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Pilates after hip replacement

Posted , 9 users are following.

terri17835
terri17835

I am 3 months post HR and doing pretty well. I am exercising and walking. I went back to work after 10weeks. My only issues are waking in the night because I have to change positions. I still sleep with a pillow between my legs. Also when I stand up I limp at first. I saw a infomercial on a pilates machine and it looked like it might be really good for gaining strength after hip surgery. Has anyone tried it?

1 like, 35 replies

35 Replies

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  • cath55617
    cath55617 terri17835

    Posted

    Hi Terri

    I too, am just over 3 months post op after a THR, and have exactly the same problem as you, I exercise, walk and sleep with a pillow between my legs, but when I first stand up I limp and the pain is quite bad.  It goes after a few minutes but I have now started to use a stick to help me with the first few steps.  Let me know if you find a solution.

    Best wishes

    Cath 

    • sandra_588465
      sandra_588465 cath55617

      Posted

      Hi Im the Same 11weeks THR everything fine but limp when Ive been sat for a while can anyone tell us if this goes , or is there anything we can do to help Good luck to you all x

       

    • joy47826
      joy47826 sandra_588465

      Posted

      Even folks who NEVER had a replacement do a limp thing when they get up after sitting for a while...I see it all the time.

      You are still VERY FRESH from the surgery and just be as sure as you can be about the leg discrepancy many of us deal with.

      I'm 4 yrs post op next month and I do limp/hobble a lot, but my body is older and too much arthritis.....Do work on stretching exercises. I do daily.j

  • Jackie_k
    Jackie_k terri17835

    Posted

    I'm 47 and 15 weeks post op THR and I too limp very badly for a while when I first get up until I get into my stride, I'm going to start gentle Pilates classes very soon, my surgeon was all for it, not sure what the machine is sorry x
    • terri17835
      terri17835 Jackie_k

      Posted

      Let me know how the pilates goes. It looks like it could really be good. I walk alot but sometimes I limp when I'm done. I just feel that if I strengthen that leg the limp might go away. I was given exercises at physical therapy  to do at home and bands to use to strengthen the muscles in the hip area but it isn't enough.
    • Jackie_k
      Jackie_k terri17835

      Posted

      Will do, having a bad day today, limping since I got up this morning, maybe that's because I scrubbed a bedroom carpet on my hands and knees yesterday!! Sometimes we think we're superhuman and were clearly not, lol, note to self.......not quite there yet! Xx
    • terri17835
      terri17835 Jackie_k

      Posted

      I know what you mean.At 8 weeks I painted a fence and couldn't figure out why I was limping so much the next couple of days. Now my upper thigh and hip have been bothering me and I just worked 5 days in a row on my feet all day for the first time since surgery. After limiting activity for so long it's hard not to want to do everything!
  • jilliboss123
    jilliboss123 terri17835

    Posted

    10 weeks out and 48.  Couldn't put off surgery as I injured my hip 10 yrs prior and now the joint was bone on bone.  I guess I could've put it off but there would of been a lot of pain killers going down me and probably couldn't have worked full shifts after very long.

    I too have that pain in the morning and slow to warm up.  Sometimes mine takes all day to loosen up bug I have other issues.

    • joy47826
      joy47826 jilliboss123

      Posted

      I have the new anterior parts, but still take 4-6 Advil per day, a few Pain RX (herbals) in between and many other anti pain and inflammation

      supplements.....

      I do deal with bodywide arthritis and a mess of complications from Anterior.....so am I better off, I'll never know.

      MD told me pre surgery if I didn't do this I could end up in wheelchair, who knows....

      We all make our choices and live with them.j

    • jilliboss123
      jilliboss123 joy47826

      Posted

      Joy, 

      You are right on with that.   I Def have been taking more meds after surgery and probably need many more supplements to help heal.

      Surgery and extreme pain really have a way of making us rethink what goes into our bodies . 💞👊💟

      Take it slow and careful🎯

  • anita33062
    anita33062 terri17835

    Posted

    Hi Terri and everyone else. I have been doing Pilates for 7 years and now 57 and a bit. I had my THR 7 months ago and swear that I would not have recovered so well from the op if I hadn't done Pilates. I went back to Pilates after 3 months and I can do all the exercises. I still get stiff when getting up from a chair and struggle to bend down to pick up anything from the floor.. I was hoping the bending down would be a lot easier by now so I would welcome feedback from anyone on whether this gets any better. I still have to sleep with a pillow between my knees though as my knees are still sensitive little souls and tend to be tender when I kneel on them. Has anyone tried one of those knee pillows. Any tips would be welcome. Thanks smile
    • cath55617
      cath55617 anita33062

      Posted

      Hi Anita

      Don't bother buying a knee pillow, I did and it is not thick enough to support the angle of the operated hip.  I use a bouncy pillow and double it, and I am getting better every night.  Hope this helps

      Cath

    • terri17835
      terri17835 anita33062

      Posted

      Thanks Anita! I thought pilates looked like it might help with all the stretching involved. I can bend down, but squatting with both knees bent is hard to do. I keep doing it hoping it will get easier. I went to a class about what to expect after hip surgery and the physical therapist that instructed the class was 47 and had had THR 5 yrs ago. She said she now was totally back to normal and didn't feel like she ever had any issues. The only thing she isn't doing is running and she was a runner before. At PT they recommended I buy a foam roller to use on my leg and hip area when it bothers me and I have found it does help. I don't feel the need to limp after using it. 
    • anita33062
      anita33062 cath55617

      Posted

      Thanks Cath. I use the pillow as it does tend to stop my leg wandering and crossing over in the night. It probably would be ok after 7 months but I am still being a bit cautious.
    • anita33062
      anita33062 terri17835

      Posted

      Hi Terri. The foam roller is fantastic. Even if you just lay on the top of it and just chill for a few moments it just opens up the spine. My class is run by a physiotherapist and happens to be my own physio so she knows how to adapt some of the exercises for me. Hope this will help you in the future.
    • anita33062
      anita33062 cath55617

      Posted

      Hi Cath. It is a long polystyrene tube (like the white stuff that an electrical item would be packed in a box). You lay  down on it from head to bottom with your feet on the floor and then try to balance with a series of excercise. It feels weird at first but when you roll off it the effect is amazing. It is a Pilates tool so google it and have a look. Try the APPI website. Good luck
    • terri17835
      terri17835 cath55617

      Posted

      I don't know where you are, but I got my foam roller at Walmart in the sports section. much cheaper than the ones I found online. I also found acupuncture to help but my insurance only paid for a few visits.
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