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Muscles all dried up and gone to dust?

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kangaroo

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Hi Folks,
Further to my comments about big muscles in a different thread....
Given that I have muscles that haven't been exercised for a lot of years ...my hip shape prevents movement in certain plains ....I'm curious as to what will happen after the event (THR)when they are given the opportunity to develop. Will they gather strength? or have they shrunk down to nothing and dried up like an old banana skin? How do we spark them up again?....

As well as that when I've got a new hip, is the rest of my body going to protest....its used to being crooked and probably will find the whole change difficult?

Anybody got any thoughts on this
Rachel
 
Hi Rachel!
Exercise! Exercise! And more exercise! is how you do it! Like you, I had very little muscle strength prior to THR (I'd been using a cane to get around for the previous 12 months) and my OS said the only way to build them up again was to use them. So - 3-4 exercise sessions daily at home, and physiotherapy at least once a week was the way I did it.
I'm also now using the pool - I'm not the best swimmer in the world, but even just hanging onto the edge and kicking is a great workout. I also do laps hanging onto a kickboard so my legs are doing all the work. I am limited because of pain in my unoperated hip - and I still feel I have a long way to go - but I'm getting there! :)

If anyone has any other methods I'd love to hear about them also!

Peta
 
I can't do laps with a kickboard. I stay still...I don't travel anywhere...It takes me what seems like a year to get to the other end .I'm not sure whether its a muscle issue or a technique issue, (or maybe both)...?

Baby steps (or kicks) Peta, and you'll get there
Rachel
 
Oh believe me - there's absolutely no speed or technique involved in what I do! :) But I do feel good (and sore in a "good" way) afterwards! How's your day been?
 
Oh Fine,
Mums been in Hospital after some "secret womens business" .....So I dropped Nic at my Aunts and went off to visit.....I got there in time to get Mum some lunch. Public hospital food is absolutely abmismal.
Mum was looking good, despite being almost 77 and having undergone fairly extensive surgery..fortunately she is doing well and the dr is pleased with her progress etc.

As for me I feel a bit like a fraud when it comes to me being on this site . Since I've signed up I haven't had any hip pain to talk of...and believe me I've been taking notice. Not one pain killer has passed my lips. So do I fly in and get more range of motion etc and be able to do stuff (eg live) ,and risk having other issues afterwards or do i wait. They are big decisions. If I was in masses of pain it would be an easy decision...but I'm not. Yes I'm fed up with lots of aspects of life....but I'm not in pain. Maybe THR would solve the lifestyle issues but what if I end up with masses of pain and disability? That would be worse!
And the concept of lots of exercise sounds difficult....with a baby etc

Ahhhh doubt and indecision....
Hows life treating you Peta
 
Hi Peta,

So pleased to hear you made it into the pool, you go girl. Ours is now on the cold side so there won't be many days left to swim, I'll have to take my flippers and kickboard to one of the leisure centres with the heated pools.

Hi Rachel,

Peta said it, exercise is the way back from dust like muscles. It's funny how the mind and body can play those tricks on you when you make a decision. I have to say I wasn't in a great deal of pain before my hip replacement as long as I just sat a lot, it didn't hurt to walk, didn't bother me in bed, but if I tried to transition from sitting to standing or visa versa, it was excrutiating, to the point of crying. So I learnt very quickly to stay out of pain, do nothing, but the end result of that is more work afterwards. I have to say though without pain, I don't mind the exercise.

Oh forgot to answer you before, I'm in the Shoalhaven, Jervis Bay, Huskisson, Nowra area. Lucky aren't I????

Blessings to your mum too.

Chris :)
 
Nice place in the world to live. No excuses for not having a swim and a walk on the beach....
I can't conceive of those muscles coming good....but I'll just have to wairt and see.
Rachel
 
It will happen, and the other part of your question about the rest of your body, yep there will probably be a few twinges as everything settles but it does settle, that's the good bit!

