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Is walking on a treadmill good before hip replacement?

Posted , 7 users are following.

betty07083
betty07083

Hi, like many of you, I have bone on bone, osteoarthritis in my right hip. I'm due to have hip replacement in the fall (I was scheduled to have it May 15th, but a root canal got in the way of it!) Being told how important it was to exercise and strenghten the muscles before surgery, I have been walking on a treadmill, about 2 miles a day. My hip seems more painful than ever however, and maybe this is a dumb question, but how does walking or any other type of exercise help when there is constant bone on bone movement? Doesn't it just aggravate the bone on bone?

Thank you, Betty

0 likes, 30 replies

30 Replies

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  • judith12644
    judith12644 betty07083

    Posted

    Hi Betty, I had some exercises that the physio gave me, and they seemed to ease the pain a bit. I just had 3 exercises to do. With one I had a resistance band around a table leg, and my bad leg, and I pulled out my leg at a 45° angle. Another one was having the band around both legs, and stepping the bad leg out sideways and back, slowly. As Peggy says there are probably good ones on line, or maybe you could see a physio. All the best, Judith

    • betty07083
      betty07083 judith12644

      Posted

      Thank you Judith,

      Yes, I have pre-op exercises that were given to me, but I wanted to keep up the walking too, in the hopes of losing some weight. When I'm on the treadmill, it actually feels good, less impact, but its the soreness afterwards that I'm noticing, where I did not notice before when I was walking on ground, so I wondered if the treadmill was not a good thing to do with bone on bone.

      I hope it will be a good thing to walk on AFTER THR, as I just bought the thing!

      Thank you Judith and good luck with your recovery!

    • judith12644
      judith12644 betty07083

      Posted

      Hi Betty, I'm sure that it will be good afterwards! (I was told that walking was the best exercise,) I'm fine thanks, had my op almost a year ago, mostly I hardly think about my hip. Hope all goes well for you, Judith

    • betty07083
      betty07083 judith12644

      Posted

      Judith, that's wonderful you no longer ( hardly) think of your hip! I can't wait to get to that point!

      Betty

    • RichardKen
      RichardKen judith12644

      Posted

      Dear Judith

      That's interesting what you say about walking because when I had my original hip replaced twenty years ago all I was told to do was walk and that is what I did and was soon through the recovery and back to work. This time around I was sent out of hospital with pages of exercises to do! What a difference?

      All the best to everyone here.

      Richard

  • auntiebeanie
    auntiebeanie betty07083

    Posted

    Hi Betty,

    static bike and any water exercises will help as well as  the pre op ones. Treadmill no good when bone on bone. Good luck xx

  • renee01952
    renee01952 betty07083

    Posted

    dear betty, 

    warm welcome to the hippies forum -

    I read the discussion between you and Peggy ... wow, so great to see this exchange in experience - 

    I lived in Los Angeles for 34 years and know about the ongoing heat - Las vegas is even worse ... 

    I live in Holland now and had 2 THR surgeries 6 months apart - rain, cold and damp winters are not helping either rolleyes - 

    I had physical therapy pprior surgery and it was hell for me - it did aggrevate the bone on bone hip and I had to stop ... the exercises were not the right ones either -

    so sorry to hear about the weight gain - same here - slowly gaining weight because of the restricted movements coming on - slowly (was in denial for a while) and then post op, plus another hip replacement surgery .. I was eating sensible meals however, not being able to move didn't help a lot ---

    Your body and you are in pain ... exercising, even walking on a treadmill or using a stationary bike makes your body stiff and rigid - muscles are contracted just because you are hurting ...

    SImple exercises, like Peggy mentions, are the best --- also upper body training might be good, like arms and shoulders and core muscles - not too heavy though -

    I love Ojai !!!!  

    Hope it will cool down soon and maybe some much needed rain . (wish I could send some from here)..  

    come here anytime okay ...

    big warm hug

    renee

    • betty07083
      betty07083 renee01952

      Posted

      Hi Renee! Nice to hear from a former "Angeleno" smile

      What part of L.A. did you live in? I've read your past posts and found your story intriguing, knowing you lived here for 34 years then moved to Holland. I think I remember you saying you now lived in a small village or a very isolated area, and it sounded so lovely to me! I'm curious as to why you left California. Please forgive me if I'm being too personal, but I really do have a sincere interest in people and their stories.

      When did you have your two THR's and what stage of recuperating are you in? Were they successful Renee? How are you doing now?

      You are such a kind and caring person to all on this forum. It's funny, but sometimes on forums like this ( I was also on the TKR forum) you feel a connection with certain people and think " we could be great friends if we did not live so far apart".

      I was interested in your comments about how your pre PT exercises were awful for you. It makes me think I should just stick to the ones the hospital gave me rather than risk doing more damage!

      I was scheduled to have THR May 15 but literally 2 days before, I had to have an emergency root canal and now my surgeon is on vacation until end of August, so I think it will be September or Oct. now. I saw this as a second chance to lose weight & strengthen the muscles.

      Sorry for the long rant! Wish we could chat in person over a cup of coffee smile

      x Betty

  • kimberley38758
    kimberley38758 betty07083

    Posted

    Hi Betty,

    As long as it doesn't make the pain worse, there shouldn't be any reason why you can't gently use the treadmill.  By the time my hip was bone on bone, I wasn't able to walk long distances or do much at all without it causing me pain. 

    Listen to you body. Moderation is the key.

    Best wishes!

    • betty07083
      betty07083 kimberley38758

      Posted

      Hi Kimberley,

      LISTEN TO YOUR BODY! Such common sense but one tends to forget that when obsessing over the fact "no pain, no gain" when trying to lose weight and think you are doing the right things to strengthen those muscles.

      Thank you and you are right, moderation is the key.

      I feel fortunate that I still can walk without too much pain yet, so tend to take advantage of that I guess, then end up over doing it.

      I do like the treadmill as I feel it's easier on my body compared to uneven ground. I will still walk on it, but in moderation smile

      Take care, Betty

  • janeane72743
    janeane72743 betty07083

    Posted

    I had a knee revision put in January followed by right hip operation in march and it was great for 3 months then my hip dislocated they put it back in follow by two days later by another dislocated hip then I had to have traction for 10 days followed by hip brace and infection brace comes of in two weeks but left knee know needs revising due to a infected twisted knee because its taking on all pressure by the time its fixed I will been out of action for 12 months
    • betty07083
      betty07083 janeane72743

      Posted

      Oh Janeane, Bless your heart! I feel so depressed at times (most of the time to be honest) with this chronic hip pain, rather than walking with ease, I constantly feel like I'm climbing a hill, but at least I CAN walk and be somewhat active. I can't even begin to imagine all that you have been through and still no light at the end of the tunnel!

      Are you having any kind of home physical therapy? When are you due to have the revision on your left knee?

      My thoughts are with you Janeane and please keep us posted on how you are coming along.

      x Betty

  • janeane72743
    janeane72743 betty07083

    Posted

    exercise before operation builds up muscles it does help even though I had a dislocated hip twice it was fine for 3 months
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