Exercise after anterior hip replacement

Oooo. Thanknyou- Following this. 

I'm 4wks post Anterior THR and am dieing to get back to the gym.  I still rely on a crutch for balance and support. I'm shocked by the muscle damage (?) and strength work I still need. 

Hi Diane. I'm 6 months post anterior RTHR today!! Are you still doing home exercises as shown during PT? I kinda quit doing mine around week 6-7 & developed what they called "pain on first step.". Like you, I was fine once I got going. I got back to the exercises & felt much better. At 9 weeks you may just being too much at work. And I, at least, think it's too soon to be back at the gym save for low impact machines, but check with your doc.

Hi Diane!  I know it's frustrating especially after being so active.   I couldn't get back to the gym till 5 months but I had dislocated my first hip replacement 3 weeks later and had a total hip revision and was 6 weeks non weight bearing.   It was slow going but I go now 3x a week.   Just listen to your body.  Check too with your dr as to when it's safe to go and take it easy.  Doing the exercises that you are given after surgery will help you back to the gym.  Just take it easy.   Wishing you all the best for a speedy recovery and healing.  Hugs 🤗Linda 

I had my replacement on June 2. You are describing exactly my feeling. I started PT and walking on an inclined treadmill. Not fast but for at least 30 minutes at a time and it is getting much better and easier to take those first steps.

I have this same issue. I was not very active so thought I needed more exercise, just walking and gentle exercises given, but walking was more then usual. Then I did something to the IT band muscle, could barely put weight on left leg at all. it has taken 3 weeks to just start to feel resolved, however I am SO weak. I get pain in center of thigh when up doing things. I feel wobbly and have bad pain when first arising, from bed or chair. I am 3 months post op. It had seemed like an easy surgery until midway through physical therapy. I didn't do anything out of my range or restricted. I had a mini-posterior am 70 years young and I had a left knee replacement about 13 months ago and am still in need of a right knee replacement. Between the pain on the left mid thigh from my left hip replacement and the pain of my right knee needing replacement doing most things is difficult. I am going to physical therapy but cannot do much, I just want so badly to get better. I am starting to wonder if normal will ever be. 

I guess I thought I would be able to do more than I am. My surgery was pin June 6th. I am so glad there are more patients out there like me! My incisions are fine but it's all muscle pain. I only have 2 PT sessions left and they feel like I am good. My PT guy told me that I am over thinking my walking. He said that we know it will hurt so our brains tell us to go slow. He said "don't think .. just walk like you have had no surgery. " While that helps, I find myself telling myself just that every time I get up from a chair, couch or bed. I'm only 52 and I feel like i will never walk right again. It doesn't help that from my knee up on the front i have the "phantom pain". I can't feel it but it hurts like he**. I still do some exercises at home but I don't have time to do them 3 times a day ...

Dear Diane

I am in exactly the same place.  8 weeks post RTHR, still need at least one crutch and two for longer distances.  I walk with a distinct wobble without them.  I have tried a few short days at work (I am a baker so it is hard to work with a crutch, but I am self employed so to some extent I can choose my hours) without any crutches, but by the end of 3 hours the pain is pretty bad from the top of my leg to my ankle.  I have been doing gentle swimming - breast stroke arms, doggy paddle legs and still doing PT exercises.  I am about to re enroll at the gym on a wellness referral, so with a qualified instructor on a specific programme for people like for us!!  I was a 6 day a week gym / exercise freak pre op.  But as everyone who doesn't have quick pain free recovery knows it is exasperating!!  Appointment with consultant on Thursday so I will see what he thinks

Best wishes all

Chris

Nope you're not but then neither was I. I started on the stationary bike week 2. Started at 2 minutes and worked up to 10 quickly. By week 7 I was at 20 minutes almost every day. The thing is your muscles were compromised with the op. I am now 8 months and still find I have muscle aches if I don't warm up and cool down properly and if I don't do my exercises. I stop for a couple of days if I have overdone it. I do post op exercises 3x a week. It's tough not to get impatient but each recovery is individualistic and takes time. Good luck

Diane

I am 69 years old and 9 weeks postop anterior right hip replacement. I am still going to PT and also doing about 20 exercises twice a day that they are having me do. I am  getting better but very slowly.  My surgeon and the PT both told me it would take up to a year to be totally pain free.  I am still very stiff when I get up from sitting for lying down.  I am determined to stick with the exercises but some days I am just tired of the muscle pain and wish it was over!

Anterior  right hip replacement early November 2017. Religiously did exercises, and at 4 weeks, I began P.T 2x/week, continuing with those home exercises for 7 weeks.  As a lifelong amateur athlete -tennis, swimming, jogging, hiking- who's been jazzercising 3x week for 9 years, I returned to jazzercise & marched in place when there were movements that I couldn't do, gradually becoming more (cautiously) mobile.  At 73, I'm living proof that you have to use it or lose it.  Now, there's a worm at the bottom of the tequila bottle: 2 weeks ago I had left anterior hip replacement & due to 'soft bone' the surgeon used a cerclage wire & said I may need to use the walker for 4 weeks to allow the bone extra time to heal.  I'm all right with that, but getting bored. I am now religiously taking calcium w/Vitamin D, & will begin acupuncture in a few weeks to strengthen the bones, plus P.T again. . I'll have more detail after the x-rays at my next appointment.