Total Hip Replacement recovery

[daviel]

Second trip to the rehab center. Next week it's M-W-F. About an hour with aerobic warmup on the stationary machine, then specific left leg (some right) on a table, then 20 min ice. I like it. I did a tour through you-tube on this stuff and I guess I am about in the middle on pain, speed of recovery, etc. I have the right hip coming up if as and when it starts hurting, so at least I will know the rehab routine.

 

[Offtheback]

PT was at the place I'm a member, so at least I was familar with the layout. My therapist interviewed me and then set me on an aerobics machine that does not weight down nor twist the legs. Just 8 min @ 100/ min. Then ran through a 15-20 rep set of adductor, toe lifts (lying down), heel slides, quad tightening, and then 20 min. ice on the swollen left leg. slept great. tomorrow at 1 pm. starts over. I'm down to tylenol for pain. This is harder than I expected and slower. at my age it takes a while to undo the damage!

Hi Daviel,
I had a total hip replacement for my left hip only in August 2009, by the best specialists in Brisbane, who does up to ten a week. It went perfectly with no acute pain. I discharged from hospital after 5 days and was driving my car within a couple of days. (Short trips, automatic: getting in and out was the hardest part.) I saw a physiotherapist once a week for about five weeks and did all the exercises and some 40 minute walks. After that I hooked up my road bike to a computrainer and yes the power difference was significant, (About 70% right leg and 30% left leg. I did this for a while, trying to focus on leveling out the power to strengthen up the left leg.

Within a few months I was back in the gym and doing 5 sets each on the leg extension, leg curl, leg press and calf machines, with reasonably heavy loading. (NO squats!). Also back doing Hung Gar Kung Fu twice a week.

Today I did my FIRST road ride since the op. Why so long? Well my surgeon scared me. He said NO bike and NO ladders for six months as a fall could cause me pain I could not dream of if the new hip popped out!

It was only a 30k, hilly circuit, but I enjoyed it and the "new" leg worked better than pre-op, just a bit down on power.

So, go for it Daniel, but make sure you don't fall on your new hips; at least until the surrounding muscles have fully healed.

I am 60 years old. Very happy I had the op done.

 

[daviel]

Thank you so much for the input, Offtheback. That must be where I have seen you before D). Yes I am taking it easy so far as rehab. The PT increases me gradually and I have been putting all I have into it. They have stressed NO activity that might dislocate the joint. I am really enjoying the project of rebuilding the hip. I can't wait to get back to riding. Did you do any speed classes or stationary trainer stuff?

 

[daviel]

Tomorrow starts M-W-F of rehab. I spent all day today in the rack. It's like the hardest part of this thing is getting the incision to heal.

 

[daviel]

Staples out today. Dr said the scar looks good. Back on April 27th for an exam and x-ray. It's rehab until then, but I can go every day if I want. That's probably what I'll do. I have a scheduled rehab visit tomorrow - concentrating on the left leg. Some of the exercises include adduction 2 sets of 20 (probably 3 tomorrow); bridge/glute squeeze 2x15 last session; warm-up on a linear machine - no twisting, quadricep squeeze and press down to the mat 2x20. Quad stretch with a cable (just like the soccer quad stretch where you reach back and pull up your foot behind stretching the quad - just limited motion. some more quad raises with knees on towel covered cylinders to get my knee higher 2x20. There are a couple of side ways lifting moves that my left leg will not do - weird sensation - difficult 2x15. 20 min cold pak. The muscles in my left leg have been compensating for the weakness in the joint probably for years. Then they got cut during the surgery. Hope this will get me back to sea-level! real challenge, but tons better than watching TV. I'd really like to go back to work, but I can't drive and I got no stamina!

 

[daviel]

Another hour of re-hab. warm-up on the linear machine 13 min. concentration on the left leg with slight differences in the exercises - enough to keep tem fresh for the muscles looking for the easy way out. Still the quad stretch (heel behind the upper leg pulled tight with a cord around the foot - hold for 20 sec.) - my favorite - was rough - also the left leg adduction exercises are still hard. pretty wiped out this afternoon. I am going to go in tomorrow on my own.

