Hip replacement - patient under 40

HI I’m 41 and nearly 5 weeks post op I would say for your exams it all depends on your chair as Long as u can have it at the right height for you and get up and walk if need to then u should be ok as for Work the same would apply for admin part my scar is about 10 inch long but I think that will depend on your surgeon all you can do is go with what your body will let you 

Hello dine4me.....please try to relax about the op....i was so scared pre op , and when I actually went through it really wished I,d relaxed a bit more about it , it was,nt half as bad as I,d expected. I,m currently 5 weeks post op and I,'ve done much better than I thought I would . My scar is approx 8 inch , but already looking quite good , it was glued and really neat . I also use bio oil to massage it , so it's faded a lot already. As for your exams , do you have anyone to take you to where you take them. Because if your uni agree for you to have a little walk around every now and then , I,d have thought you were fine to take them . I,m off of crutches now around the house ...but do,nt feel I could go back to work as yet.....but my job is running around all day , and I could,nt do that yet x x hope all goes well . Please try to think positive ......cos I,m sure that's half the battle won

Dear Dine

I will start by saying that everyone's success is different for many reasons but if you are fit, do not smoke do not drink much and have a positive attitude then I see no reason why you should not be able to sit your exams four weeks following surgery.

You should expect to be able to hold down an admin office based job within two months and driving within about six weeks.   Scar was about 8" and healed quickly.  

I had the posterior approach twenty years ago, was able to walk confidently out of hospital with just one stick, was fine with one within a few days, walked several miles a day, back to self employed part time office work in a week or so and driving at 3 weeks and full time work at about the same time.   I was 56 at the time and fit.   I gave that hip a pretty hard time and wore out the poly cup at twenty years and have had a revision which has gone well.   I had the posterior approach both times and prefer that as the surgeon has ample space in which to work unlike the other less invasive approaches.   I suffered no nerve damage either times.  

As I've said many times here should anyone want to chat on the phone about their planned hip replacement surgeries then message me and we can set something up.   As you will see from my profile I'm in the UK.

Good luck

Richard

You should be fine, just remember that first week or two do a lot of elevatating the leg and ice. Best advice I got was to take a pillow to sit on everywhere. I'm 40 and own a landscape company. I was back on rough job sites with a cane four weeks after surgery but sitting doing office work sooner. The pillow really helps! Car seats, office chairs, equipment seats. I noticed sitting even at ,8 weeks now, my incision starts to throb if the seats is stiff. Pillow prevent s that. Good luck! First few nights after surgery just ask for good ice packs.

I agree with the others: you should be able to sit for 2 hours especially if you bring a cushion, get up from time to time and possibly put your operated leg on a spare chair. You may well find that sitting for 2 hours will cause your leg to swell up a bit but it will go down again when you move and elevate it.

Scars vary- some surgeons manage to do it in a 4 inch scar but mine (for my first hip) was a bit bigger and for my revision rather a lot longer still. Treat it as a badge of honour. With time the scar becomes much less visible. My wife, and others, rub oil on the scar and say that helps to make it heal better.

And, yes, in the modern age surgeons do tend to describe a worst case scenario. Probably better that the situation 40 years ago when then assured you everything would be OK.

Recovery will be helped by your state of fitness. Post op do what the surgeon and physio say: exercise and walk as much as possible without overdoing it.

Hope it all goes well and you pass your exams.

Mike

Scar, mine is about 9 inches. 

Being as fit as you can be before the THR definitely helps with recovery.

Recovery time varies, and as you are starting out from a 'better place' than most of us 'oldies', there is no reason your recovery shoulbn't be quicker.

Best wishes

Graham

Wow, check with your surgeon about which type of approach you are having.  I had anterior surgery and my scar is 3 and 1/2 inches long.  Yes I measured.  Not sure why all these people have super long scars.  Mine is healing nicely, use Bio oil.  I am 5 months after surgery and doing everything I was before surgery ( well not everything- I gave up running) WITH NO PAIN. But I am playing competitive tennis, yoga, spin class and lots of walking.  I can’t comment on whether you can take your exams, because everyone heals differently.  It may be hard to sit in a stiff chair.  You will need to keep your leg elevated, and lots of ice.  Maybe they can make some accommodation for you, but at two weeks after surgery you will still be pretty tired.

I was 40 when I had my hip replacement and I was truly terrified. Honestly more scared than I have been about anything in my life. 

Honestly it was fine. The biggest challenge for me was the length of time it took to get back to normal, as in properly  back to myself as I have a busy life but I was driving at 3 weeks and going out and doing basic every day things. Cycling etc at 4-5 weeks on physio approval.

My scar is very thin and you can barely see it. I am very pleased as no one notices it now. Best to find out from other patients or your surgeon the scar you should expect, but remember that the scar gives you a new chance at life to be pain free and mobile again, so small price to pay.

I would keep an open mind about your exams, you could do it, definitely, but whether you feel up to it is another matter and to give you the best chances of success I would see how you feel much closer to the time.

My best advice is to research the very best physio you can find, and get appointments lined up before you even have your op (the best ones have long waiting times) Your commitment to the exercises and walking will make all the difference to the speed of your recovery. It really is the case the more you put into getting better the faster it will be. But do allow yourself time, time to rest, time to feel better, time to get over it. Don't be rushed back into anything and definitely don't compare recoveries to anyone. This forum is amazing for keeping your spirits up and good advice.

