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THR Right THR January 27, 2022

Wondering if anyone has any pointers on transitioning from cane to nothing! I am done with PT and doing pretty well. I still have a little pain in the thigh area that still manages to move around. I am going on 9 weeks now and really want to be done with the cane but not sure how to make that transition. On my last PT day she told me to continue with the hip strengthening exercises and to practice standing on that operative leg alone for 30 seconds at least. I am reading once I can do that I should be strong enough to not need the cane. So, far I can get up to 22 seconds! Thanks for any advice. Wondering if I should just let the cane go and see how I do? After having something to "lean on" for this amount of time it has almost become a habit.
 
I walked for PT and as I walked slowly and with good posture I would skip putting the cane down every other step. I did much of my early walking with a shopping cart, again slow and with good posture. I went walking every day after the first couple of weeks, rain or shine. The bad days and early on was inside the store with the shopping cart. I also did the standing on one leg which is good whether you've had a joint replacement or not. What seems to get many of us is the lack of balance and falling down is not recommended for THR's.
 
I started going caneless when I forgot to use it in the kitchen a couple of times. Those were Oh Yikes! moments when it dawned on me that my cane was "over there" now. But since nothing hurt and I felt steady, I practiced moving around without the cane in the house, in places where there was something to hang onto just in case - the kitchen with the countertops, hallway with wall, etc. It didn't take long at all to get the confidence to not use the cane at all in the house. Gradually in a quick sort of way, it became unnecessary outdoors, on stores, or anywhere.
 
I am also on nearly 9 wks Flamingo.

Transition from cane to nothing for me was.

I found a area near me which was flat and even.
Then I started putting the cane behind my back and walking with the assurance that the cane was behind my back just in case. I walked a little bit further everyday. I was a bit conscious of limp at first, then I concentrated on heel to toe which was explained to me by my bonesmart buddies which I much appreciated, because it helped massively. I think I am doing fine and now I have started walking on uneven ground like dunes and the beach. If I go on a long walk with the dog on my own I still will take cane with me though I keep it in my hand on un operated side.
This gives me peace of mind because me at nearly nine weeks it is still quite early on road to full recovery.
 
Flamingo said:
Wondering if I should just let the cane go and see how I do? After having something to "lean on" for this amount of time it has almost become a habit.
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What I did, was practice walking short distances without the cane once I realized I was walking away from it unconsciously. If you're finding yourself doing that, I’d say it’s time to set it aside. You may want to take it with you initially on outings, if for no other reason, to signal to people to stay away from you. I kept mine in the back seat of my vehicle for about a month “just in case” but never needed it.

I like @Giddsy1 advice above and want to ask him if he notices walking on the sand more difficult? I did a little research on that topic a while back.
Giddsy, Do you notice if your gait changes while walking on sand?
It's more of a workout. Beach sand provides an unpredictable and uneven walking surface. This can place increased stress / strain and loading on your joints. Walking in the softer sand requires increased energy expenditure, forcing you to work harder, compared to walking on an even, firm surface. The foot will sink slightly into the sand. This will provide the least amount of stability, which forces you to use muscles throughout your legs more. Certainly not advising against it, only curious if you notice a difference?

Sorry for the little derail, Flamingo, but figured you may find this interesting also.
Have a great rest of the week both of you!
 
Yes layla I found it alot harder walking on the sand compared to flat hard ground.

I tried 3 days continously and was in a bit of pain, so I walking on sand every 3rd day now.

I am concentrating more on the flat hard ground at moment until fully recovered and new hip is alot stronger.
 
Hello Flamingo, congratulations on the progress you have made. After my RTHR I was able to finally leave the cane by focusing on standing only on my right leg while I took two minutes to brush my teeth. So for at least four minutes each day I was standing only on my surgical leg and this helped to strengthen it.

I also wondered when I would be able to climb stairs stepping on every other step vs putting both feet on the same step. I honestly do not recall when I was able to do this, but it happened very naturally.

Good luck and please continue to make good progress. Celebrate every small victory.
 
@Zorro - While you are standing on one leg are you holding onto anything? I already know I couldn't stand on that leg the whole time while brushing my teeth. That's pretty good that you can do that.
 
I forgot to mention that I am still using the 4 point cane. I have the other type also. Maybe I should make that switch first?
 
Hello Flamingo, while brushing my teeth for two minutes with my right hand, I am lightly holding onto the bathroom counter with my left hand -- for balance, not for upright strength. Four minutes a day of this, seven times a week will serve to strengthen the surgical leg.
 
Happy Three Month Anniversary!
I hope all is well since we last heard from you. Let us know how you’re doing when you have a minute, we’d love to hear,
Until next time…all the best!
@Flamingo
 
Hi Flamingo, hope you are continuing to improve. I’m three weeks out and was actually walking without walker or cane after only a couple of days. I take the cane with me when outdoors but it’s a cautionary thing, not a necessity, I don’t rely on it. For me, I found a great stretch for my quad was to simply drape my leg off the side of the bed at knee level, tuck my tail, and hold the stretch for 15 seconds or so. Release and repeat 3 or 4 times. Following that up with some very gentle adductor stretches on the bed, I sweep my leg out towards the side of the bed about 6 inches and hold for a few seconds. 5 times or so. Haven’t tried standing on one leg yet, not prescribed by my PT. And I ice constantly! Hope this is helpful.
 
