Sleeping on your back

Posted , 7 users are following.

I have bought a sleep aid that looks like a mini deckchair that I can raise and lower in bed . Is it OK to use this all the time as it takes the pressure of my hip and I can get a few hours sleep. I can't lie flat as my leg won't allow it ,its just too painful but using this aid I can lie it flat with my knee on the bed. Am I affecting recovery do you think. Also I don't have any furniture that is high enough and comfortable enough so I have to stay in bed except to do my exercises which are getting better,and go to the loo. Any advice on these issues please.

0 likes, 13 replies

13 Replies

  • Posted

    Dear angle am around 18 months after Trhr

    Sleeping on back is the most uncomfortable thing post op

    In my experience i beged my assistant in hospital to put very thiny towel under my knee to minimize my pain when my pt sow the towl under my knee she took it and warned me not to use any thing unless for exercise purposes

    I dont know about the slppeeng aid bu it is better to counselt with your pt

    Have a good recovery time my dear big hug.

  • Posted

    I can't lie flat either - arthritis in the spine. Yes, you can do this. I actually slept on my side the whole time with a special "pillow" designed for that purpose in hip replacement. Of course it is only effective if you have one side done. But it was wonderful - a full nights sleep the whole time! I am positive this was one of the reasons I recovered so well.

    • Posted

      Oh God, Beth, I so want to do this but have been so scared to do more than 10 mins!I'm only 8 days post op. I have arthrities in my spine too but never connected the 2. I don't feel so bad now. When I went for my 1st post op xray they nearly killed me making me lie on that slab flat as a pancake. They had to scoop nu on a board to put me back in bed-not an easy challenge! I needed morphine when i got back on the ward.I can't get my leg to go down when in bed it keeps wanting to go to the side but it always has when I developed arthrities in my hip. I walk straight enough but does this mean the new joint is squint too?

    • Posted

      I'm going to message you the details of the pillow add I'm not allowed to post them here. The pillow is now being recommended by various trusts and is registered as a medical device. Trust me, you have nothing to be scared of as it cannot move or allow your legs to cross in the night - it was designed by a doctor with exactly our problem. I discovered it before my op because I had osteonecrosis in the hip and it hurt like hell without this support. For months before! I also have arthritis in the spine, so I know exactly how you  feel - I tried the contraption that you have and it didn't do anything for me. Maybe you will have more luck.

      Unlikely to be a big problem in the long run. The joint probably isn't the issue, it's probably muscles. Keep up your exercises. Most people are great at doing them for a few weeks and then slowly they go by the wayside. You need joint strengthening exercises for months after! I have a private physio, so I can't slack off!

    • Posted

      Haha thanks Beth, I'll try ANYTHING!

    • Posted

      Haha thanks Beth ,I'll try ANYTHING!

  • Posted

    Hi Angela, reading replies and other posts it's obvious that advice differs so much from area to area and country to country. I'm in Manchester in the UK and my nurses put a pillow under my knees and lower legs on day 1 when my heels were rubbing. Also one of the exercises given involved a rolled up towel under my knee. I have just been doing whatever makes me comfortable without feeling anything is straining though I have made a super fast recovery. I'm back to normal 99% at 4 weeks post op and went back to work today. When I read all the different advice on here I've kind of formed the opinion that its totally personal and as long as we are not actively putting ourselves at risk we are ok to try different things learned from others experiences . This is just my thoughts.

    Hope you find something that makes you more comfortable as sleeping on your back all the time is hard. I alternated through night with pillow under for a couple of hours then flat as only way I could cope. I'm now able to sleep on my sides too but that was a gradual process. Good luck x

    • Posted

      Hello Kirsty

      ?Did you have a total hip replacement?  I had mine done four weeks ago (8th April) and I am still nowhere near ready to return to work, still can't drive, or walk unaided.

      Good luck

      Curt

  • Posted

    Hi Angela

    I can really understand your dilemna. The nurses placed a pillow under my knees post op which helped.  I had heel burn from lying on my back so ended up with my feet just on the edge of the  bed end which was a great help too.  I havent heard of your sleep aid but it sounds fantastic.  I would however check with your physio or doctor to make sure this is okay.  From my own experience it is important to have a chair the correct height to sit on instead of lying in bed all the time. Can you put a hard cushion on an existing chair to raise the height or borrow a chair? I had occupational therapist check my needs in the home prior to coming home from hospital/rehab and borrowed a toilet surround hand rail and shower chair. I use a dining room chair to sit on as the lounge is too low. All the very best.

     

    • Posted

      I have a much loved huge corner suite with a chaise long on one end. But it was too low. So my wonderful friends crawled around the floor measuring the distances between the feet and then bought lengths of wood, cut circles into them to hold the feet steady, and raised it. I now love it even more, as, being tall anyway, it actually turns out that it's more comfortable higher! Plus my dog has decided that underneath it is his man cave, where he can store his important things and sleep! 

  • Posted

    Hi Angela, could you get someone to raise up some more comfortable furniture for you? Maybe your sofa with some blocks of wood? It must be miserable having to stay in bed.
    • Posted

      It's doing my head In Judith, we've tried to raise the chair up with cushions we don't know anyone that would have blocks or slabs of wood. I have 4 types of chair and none are suitable,I'm sure hubby is fed up with me cos im fed up with me, but he never complains.maybe in a few days when I'm more mobile I'll be able to get comfy.good job I'm patient and tolerant !

    • Posted

      Oh you poor thing, hang on in there....As you say, when you're a bit more mobile you should be able to get more comfortable. All the best, Judith

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