Happy Re-birthday Hip Replacement

This site is a great resource for those of us who have had hip replacements, as it allows us to share both advice and our experiences, good and bad. Inevitably, it will tend to feature more of the latter than the former, as people are far more likely to discuss problems than post when things have gone well. The potential problem with this is that this site is also accessed by those contemplating having a THR, so the risk is that they form rather a negative impression of the procedure. I therefore wanted to write a post about my experiences to possibly redress the balance.

By May 2019 my life had become a misery. I first noticed a problem with my hip about 5 years previously, with a slight clicking sensation and increasingly restricted movement. An X-ray revealed wear on the joint, but as I was only 52 at the time, the Doctor suggested taking no action until things got worse. Unfortunately, over time the problem progressed in to pain when doing sport, then pain when walking, to eventually constant pain which was affecting my work and sleep. Over this period I had to give up golf, then skiing, then walking any distance. I eventually even got to the point where cycling, a non-weight bearing activity, became agony.

At 57 I was just not prepared to give up on an active life so I decided to go for a Total Hip Replacement. I spent quite a bit of time discussing the options with the surgeon, eventually opting for a plastic cup, with slightly wider dimensions than normal for more stability when doing sport. I also opted for sedation with an epidural rather than a general anaesthetic. Come the big day I checked in to the hospital, changed in to a very unflattering gown, and walked in to the pre-op room where they gave me a jab. Next thing I remember was coming around in recovery, looking at some other patients who had taken the general route, and given how ashen they were, thinking how pleased I was for opting for sedation!

I was wheeled back to my room where I could call my wife to say I was out of the op. The epidural meant I could not feel the lower part of my body, but other than that I felt fine. Over the next 6 hours the epidural wore off, and there was some discomfort from the surgery, but given it had involved some heavy duty carpentry to my femur, this was not a great surprise. That said, other than one dose of morphine when the epidural had totally worn off, the only other pain relief I had during the whole exercise was paracetamol. Indeed the most noticeable thing from the pain perspective was that the constant ache I had suffered in my hip for the previous year was magically disappeared!

As to progress, the day after the op I was up and about, first with a walker but then with crutches. Next day I was getting up and down stairs on the crutches, with the physios starting me off on an regime of 6 exercises in reps. Next day I was home but carrying on the physio regime, probably doing more reps than suggested, but stopping the moment it became uncomfortable. The one thing I avoided was any form of stretching or bending that put excessive strain on the new joint. Within 4 weeks I was back driving an automatic, and back on a bike within 6. I am now back to cycling 30 – 40 miles in a session and am playing golf again. The high point however was in March when I had the best week of skiing that I have enjoyed in years.

I do not want to sound glib or dismissive of people’s concerns, as there are risks with any op and there can never be any guarantees, but THRs have a very high success rate. A 2019 review by Bristol University of research from over 25 years, which included more than 500,000 patients, showed of all hip replacements analysed, 89% were found to last 15 years; 70% lasted 20 years; and 58% lasted 25 years. The technologies and techniques have got better in that time, so the projected lifespans of the joints is now even longer.

In truth, having the THR has given me back my life, hence the title of my post. My only regret was waiting 5 years to bite the bullet and get it done!

Cheers,

Bob

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