 

[daviel]

I only did about 20 minutes on a stationary bike Thursday, but at home I did lots of moving around. Friday was just more of the same. We are concentrating more on the adduction and quad raise exercises. I have a manual transmission and the muscle that lifts the leg to use the clutch is the weakest of the set. I have been driving some to work it out. It is amazing how the Physical Therapist can pinpoint just the right exercises and resistance. I hope that by the 4-27 doctor visit I am pretty much out of the woods.

 

[daviel]

Got some sleep last night finally - the tightness in the left leg keeps me awake. Did 30 min. on the linear recumbent sta bike. Felt good. Today is the first day I have felt like I have some energy. Still on a cane. On the advice of my MD brother I am taking ibuprophen, up to Rx strength - 800 mg., instead of tylenol. He's right; it works better. I think in 2 weeks I'll be back in the saddle.

 

[daviel]

4-12-2010 PT was good today. Same exercises; more sets. The leg is finally feeling stronger. I am on a cane now and can drive the manual transmission car. Stretching the left quad is important to keep my mechanics right, says the PT. This week I am going to stretch and cycle (stationary/recumbent) on off days.

 

[daviel]

4-14-2010- did 30 minutes on the linear pedaling machine yesterday. Today another round of the same exercises but added partial squats. I can feel the improvement now - it is kicking in.

 

[daviel]

4-15-2010: 30 min. on the linear recumbent machine, stretching, and ice.

 

[daviel]

4-16: Quad raises, front and side Leg raises, adduction, bridge/glute exercise, squats<90 degrees, side stepping to a 4" step - all about 20 reps X2 with a 15 min warm-up. I am really starting to feel stronger and it is very encouraging. I forgot my cane walking in the house and it surprised me! Did some stretching. Three more sessions next week - tomorrow I'm going in for 30-45 min of aerobics. Surgery was March 22nd - so I am 25 days out.

 

[daviel]

Slept better last night. One problem I have been having is a tightness or discomfort - not really pain - in the left leg (the replacement leg) and it has made my whole sleep pattern nuts. That is getting better. I can walk without the cane now, but I am still using the cane anyway just in case. The leg is slowly getting better. Today I am going up to the rehab center and do some aerobics on one of their recumbent machines. Then tomorrow will be a rest day.

One bit of explanation. The reason I am posting so much and going day by day is because I got some bad information on how the recovery went from a couple of people I know - not from this forum, and not from my doctor - he really did not say much about it except sleep with a pillow between the legs, don't pass 90 degrees on raising the left leg and don't cross your legs - he said I'd know it if the device dislocated. One former patient who is in no kind of shape - has diabetes and is morbidly obese, said he was back appearing in court about a week after he got out of the hospital. I did not think the guy was joking - but I do now. Maybe he was in a wheelchair. I don't think my brain was really cleared out by then. Anyway I bought it. Bogus! So I thought I'd just detail my experience as a discipline and to help anybody else who is going into the hip replacement arena to know what I had to do. I hope your experience is better/quicker than mine! All I want to do now is start riding again, and get back to swimming laps.

 

[daviel]

Monday, 4-19 - Sunday was a rest day. Felt better and went into work for the first time since surgery for about 3 hours. Had another rehab session: 20 min bike warmup, adduction 2x20, leg raises2x20, quad raise w/ 5lb. weight 2x20, bridging 1x25, toelifts 1x25, half squats 2x20, stepping on to and off a 6" block 2x25. Ice pack for about 10 minutes. Going back into the office tomorrow and back to the gym for my day of freelance rehab on my own - probably just a lot of aero.

 

[daviel]

freelance rehab - an hour on a stationary recumbent bike. If you recline the backrest enough your upper leg does not approach 90 degrees, so no danger of dislocating the hip joint. Funny but it seems to have helped the tightness and I slept better. I have rehab tomorrow and I may do some extra recumbent bike to get the aerobics up to an hour+. I want to be gasping as little as possible when I get back in the pool.

 

[daviel]

April 21st - regular rehab, Same exercises as before: side left leg adduction, left leg raises, bridging, quad leg raises w/ weight, toe raises, half squats, side stepping on a box ( a little higher today) but more sets/reps. Went back and did another 30 minutes on a recumbent stationary bike. Came home and got 20 min. of ice. Walking better w/o a cane, although still using one. Feeling like it's healing.

