Spangles
new member
- Joined
- Jun 30, 2020
- Messages
- 19
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Gender
- Female
I'm 4 weeks post THR right side (posterior surgery), and in my mid forties. I was devastated having the operation as I am an athlete and fitness professional. I got myself even fitter in the run up to the op and lost 20 lbs, even though I wasn't overweight to begin with. Prehab, I've found, is key.
I found the first 2 weeks very hard, but am now walking without any aids and doing quite advanced physio using a phone app. I stopped painkillers 4 days after the op when I left hospital as I hated taking them. I'm not 100% ok four weeks on, but the improvement in my case has been dramatic. I stopped the anticoagulant xarelto yesterday as I found the side effects terrible and I'd say I'm quite low risk for a clot as I am very active. Who knows though. You just have to listen to your body, which is another reason I stopped the painkillers.
I am glad I had this op now. I feel about three inches taller and my posture has improved so much. I had such a limp before as I had bone on bone no cartilage; traumatic osteoarthritis brought on by a sporting fall which broke my ankle four years ago. I don't have a limp now and I believe it's because I have very strong leg and core muscles. I recognise not everyone is so fortunate, but if you're reading this before you've had surgery I strongly recommend you do at least 8 weeks prehab of strength, cardio and flexibility training. I did long distance cycling and Pilates & Body Pump in my garden (it's coronavirus lockdown). People are surprised I could do exercise like this yet have a hip so degenerated on the right side. I can't explain it....but I could not walk well or run.
Doctors would have had me take daily strong painkillers and suffer for fifteen years. I refused to take the painkillers so used hardcore exercise to help strengthen my muscles, although it did nothing for the arthritis! It was only when one of the best surgeons in the UK saw my X-RAYS that he insisted I get the surgery done and he saw me as I priority case. I'm lucky I was treated under our wonderful NHS so didn't have to pay.
I would happily advise anyone younger having a THR as I felt very isolated not being elderly, and also being so sporty and active. In the build up to the surgery I was in a terrible state of anxiety. The main issue I've found post op is I'm more tired than usual as I tend to have boundless energy.
I found the first 2 weeks very hard, but am now walking without any aids and doing quite advanced physio using a phone app. I stopped painkillers 4 days after the op when I left hospital as I hated taking them. I'm not 100% ok four weeks on, but the improvement in my case has been dramatic. I stopped the anticoagulant xarelto yesterday as I found the side effects terrible and I'd say I'm quite low risk for a clot as I am very active. Who knows though. You just have to listen to your body, which is another reason I stopped the painkillers.
I am glad I had this op now. I feel about three inches taller and my posture has improved so much. I had such a limp before as I had bone on bone no cartilage; traumatic osteoarthritis brought on by a sporting fall which broke my ankle four years ago. I don't have a limp now and I believe it's because I have very strong leg and core muscles. I recognise not everyone is so fortunate, but if you're reading this before you've had surgery I strongly recommend you do at least 8 weeks prehab of strength, cardio and flexibility training. I did long distance cycling and Pilates & Body Pump in my garden (it's coronavirus lockdown). People are surprised I could do exercise like this yet have a hip so degenerated on the right side. I can't explain it....but I could not walk well or run.
Doctors would have had me take daily strong painkillers and suffer for fifteen years. I refused to take the painkillers so used hardcore exercise to help strengthen my muscles, although it did nothing for the arthritis! It was only when one of the best surgeons in the UK saw my X-RAYS that he insisted I get the surgery done and he saw me as I priority case. I'm lucky I was treated under our wonderful NHS so didn't have to pay.
I would happily advise anyone younger having a THR as I felt very isolated not being elderly, and also being so sporty and active. In the build up to the surgery I was in a terrible state of anxiety. The main issue I've found post op is I'm more tired than usual as I tend to have boundless energy.
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