Hi "I luv dogs",
This October 10 will be the 2 year anniversary since I had my total hip replacement. I was 43 when I had it done, and recovery for me was incredibly slow and disheartening. I lived alone and although I had a good enough case manager through Hospital for Special Surgery, she did not pick up on the fact that I would need assistance getting around my apartment (2nd floor walkup), and generally caring for myself. I most needed someone to ensure that I did not fall and lay there with no help. (falling was my main concern, because of the risk of dislocating the new joint. Fortunately, within the last 2 years, I have not fallen once).
What I did learn (either by doing, or *not* doing) is as follows:
1) Make sure you have the best physical therapist who will motivate you to get moving, as you can tolerate. This is where I went wrong. I had a PT come to the house, and our sesssions did not move me along in my progress until I figured out the next point -
2) Go to a physical therapist's center or office, where they will put you on a stationery bike, some leg weight machines, and if you're lucky, some pilates equipment that will help your legs' strengthen, while relax you.
3) If you are not in pain, get walking. It is the **best** way to enhance your recovery.
4) Do not over-do it. Focus on your recovery only, and spend your efforts there. Become selfish if you need to, but put all other matters on hold until you get your strength and energy back.
5) Realize that it WILL take time. I wish I was told that I would still be on a cane a year later. My doctor visibly and vocally expressed disappointment by my progress, or lack thereof. I believe that what they show in the videos and brochures are the exception. The video of the senior male who was back to golfing within a few weeks completely frustrated and depressed me when I watched the video 6 months following my surgery, when I asked, "why can't **I** have such a good result?" I eventually did, after about a year. I ended up not relying on my cane any more when my job required that I travel back and forth to Mexico once a month for nearly 11 months. I was not wobbly with the cane by that point, and found that I did not need to rely on it.
6) Continue with strength training (through PT or on your own), making sure to not bend and twist in ways that will get you in trouble, and incorporate walking in your physical activity routine.
7) Acknowlege and accept that there may be things that you can no longer do, so that you can protect your surgical investment and your health. Also accept that you may not be able to do the things that you wished you had done (I wished I had gone skiing at least once in my life before having the THR, but I didn't get to), and find new things that you can enjoy during your time now.
8) Try to not to let having a THR wear on you emotionally. I look at it this way for myself: I was fortunate to live in a time and in a place that enabled me to GET a hip replacement. Decades ago, before the techology and procedure existed, people just suffered in pain. I try not to feel "less" of a person because I cannot do certain things as I had only a few years ago, but I am learning to let that part go and move forward,
During the first 6 months to a year, when friends would ask me if I regretted having the surgery, I did answer "yes", but I am finally at the point where I can honestly say I have no regrets and only wish I knew then what I know now regarding how I would feel today.
In closing, I want to wish "Good luck" to everyone who has had a hip replacement and to those who will have one in the future.
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Hi "I luv dogs",
This October 10 will be the 2 year anniversary since I had my total hip replacement. I was 43 when I had it done, and recovery for me was incredibly slow and disheartening. I lived alone and although I had a good enough case manager through Hospital for Special Surgery, she did not pick up on the fact that I would need assistance getting around my apartment (2nd floor walkup), and generally caring for myself. I most needed someone to ensure that I did not fall and lay there with no help. (falling was my main concern, because of the risk of dislocating the new joint. Fortunately, within the last 2 years, I have not fallen once).
What I did learn (either by doing, or *not* doing) is as follows:
1) Make sure you have the best physical therapist who will motivate you to get moving, as you can tolerate. This is where I went wrong. I had a PT come to the house, and our sesssions did not move me along in my progress until I figured out the next point -
2) Go to a physical therapist's center or office, where they will put you on a stationery bike, some leg weight machines, and if you're lucky, some pilates equipment that will help your legs' strengthen, while relax you.
3) If you are not in pain, get walking. It is the **best** way to enhance your recovery.
4) Do not over-do it. Focus on your recovery only, and spend your efforts there. Become selfish if you need to, but put all other matters on hold until you get your strength and energy back.
5) Realize that it WILL take time. I wish I was told that I would still be on a cane a year later. My doctor visibly and vocally expressed disappointment by my progress, or lack thereof. I believe that what they show in the videos and brochures are the exception. The video of the senior male who was back to golfing within a few weeks completely frustrated and depressed me when I watched the video 6 months following my surgery, when I asked, "why can't **I** have such a good result?" I eventually did, after about a year. I ended up not relying on my cane any more when my job required that I travel back and forth to Mexico once a month for nearly 11 months. I was not wobbly with the cane by that point, and found that I did not need to rely on it.
6) Continue with strength training (through PT or on your own), making sure to not bend and twist in ways that will get you in trouble, and incorporate walking in your physical activity routine.
7) Acknowlege and accept that there may be things that you can no longer do, so that you can protect your surgical investment and your health. Also accept that you may not be able to do the things that you wished you had done (I wished I had gone skiing at least once in my life before having the THR, but I didn't get to), and find new things that you can enjoy during your time now.
8) Try to not to let having a THR wear on you emotionally. I look at it this way for myself: I was fortunate to live in a time and in a place that enabled me to GET a hip replacement. Decades ago, before the techology and procedure existed, people just suffered in pain. I try not to feel "less" of a person because I cannot do certain things as I had only a few years ago, but I am learning to let that part go and move forward,
During the first 6 months to a year, when friends would ask me if I regretted having the surgery, I did answer "yes", but I am finally at the point where I can honestly say I have no regrets and only wish I knew then what I know now regarding how I would feel today.
October 1, 2011 - 11:32amIn closing, I want to wish "Good luck" to everyone who has had a hip replacement and to those who will have one in the future.
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