Crutches - how long should I need them.

Dear arlowood

We are al very different so it is not something anyone can tell you but s someone who has had a hip replaced twenty years ago an it refused earlier this year this is my take on it.

Use BOTH crutches right up until you are able to walk strongly and with a good gait however long that is.

Your muscles from what you have told us still have a lot of repairing and strengthening to do. To do without the crutches before then is not giving your body the time to relearn how to walk in a balanced way and will only result in a delayed return to normality. It could even cause you back problems by walking badly.

You will know when you are fine to get rid of them when you can walk off down the road with a good powerful evenly balanced stride with no pressure on the crutches.

Good luck, Richard

HI, we are all different. Indoors you can try one crutch as long as there’s things to hold onto as well whilst you gain your experience and outside when you are not limping.  My early discharge team were telling me at 6 days post op to walk around home with one crutch. No way was how I felt. For me 3 weeks was the turning point for going to one crutch indoors then off completely by 6 weeks inside and out. Others have had them longer. I had a tough physio who made me walk the corridor with no crutches on first visit when I was 4 weeks post op. Scared the life out of me but gave me confidence too. If your still struggling with exercises it’s probably not the right time. For me with the swing leg I just gritted my teeth and pushed through it. I did my exercises three times a day. I still do swing leg now if I feel abit stiff. Good luck. 

Hi,

I’m nearly two weeks post op, although the hip dislocated in hospital and had to be manipulated  back 2 days after the op, so am 9 days back on my feet. I’m not great at the lifting to the side either: it’s definitely the hardest. I’m ok on crutches and stairs and am ‘walking’ quite far. I’m very much hoping to lose one crutch by Xmas, and both by mid Jan. I’m trying to make sure I don’t put much weight through the crutches as I walk but use them to maintain the correct form and not ‘dip’.

Our progress seems similar. I have only used a walker and a cane.

Daily  Chronologue:

I am 80 years old and have had 3 stents installed-no heart attack.  My only other hospital problem has been getting a new shoulder-good health otherwise.  I am doing everything I have been told to do.

Posterior procedure.   

I am using coumadin for blood clots. They take my blood twice a week to monitor the level.  Since coumadin I have only taken 3 BP pills out of a possible twenty. MY BP apparently has been driven down by the coumadin.

Have not used pain meds yet

Day 1 & 2: in hospital 

In the following days cited. I have not taken any pain meds yet 

Day 3: Getting home no problem-just followed instructions-now that the hip was done tryng to understand how to organize the house needed changes. Which chair? How many pillows? What to use to get up out of chair? Where to sleep? These would all change as the days went by. I found out what better or worse means. My wife, always my hero, was awesome.

I did the basic therapy for the day and I felt fine. I am walking fine.

That night we got me into our bed which we thought would work well because it is like a hospital bed. The head and foot can be adjusted. No good. (I simply could not use the leg wedge provided in the hospital. It did not work in the hospital as I wound up in the chair every night.) So we decided to use the couch which would keep me on my back. We put some barriers next to the couch.  I slept for three hours and had to get up. Yes, she was there to help.  Anyway it was somewhat of a fitful night.

Day 4:Thanksgiving-The therapist showed up and we went through some extra exercises. I again felt fine.

Sleeping was about the same. I was sleeping during the day sitting up. I used an airplane pillow. I am still feeling only discomfort-not pain. Eating normal. No problem walking.

Day 5: My leg is swelled-the hip and calf about 11/2 /  2 inches larger. We were concerned because no where were we told to expect swelling. So we called the VNA visiting nurse association.A nurse was dispatched. We began icing and raising the leg.. In the meantime I looked on line and found this site which affirmed that some people had swelling-it was a relief. The nurse affirmed it was onl swelling and not a blood clot. Sleeping improved but still somewhat fitful

Day 6: Therapist shows up and we do some exercises and he also affirms swelling is just trauma.

Sleeping still fitful.Walking good. Struggling with swelling.

Day 7: Sunday       Walking well. Icing leg a lot-keeping elevated as much as possible. Doing exercises.

Struggling with swelling.

Day 8: Therapist showed and we do our workout-helpful with ideas and knowledgeable about other folks problems. Struggling with swelling. Sleeping a little better but still getting up a few times at night. Sleeping during the day a lot.

Nurse took blood.

Day 9: Therapist showed. Walking getting better-went outside for a walk. Still no real pain just limping along.

While I still got up two times I slept much better-a good 8 hours.  Still struggling with swelling but I am winning. This morn I was able to jog my leg off the couch while sitting up.

I have decided to do this chronologue because It might help. I will be glad to answer specific questions. I will do a complete update every few days.

Doctor office called and doubled my coumadin dose.

Day 10:  Still not taking any pain meds or other OTC stuff.  Therapist showed.  Total walking inside and outside for day about ½ hour.  Still struggling with swelling and winning but I am forgetting about the swelling at the top of the hip above my butt. I have to ice that once a week. It seems.  While I feel more power in my leg I still can only lift it about 15-20 degrees above the floor while sitting. I was quite tired at the end of the day. 

