THR Time to change things up.

[Scuba_Diver]

Greetings all.
I'm 66, & had my Left THR July 6, 2020. Physio & rehab have been going well.
I'm doing 4 sets of 25 squats followed by sing leg balances & up & down our stairs each day.
I walk our dog (golden retriever) 2 km 3-4 times each week.
I have two concerns.
1) after sitting a while, I tend to stiffen up, when I start walking I limp/woddle side to side, it takes concentrated effort to correct this. There is slight pain/discomfort on the lower outer thigh.
2) The dog walks start out ok, but about have way, I get a spasm in my upper left glute, this will progress upwards causing back pain if I don't ease up. I try to walk at about 13 minutes per km.
I'm also trying to stretch my hamstrings as I've noticed then very tight, likely due to inactivity after the surgery.

I'm open to suggestions for exercises.

 

[Jaycey]

@Scuba_Diver Welcome to BoneSmart! Sounds to me as if all that excessive exercising is causing you discomfort. Why do you feel you need to do all that? Hips certainly don't need that type of activity. And then coupled with your dog walks - those glutes are objecting.

Try easing off all this and just the walking for now. I think you will find the slow and steady approach to this recovery works much better.

I'll leave your recovery articles here. The activity progress and chart representation of recovery might be of interest.

Hip Recovery: The Guidelines
1. Don’t worry: Your body will heal all by itself. Relax, let it, don't try and hurry it, don’t worry about any symptoms now, they are almost certainly temporary
2. Control discomfort:

rest​

elevate​

ice​

take your pain meds by prescription schedule (not when pain starts!)​

3. Do what you want to do BUT

a. If it hurts, don't do it and don't allow anyone - especially a physical therapist - to do it to you​

b. If your leg swells more or gets stiffer in the 24 hours after doing it, don't do it again.​

4. PT or exercise can be useful BUT take note of this BoneSmart philosophy for sensible post op therapy
5. Here is a week-by-week guide for Activity progression for THRs
6. Access these pages on the website

Oral And Intravenous Pain Medications​

Wound Closure​

Pain management and the pain chart
Healing: how long does it take?
Chart representation of THR recovery

Dislocation risk and 90 degree rule
Energy drain for THRs
Pain and swelling control: elevation is the key
Post op blues is a reality - be prepared for it
Myth busting: on getting addicted to pain meds
Sleep deprivation is pretty much inevitable - but what causes it?

BIG TIP: Hips actually don't need any exercise to get better. They do a pretty good job of it all on their own if given half a chance. Trouble is, people don't give them a chance and end up with all sorts of aches and pains and sore spots. All they need is the best therapy which is walking and even then not to excess.

We try to keep the forum a positive and safe place for our members to talk about their questions or concerns and to report successes with their joint replacement surgery.

While members may create as many threads as they like in a majority of BoneSmart's forums, we ask that each member have only one recovery thread. This policy makes it easier to go back and review history before providing advice.

 

[Scuba_Diver]

Thank you for the feedback. I’ll take it easy as you suggest. Guess I’m too anxious to get back diving again.

 

[Eman85]

You sound atheletic and know about pulled muscles. Look at what they did to us during the surgery and how far out they moved the joint. If you dislocate your shoulder how much could you or would you work it while it was healing? I remember what that dislocation felt like and how they immobilized the shoulder. We were up walking within hours of being dislocated, it's really pretty amazing.

 

[Celle]

I’ll take it easy as you suggest. Guess I’m too anxious to get back diving again.

It really does take your body a full year to recovery completely from this surgery so try not to rush things.
As a diver, you already know not to push your body to its limits. (My son recently got his Rescue Diver certification.)

 

[Scuba_Diver]

Thank you all for the feed back.
I am actually a retired scuba diving instructor (Naui/Padi) with 35 years (2500 dives) experience. I was also a black belt in judo for 20 of those years. I had a total knee replace (right) in 2002, & was back in the water in 4 months & was hoping similar recovery time.
I hate having to admit I'm almost 20 years older, a senior & should expect a longer recovery time.

 

[FCBayern]

Hang in there @Scuba_Diver you'll be ready to get back in the water soon. I dove the first time 4 months after my TKR but could never have climbed the ladder back into the boat without taking my BCD and tank off first. 10 months after THR I can't wait to get back to diving and climbing a ladder with full gear isn't going to be a problem. After going through both recoveries and following others on this forum for both I really think that just walking is the best way to rehab a hip. Trying to exercise it just seems to set it back.

P.S. Nice picture! Where was that at?

 

[Scuba_Diver]

Lahaina, Maui, just off Mala warf April last year.

 

[Ozinthedesert]

I’m only 5 days post surgery and am all ready counting down to when I can be active again. So I completely understand your desire to get back to your activity of choice!

 

[Layla]

I had a total knee replace (right) in 2002, & was back in the water in 4 months & was hoping similar recovery time.
I hate having to admit I'm almost 20 years older, a senior & should expect a longer recovery time.