It really was the best thing I ever did, you won't look back! I love going to the gym and remember all the days when I couldn't or the pain was awful ( I am getting to that point again with my other hip) This time I know it will be fine and I will soon be back on my feet. Best of luck! 

My scar is twelve inches long. It runs along the outside of my right leg up and across butt a couple inches. Being fit will help with getting on and off chairs, toilet, etc. good luck! 

 

I cannot answer about the exams and work as I am retired. However I did want to reply on the length of your scar. All doctors are different and it’s best to get one very experienced and ask him. I am age 70 a bit overweight, not too much but a bit and I had what my surgeon called a mini-posterior. He does a ton of them and is known for making a very short neat incision. Mine is only 4” long. I am 5 months post op and it might have something to do with having wrinkly skin, but I cannot even find my scar to put my Bio oil on it! I’ve asked hubby and he says it’s very hard to even find. My surgeon did not advise the anterior because of the problems some get with it. He would have done it if I insisted but told me other then the pesky restrictions for 6 to 8 weeks the recovery for posterior was just as good. I have not been sorry I went that route. I had other problems as I was very inactive for 2 years prior, from a fall, torn up knee that was finally replaced and then thr. I was not physically fit as a result and my stamina non-existent. Because of those issues I overdid at first for my case and got an IT Band injury which is taking a long while on me to heal. I am diabetic so heal more slowly. My actual new hip has no pain, no stiffness and works fine, it is my weak muscles and slow recovery of those that gives me problems. For a fit younger person I would expect you will fly through this. Just follow your restrictions as dislocation makes recovery much more difficult. They are pesky but you do get used to them and in the realm of it all they are not that long. Don’t give up your walking aids until you can walk with no limp or you risk setbacks. Regardless how good you feel those muscles were cut and will take their own time to heal. If you are limping they are not strengthened enough to go without walking aids. That is the biggest mistake I hear of younger people making. They feel good and don’t think they need them but you do need them until you can walk with no limp. The simple little exercises they give you that seem as if they would be no help are the ones that strengthen those muscles for walking without a limp. Your physio can help advise you. If determined you can probably sit for those exams with a lot of prep work. You need to be driven there and picked up. You will need a firm but good cushion so you can be sure your knees do not sit too high, take a short grabber should you drop anything and make sure they have handicap toilets should you need one. If not, you can buy a rubber toilet lift on Amazon for about $20 and carry it in a big bag or have a friend hold it for you. Take a bottle of water and your pain meds but not enough to make you sleepy. Better yet if you had a friend who could take you in a wheelchair. You are not going to want to do many stairs yet, it’s too soon. Your work schedule sounds fairly reasonable if you have no setbacks and strengthen up gradually but well. You may need to take some sit breaks once back in the kitchen and I have heard and notice in my own recovery that working into doing things slowly is better as your muscles do not complain as much. If you could work ½ days for 2 weeks it would help. Your body will tell you though, if you will listen. You can push it to fatigue but not to pain. If you have pain you are doing too much and need to stop and rest. This surgery is not a no pain, no gain type of thing. If you have pain and try to push through you will set yourself back. Steady slowly push forward and you will be good. 

Dear Dine, 

Warm welcome to our hippies forum - We come in all ages and stages and share or personal experiences and stories... Well, as you can see, you already received great responses -

We have all been there and know how you feel --- 

We all heal at our own pace and there is not a one size fits all - 

when is your surgery scheduled for? will you get the posterior or anterior approach ...

Come here any time you have a question or concern okay ...

big warm hug

renee

 

I had a the done last Monday aged 57 and fit male. I had spinal block and was awake which I found ok as there was zero pain in op. By next day I was moving about and by Wednesday back at home. I have had little pain but out of the three of us others had a lot. The main thing I underestimated is one is exhausted by this and you need to accept that and not fight it. Just doing the 10 minutes walk means you will need a 2 hour nap after. It's not realistic to think you can continue your current exam program. Your mind needs rest as well as your body otherwise you will stress yourself. Go with the flow. Look after yourself. Be patient. I am only a week out. Early days. Remember why you are doing this and look toward a point 6 months ahead. Good luck 😊

Nothing wrong in being concerned. Do remember that everyone heals at a different rate. As a fit "youngster", you should heal very quickly.

I am 70 years old, and coming up for 4 weeks post op (RTHR). All ready I walk around the house/garden without support of any kind. I can sit in a padded chair for several hours without any pain. I am beginning to sleep on my operated side although there is discomfort. As a "youngster" you should easily be at this stage before your exams.

Ignore the scar and length issues. The length is a red herring. small incisions mean the surgeon has less room to operate in and if you google these types of operation, they are only recommended if the surgeon is very experienced in that type of operation as it is much harder to successfully cut and drill the femur. A bigger cut means the surgeon has greater access to the bones and muscles. 

What you should be asking is "will the surgeon use staples or sutures?" Staples leave a bigger scar. Depending on the person "closing up", sutures could be almost invisible. I have a sutured posterior approach scar of around 12" and already it is fading away. My wife (a nurse) could not even count the number of stitches due to the quality of the stitching.

Don't worry about your exam, as others have said, you will be allowed short breaks if you need them. Research up on the types of approach and the methods of closing.

At your age, it should be plain sailing. It's us old wrecks that need to worry.

Good luck and keep us posted.