could be a suture. Got a look as best I could and thought maybe a piece of skin worked lose or something. Girlfriend is here today and got her to look. Sure enough it was a suture with more in then was sticking out. Very odd, don't think it was visible there when the staples came out. Didn't seem it was going to dissolve either. GF says sometimes internal sutures not in deep enough don't dissolve but work their way out. This one didn't even seem like a dissolving one.
 
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BTW @Hip Hip Hooray! I cannot imagine getting both done at once regardless of approach. Just can't imagine those first couple days with both sides feeling like that, nor the first couple weeks of hobbling. Good on ya.
 
So nice to hear the bike is going well. I used to run a lot, but found the more the hip went, the more spinning and swimming became better exercise to keep my fitness before the operation, because the running was just impossible, and even walking was difficult. I had the anterior approach and I' on day 11 after surgery. Really looking forward to getting back into spinning. Walking going okay, but still on two crutches till end of next week probably. Have only walked up to 500m so far. Your 7kms sound cool. Will get there slowly! Good luck!


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Did the mountain hike on Saturday and went easier Sunday. Regular 3.5km morning walk and felt a lot stronger. Very close to losing the cursed cane now. Pushing through the foot for full strides and barely weight on the cane. Afternoon did a shorter walk 2-3km but a bit rougher terrain so couldn't focus as much on the stride. Still feeling stronger around the new hip. Back to the gym for 30 min plus cool down on the bike. I'll likely leave it at around 30 minutes as I've always felt more than that on a stationary bike is a waste of perfectly good motivation. Added some weight stuff for hip flexor and glutes too. 1 week until I go to the doc again and then actually get sent for some physio.

I think I have another suture working it's way out. Not impressed with these things wiggling their way out like drunken tapeworms or something. Apparently it is quite common but personally that doesn't make it any less disturbing.
 
Lseven, I have been reading your recovery thread and appreciate hearing your story as I prepare for my RTHR on December 14, especially as it relates to your progress with the bike. I like to be on one when I'm not working or being a dad and look forward to using the bike to expedite my recovery. Keep up the great work.
 
The bike is just tricky for maybe a slightly higher seat position than usual and seat forward so reaching the bars without going through 90. Half hour on the bike the last 2 days again. Used the spd clips today which is just a bit sturdier and more 'spinlike'.
 
Lseven that really is something how much the distances you've been able to go since your surgery. I like to bike too but the thing is it hurts so bad after if up the resistance too much. So my exercise routine is practically nil now & this bums me out because so many people seem to keep at it even though they are facing surgery. So it is reassuring to read that yes you can get back at it pretty quickly after, so at least there is some hope. I'm not really thinking I need to run long distances again, but being able to go for a 5k on soft path sure would be nice.

I read in one of your replies that you hounded your surgeon for your old hip bone. He actually showed you the top of your femur, not just a photo? Did he let you take it? I'm curious about seeing what my old femur head looks like & I want more than a photo, but I don't want to come off too weird asking. How did your surgeon take your requests?
 
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