Chris :)
 
Rachel
Don't feel like a fraud. I was not in constant pain before my hip replacement either. I had loss of range of motion, although I do not ever remember loosing it, just never being able to move is as I could move my other hip. It had just started giving out on me the previous fall (in Sept) That was random and unpredictable , but usually lasted only a few steps. My MRI showed only mild arthritis. When my doc went in to do the hip scope, he saw severe arthritis on the weight bearing areas. That was the key to the decision. My musceles were already atrophied.

So the decision should be an easy one for you. You need to be able to chase little Nick around and win!!!!
I was never a swimmer, but at 3 weeks my doc told me I could swim. So i hit the local pool and was beat by a 90 year old women. In no time I was faster and could swim longer than she. My technique leaves much to be desired. But It really helped with range of motion. I seem to go no where with the kickboard . I watched people to see why they could move forward, never figured it out.

Good Luck wiht it all
]Judy
 
Hi Rachell,The answer to your question is yes.Those unused muscles will come back to life again.I had my last THR last November.The muscles in my injured leg had shrunk from 41 years of not being used much.I currently attend PT 3 times a week,and other than using a bike to warm up with,the rest of the therapy is strictly building up those weak muscles in that one leg.After only 5 weeks,I can tell I'm improving.So hang in there and look forward to your future.
 
Rachel,,,,,just remember,,,,Muscles Have Memory! :). Our brains are a whole different story! :)
 
Thanks folks,
My husband told his boss that i was thinking about all this and Peter (boss and friend)proceeded to imitate me getting into his slinky little sports car, in the MIDDLE of the corridor at work...apparently they were in stitches! So then last night Stephen and the kids are imitating mummy. 'Lets walk like Mummy....no...you haven't got enough LURCH"!!!! It was really funny, but there was a more serious message here too. My children don't need a disabled mother! One of the kids at my 12 year old daughters school sprained her ankle and even then I was the subject of conversation ..."oh look Mary is walking like your Mum...."

Rachel
 
achel! When my little 2 year old grandson took a little baseball bat & started immitating ME walking,,,,,I said to myself! THAT'S IT!!!
One of the BEST decisions I EVER made!
BTW! That was pretty tactless for your hubby's friend/boss to mimick you! THAT's just crossing the line & its in extremely poor taste!
Unless of course,he intends to give your hubby a bonus !!!
 
Hi Rachel, I had/have some similar concerns as you. I am 58. I have what the surgeon showed me is a really bad, bone-on-bone hip joint and yet I have modest or no pain. What drives me to surgery is the fact that my joint bones are steadily degrading and the surgery goes better if the bones are in decent shape. Also, I am not able to hike vigorously for more than 3/4 mile, and I love to hike. I am able to get up in the morning and go with no delays for limbering up. This is why I was shocked at the state of my hip joint -- it really should be excruciating painful! But I do walk with a limp and have to be very careful getting into a car. I can feel (and hear) the joint moving around when I try to stand on my right leg. As the weeks go by, I am more and more convinced the surgery is the right thing for me to do NOW before the joint and muscle condition get even worse, and other joints start to be affected. This is elective surgery and a personal decision so you do have to weigh the risks and benefits. I'm looking forward to a bold stride up the side of a Catskill mountain after I've recovered!

Gail
 
Gail,,,0don't you have a date for your surgery yet?
One thing you DON'T mention,,,,is that it never gets better! Once the damage is done,,,,IT IS DONE!!!! :)
 
Judles, Yes, April 2! I was just letting Rachel know that I at first had doubts about whether to have a hip replacement immediately because I was not in bad pain. After looking at all the pros and cons, it became clearer that the best path is to take care of it now.

Gail
 
Gail
I am a mountain trail runner turned to a serious hiker. Anything that would interfere with that has got to be fixed for sure
Judy
 
Gail,,,,,you WON'T regret it for a single moment once that awful pain is gone!!!! :)
 
Rachel, don't know if you're a gardener, but you could think of those muscles as dormant perennials. With enough water, fertilizer, sunshine and TLC, they'll be back in verdant bloom. Takes work--but with your active brood of kiddos, you'll be exercising without even realizing it!
 
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