Hello to
@moms4tne ... I am about 14 months since my first hip replacement and don't get back to bonesmart too often, but wish I could more often. It was a huge help to me and a wonderful place, as you know. I made a mental note of you when I saw something you wrote on someone else's thread a while ago and wanted to tell you how much I concur. You said this:
... we tend to underestimate how much energy and movement goes into "normal" household tasks - even just standing for an extended period of time. ...
Now is not the time to busy ourselves with normal things like housework, childcare, weight loss exercising, and training for sporting events. This is a time to focus on healing for the long term - not just getting a quick fix so we can put the whole ordeal behind us and get on with life
The underlined part especially is something I agree with. I got that notion in my head from HERE, from reading Josephine's article about activity levels. In it, she says things like "make dinner, BUT then let someone else clean up or leave the clean up for later." You can't do both. And I especially felt that way during the first few weeks, when just showering and getting dressed "took it out of me" and I'd have to sit and rest. Or making several trips to the kitchen (because I wasn't smart enough to have a basket on my walker) would tire me out. Yet ... so many people do not get it when I have mentioned that all activity "counts" and you need to moderate PT or other "exercise" with the day to day activities. PTs especially in my experience didn't get it. As time went on, and I got stronger and better, I still have tried to "count" all activities, even the day to day ones, when figuring out how much is going to be too much, so I don't overdo it.
Congratulations on reaching that wonderful six-week milestone. I remember at six weeks I started back to work full time, and I did need the cane for peace of mind and for some stability. I tapered off a little later to using it only on the city streets. Then stopped using it when it felt like it was getting in the way. And from six weeks onward, I too got some knee pain that concerned me. It happened with inclines and walking on gravelly paths. So I just stopped doing that. And then the knee pain let up later. I think for many and maybe most of us there are still going to be ups and downs for months afterward, even a year, though over time more good days than bad.
I guess what I am trying to say is that for many/most of us the recovery process rolls along and gets better but not without little things here and there that give us pause. It's not like getting back into shape from lack of exercise. It's a whole different animal altogether and with it's own time table and fits and starts. Best of luck to you!
United States
Pain-free is the icing on the cake!