Not sure about back in the water, that’s between you and your surgeon, but don’t sell yourself short on recovery. It sounds as though you may be in good physical condition and with hips often easier to recover from than knees, you will hopefully be pleasantly surprised with your progress. Wishing you the best!

 

[Layla]

Happy Three Month Anniversary!
All the best as you continue the journey.
@Scuba_Diver

 

[Scuba_Diver]

Timing right now does not look good to be back diving this year. My TKR was done in February, I had all spring & by mid summer I was in very good shape. My hip was scheduled to be mid March, but the all "elective" surgeries were put on hold due to Covid-19 & I did not get my THR until July 6. I still need more conditioning to be diver ready. My surgeon has given me the ok, when I'm fit enough. That's the problem. My wife & I have not been in a gym since March. I am just really starting to do some real (2 km/25 min) walking. The finning skills are there, but I need to be in better cv fitness before I can go back into open water.
Fall Weather here in Ontario is changing quickly. It went from 20-25°C (daily highs) last week to 12-16°C this week. I no longer care to dive in the late fall & winter, so it may be next spring before I get back in the water.

 

[Mojo333]

Might be an act of Providence that you will allow that new shiny hip some more settling and remedial activity before diving season hits.
When I look at my x-rays with two weird new appliances, it does give me a bit of cause for pause...however ever so grateful for my surgery.
I would love to learn to dive but I swim like a fish and love the ocean.
Hope the rest of your week is sunny and happy.

 

[Going4fun]

You really can't speed up the recovery through aggressive exercise ... try just walking ... there's a fine line and most of us at some point cross over to the wrong side, the side of doing too much too soon.

All those squats ... no hurry in doing those ... and no magic comes from them. Your mileage is different than mine but every time I did squats--free squats or against the wall body-weight squats--my hip always hurt. Took me six months before squats didn't create a bad reaction. Again your body is different, but today is your third month ... you're still very early ... take your time ...

You'll get there.

 

[Scuba_Diver]

I've just been walking for the past 2 weeks. I still get a muscle spasm in the left upper glute in the 2nd half of a 30 minute walk. Stretching afterwards helps.
I find have have to concentrate when walking to stop limping. Seems like a habit I picked up during my first 3 months. My wife & I walk together & she'll comment ("Your starting to woddle") which helps.

Mike

 

[Greg555]

I had my THR on 6/29/20. I’ve had various aches, pains, pinches, etc, etc through the process. I’ve learned to back off on activities when the discomfort grows to pain. I’m coming up on 4 months. My original goal of being back to full strength was Christmas. While the progress has been very good, I’ve pushed that goal off to spring or early summer. I’ve had some back swings in progress. Some my own making and others are just the process. Glutes are still weak. Flexibility and mobility have improved more than I anticipated. Strength building remain the longest and hardest to achieve target for me

 

[TomT]

I'm about 3 months out from my surgery and I'm having the same issue you mentioned about sitting, after sitting for a while I get so stiff when I stand up that I also limp for the first 5 or so steps but after that I'm able to walk normally.

 

[Greg555]

I'm about 3 months out from my surgery and I'm having the same issue you mentioned about sitting, after sitting for a while I get so stiff when I stand up that I also limp for the first 5 or so steps but after that I'm able to walk normally.

Up until the 10-12th week I had what my surgeon referred to as start up pain. It described exactly what you’re experiencing. He assured me that it would go away and was a very common post op glitch. It did go away. Even after the start up pain was gone, I’d still give a wince when I got up out of a chair, that’s because I’d gotten into such a habit of expecting it.

 

[TomT]

I'm about 3 months out from my surgery and I'm having the same issue you mentioned about sitting, after sitting for a while I get so stiff when I stand up that I also limp for the first 5 or so steps but after that I'm able to walk normally.

Up until the 10-12th week I had what my surgeon referred to as start up pain. It described exactly what you’re experiencing. He assured me that it would go away and was a very common post op glitch. It did go away. Even after the start up pain was gone, I’d still give a wince when I got up out of a chair, that’s because I’d gotten into such a habit of expecting it.

Thanks Greg after 3 months and experiencing so much recovery I sometimes forget that I still have some way to go before I'm fully healed

 

[Dianalb]

Doing squats? My sister and I have both had bilateral hip replacement years ago. Mine was 16 years ago hers was 10 years ago, and my doctor never said I couldn't do squats. I've been doing squats since the lockdown using 3 and 5 lb weights and now I'm having pain in my left thigh and hip. My sister told me that her doctor said not to perform squats or single leg squats, as part of permanent exercise restrictions. I didn't know that restriction! I mean they are not deep, low squats. They are kind of mini squats where I just bend my knees. My only restriction was no running, no jumping no crossing legs or bringing knees up to my chest. I'm upset and worried now. I have to go see the surgeon to see if I caused a failure...