 

[daviel]

Apr. 22nd: an hour on the recumbent stationary bike, then home and iced down the leg. The ice is really a valuable treatment and I think it encourages healing. Later on went to McKinney, Texas, about an hour away, to set up our PA, monitors, mics, amplifiers, etc. for my return to playing musical engagements (hereafter called gigs) after surgery. Friday night - 4/23 - First gig after the surgery. It will be 7pm to 12m - and I feel like I have the energy, so we'll see. Our R&B group is playing the St. George's Day fest at a pub in McKinney. I was able to manage the two keyboard amps (on wheels), stand, and misc gear up stairs to the venue. I was careful and treated it like another rehab session. It worked fine. I was surprised at being able to manage. More ice on the hip tonight.

 

[daviel]

4/23 - Rehab today: Left hip flexor a little sore - probasbly from over-use last night. 20 min recumbent sta. bike warmup; 2x15 w/ 1lb weight: laying on back left leg adductions; 30 glute squeeze-bridges [ball between knees]; cylinder under knee - 30x2 raises; leg raises left (on back) 15 x2 with 1 lb weight; on rt side 2x15 with 1 lb. adduction raises left leg; 30 toe raises; 30 side step to left on to a box; 15x2 squats back against an inflated exercise ball. Home and more ice. I'm using the load-out at the gig tonight as extra rehab. Hope I hold up.

 

[daviel]

Gig load out went OK. Several up and down stairs trips with gear, but handling the thing carefully and doing it leading with the left (bad) leg and then the good one made it just like an extra rehab session. Iced it down at home. Same song second verse tonight but no stairs! I'm doing an hour recumbent bike this morning. It's nice to be able to have the energy to play these engagements. It's like I have more energy than I had before the surgery. I am looking forward to a rehearsal Monday night - first one in a long while - now that I can drive and hold up! After tonight, the next one is May 8th! So far rehab has been very successful. I am grateful that I had good surgeon who is fast, and an excellent physical therapist.

 

[janmiguel]

Total Hip Replacement

i had a THR in april 2008. after 10 days in hospital i went to rehab
for 3 weeks. 10 weeks after op i started cycling on my mtb very carefully. i`ve had to lift up the saddle as high as possible, but it was
very painful. so the first few rides were very short, but it was getting better day by day. a few weeks later the saddle had reached the normal
position like before op.
i was able to increase my training step by step and now i`m riding
about 10.000 km/year primary on my race-bike. that is more than before op. i have no problems at all, specially no pain and i`m very
glad with the THR ( it is a BHR like floyd landis ).
Keep on trying, but be patient an carefully.

 

[daviel]

well done! that's very good news. Thanks for the information -- and keep up the good work!

 

[daviel]

Monday 4-26 - same exercises as Friday and added some leg movements (fwd, side and back - left leg only) with elastic band resistance. hour on the recumbent bike.

 

[daviel]

Doctor appointment - x-rayed the hip. Dr said the hip looks good. Dr said I can start riding and swimming. Great! I had the surgery on March 22 and it's a little over 4 weeks. I am a little ahead of schedule functionally - asked Dr for 2 more weeks of PT, which he prescribed for me. I can pretty much go back to doing what I was doing - so I am introducing crunches, push-ups and pullups (on an assist machine for now). I return in 2 months for follow-up. Rest day - yard work!

 

[daviel]

4-28: Same set of exercises except added 2x20 squats. 45 min. aerobics on recumbent stationary bike. I'll have two weeks of rehab, M-W-F and then I am through. I expect it will continue as it has so far. I am going to cease reporting on it unless there is a radical change. I can't stress enough how good the rehabilitation with physical therapist has been for me. If you have this operation, you are well advised to work at the rehab! I will continue the aerobics and I am adding bike riding and swimming. I just hope this has been useful to anybody thinking about a hip replacement. All in all I am glad I could have it, and I am not at all apprehensive about my right hip, whose turn is coming one of these days.

 

[daviel]

4-29: 30 minutes on an old model Schwinn Aerodyne that I bought from a friend for $50.00. I rode the singlespeed around the block - it's real windy here. The bulk of my exercise today was doing yardwork! All's right with the world.