Day 11.  Sleep was not great.  Started the day dong ankle pumps, knee presses and hip squeezes before getting up.  I also iced the calf and hip area before rising.  No therapist today. I did exercises and then walked our circle outside my house.  I skipped the BP pillls again because my numbers were in line. Later in the day I did the exercises again and also walked the circle two more times.  Total walking for the day about 25 mins.  

It appears that I now have a very sore op side butt. When I sit it hurts. I get up a lot and put a pillow on the side that does not hurt to ease the pressure.  I am lying down now when icing. It is easier on my buttock. 

At this point I cannot imagine I will have to use pain meds. But I have not eliminated the possibility.  

Doctor called and increased my intake of coumadin again. He wants my blood to show a certain level.

Day 12:  Slept well-only got up once. Did icing and exercises before rising. Completed standup exercises. Went for a walk on our circle. Later walked again on circle.  Then still later did icing lying down and exercises. Again completed standup exercises. Later took a walk on circle.  I wanted to go again but decided to wait another day. Did more icing lying down.  Practiced quite a bit walking around house with cane staying close to things I could grab with free hand.  Did icing and exercises before going to sleep.

Day 13: Sunday.  Slept well-up twice.  Still sleeping only on back-not easy.  Very similar to Day 11.  My op butt is not hurting today. I am still getting up often. Swelling there but not bad. Therapist put me through exercises. 

Day 14: Slept well on back-up once.  Similar to Day 13. No therapist.

Day 15: Slept on back-ok not great.  Icing and exercises before rising. Able to get out of bed by maneuvering my op foot.  Therapist put me though entire exercises and added another where I move my op foot to the rear while standing. Marching exercise is getting better with a higher step. Walked circle 4x. And leg did not feel very much discomfort. Butt is not hurting very much.  Practiced walking with cane and also on my own for short distances.  Kept up icing and did the final icing while laying down ready to sleep.

Day 16: Slept on back-sleep ok Visited Doctor -xrays look good. Stopped iron and vit C pills.  Coumadin untill next Tuesday.

Similar day as before.  But seeing a vast improvement in leg mobility. I can get leg into and out of bed without much effort. Swelling still there but getting more under control. Still practicing with a cane. I am also walking, albeit with a gimp, without anything, but only short distances and again able to grab on if necessary.   Have to be very careful turning.  Getting up and down on chair without any extra effort. Legs showing strength.

Day 17: Tried to sleep with pillow on non op side-fuhgeddaboudit. Still cannot sleep on op side because it feels bulky and uncomfortable-no pain. Any ideas on sleeping would be welcome.

I walk around the house without a cane or walker. I am doing 4 or 5 trips around our circle using only a cane. I need someone with me because I have a tendency to lean left at certain times, My op is on the right leg. I no longer have a bandage and can shower with no problem. Iam just supposed tolet water run over the wound. The wound was glued so there are no stitches or staples.

Day 18: Still sleeping on back. Still icing for swelling. Walking without aid around house with a shuffle and a gimp.. Day  similar to Day 17.  Went to a restaurant for my 80th B’day. I start outpatient therapy on Monday.  The idea is to strengthen  and stabilize my leg. I will go 3x per week-perhaps for 4 weeks. As long as my insurance pays for it no problem. Nevertheless I may go less because of Christmas and New Year. Life goes on.

Day 19: Still sleeping on back. Swelling has reduced a lot-foot swelling the most.  Walked outside with cane but did not need it-using it as a precaution. I can now get up and down with a lot less effort. I still feel stiffness around my knee and calf. My blood pressure which had been lowered by using Coumadin for blood clots has gone back up again and I am using BP meds again based on BP readings

Good luck> 

Hi, Everyone heals  differently. I was lucky I had a v straightforward recovery.  After about day 5 I felt fine using 1 crutch around the house. Just found it easier because then I could carry things with my other hand. I still used 2 crutches outside until week 6. Wishing you all the best, Judith 

I was only given walking sticks rather than crutches. I was down to using one at two weeks and still use one stick (now 9 weeks post op) if I go out mainly to alert people to give me room and avoid knocking into me. I was back at the gym at 5 weeks and my hip felt tender in the wound but I just took a couple of panadol to deal with that so I could do the exercises correctly. All the hip exercises are much easier to do in the pool. Just keep doing the exercises little and often and you will get stronger. 

Regards

Ann

Hi arlowood

I had sticks rather than crutches from the start because I'd kept them from my previous thr last year. I went down to one stick round the house after the first week post op so I could at least carry a cup of tea from kitchen to comfy chair. Now at nearly 4 weeks post op I sometimes go short distances without a stick indoors if I'm cooking or something, but I do try to be careful to walk properly - if it hurts at all or I start hobbling, I go back to the stick, even though everything then takes twice as long. I'm using one stick for short outdoor walks when the weather permits and like Anniepaint I'll continue to use a stick for defensive purposes for a good few weeks after I've stopped needing it for support!

Good luck with your recovery

sjhips