I am doing well. My last physical therapy appointment was April 1st. Just this past Friday I gave up the cane for good. I had traded in the 4 tipped cane for one that would stand alone but a little more sturdy than the single tip. The single tip cane just didn't feel sturdy enough for me. I actually hobbled with it to an Atlanta Braves baseball game on April 23! Lots of walking and through crowds but I did it! I was holding onto it mostly because of leg pain that kept moving to different spots. I finally noticed the pain was so much better and like others have said, I would forget about the cane and wonder where I left it. I had my check up with the doctor's PA yesterday. My x-rays looked good. I told her about my leg pain and she said that was the muscle traveling from my hip to knee and was just tight. She suggested massage and stretches for that area. I had recently bought a very good massager and I think it has helped a lot. This has taken much longer than I had expected to heal but I am doing well now and from what I can tell this surgery has helped my back pain quite a bit. I'm not walking totally normal yet but I am getting there.
 
Thanks for the update! I know you realize this, but keep in mind that we all recover at different rates. The recovery time for joint replacement can take a full year and even longer for some. You’re not even four months into the healing process at this point. Great news that your back is feeling better.
Keep on keeping on, you’ll get there! :walking:I hope you have a nice day and week!
@Flamingo
 
After reading about so many people's experiences the one thing I've learned is I wish I had not had the posterior hip replacement and had anterior instead. I didn't have a choice with the surgeon I saw. I definitely thing the recovery takes so much longer. I am going on 6 months post op with my right hip replacement. I used a walker for quite awhile and then a cane for quite some time. When I had my yearly checkup with my PCP back in the middle of June she didn't like the way I was still limping and sent me back to PT. I changed Physical Therapists and also went to a new place as I didn't think I was given a whole lot of help in the beginning. This therapist is saying my IT band in my right leg from hip to knee is very tight. She thinks this is the issue causing my pain when I step on my right leg. The pain seems to move, sometimes near my knee, sometimes up further. However, the muscle in my left leg is pretty tight also. I think this is just me! I saw the surgeon about 3 weeks ago, they took more x-rays and said everything was fine. He said to tell PT to be strengthening my adductor muscle and that this would cause the leg pain. The pain is getting better finally however, I feel like I don't have the strength in my hip yet. I still take stairs one step at a time and also have some pain when driving taking the right foot from gas pedal to brake. I feel it in my hip. I also feel like I have to hold on when putting shoes, pants etc. on my right leg. I am ready to stop PT, I have gone almost 12 more times and I have the exercises, I have a massager that also helps to loosen that muscle a little bit. Just not sure what is going on still. I have a treadmill at home and have started trying to use that slowly at least 15 minutes a day. I have seen many people say that walking has helped them. I'm also wondering if the fact that I'm not using certain movements anymore (stairs one foot at a time) is causing weakness in that hip. Any thoughts from anyone would be appreciated.
 
If you read threads on here you'll find no matter what the approach every recovery is different. I had 2 posteriors so I don't know much about anterior. Recovery wasn't fast but it was worth the time invested. I didn't do any formal PT and walking was the biggest part of what I did. I found that walking slowly and deliberately was important and I didn't count steps or care about distance with my second. Stairs were tougher with my second but came easier with my first.
 
Hello Flamingo,
Like you, I experienced the posterior approach. It was the only approach my surgeon used. I didn’t find that my recovery lasted any longer or was any more difficult than those recovering right along with me on BoneSmart. Anterior has a slight advantage early on, but within a short period of time that levels out. It is the skill of your surgeon that really matters, not the approach that he / she uses. Try to get beyond the approach used by your surgeon, unless you have a concrete reason not to.

It is good to hear the pain is improving and that you’ll continue to do the exercises recommended by your PT at home. You’re doing all you can and have the reassurance from your surgeon that all looks good, so hopefully with time and patience you’ll continue to grow stronger and steadier on your feet. At only six months post op, you will notice improvement for at least six more months, possibly even longer.Try to hang in there and give it more time. :)

Please notice that we have merged your newest thread with your original recovery thread. Having your recovery information contained in one place will make it easier for you to reflect back on. It is also helpful for those stopping by to be able to review your history before advising or commenting. Please post any updates, questions or concerns about your recovery here.

Have a nice weekend!
@Flamingo
 
Flamingo
I'm a little over 5 months and still use cane outside for stability. If you are limping you might still need cane some days. I can walk pretty freely in the house but sometimes by days end I'm a little sore and have no problem grabbing cane.
This is not a race, it's a slow process as you already have experienced.
I had posterior approach, had no clue about different approaches and due to the fact I was 1700 miles from home when the surgery was necessary I didn't ask many questions nor did I know much about hip surgery.
I've noticed big difference in 4-5 month post op, can bend further and my walking is very good as far as my posture.
All my best.
 
Thank you everyone for your responses. I really appreciate the support. And for some reason I keep finding the wrong places to post? :)
 
Flamingo said:
for some reason I keep finding the wrong places to post? :)
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You’re in the right place :wink: So post here with updates. We love to hear from you!
 
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