Squash after Hip replacement

Posted , 10 users are following.

I'm 51 years old , I've been playing squash for 15 plus years  . I just had a total hip replacement on my right hip , posterior approach on Aug 1st 2017 . I'd love to play again .

I'm getting mixed reviews . Has anyone ever gone back to squash after THR ?

0 likes, 22 replies

22 Replies

  • Posted

    Serafin

    I went back to playing ice hockey four months after my first hip replacement.  The only thing is you are young like me and these hips will only give us 20 to 25 years.  It is much harder for the docs to replace a replaced hip.  But like I say, put me in a wheelchair at 65 not now.

    • Posted

      None.  I will say you think about hurting yourself more...like if you fall which I have done but everything has been fine.  I feel just as strong as I did with my original hip.  I know several guys who had knee replacement and they still play, which I think would be less stable then the hip.  They have no problems either.
  • Posted

    Dear Serafin

    Not if they want their hip replacement to last!   I used to fly hang gliders before my hip replacement but the take off and landing usually meant a short run so I gave up the sport even though flying meant so much to me.  

    Sometimes we have to be sensible in life.   Just remember back to what it was like before you had your hip replaced.   Just because you can do it does not mean that it is sensible!   A subsequent revision could be a failure as they are usually much more of a problem.    Is it really worth taking the risk? 

    Cheers, Richard

  • Posted

    I’m almost 8 weeks and running again. No problems. Started running at 4 weeks. 
    • Posted

      Hi chrisa306driver

      Were  you a runner before? Was your replacement due to running or another issue , posterior or anterior procedure ?

    • Posted

      We'll I could run but chose to listen to the doctors who strongly advised against it. So apart from absolute emergencies I refrained and had twenty years of use.

      Mind you apart from that I did not spare myself as I was farming and building and that can be pretty physical.

      I really hope that you don't come to regret your decision!

      Cheers Richard

  • Posted

    I don't know squash other than when I eat it. But I am 40 and had right side posterior august 17, and I am now back to climbing ladders, and working in ditches, slowly, I agree with John, we did this to enjoy life and as long as healing has completed I don't see why not. My PT guy told me that we can do everything we did before THR once healed.. But be smart, I asked him about skiing because my family snow skis, His replay was yes you can go back to skiing, he suggest to be smart and not young and dumb.

    But if you never snow skied before in life, after THR is probably not a good time to start.

    • Posted

      Hi Chuck

      It’s pretty intense, involves lots of sudden explosive movements. 

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  • Posted

    All you have to remrmber is that the muscles tske up to two years to heal. Make sure your muscles are strong and stable. I was 56 whrn I had mine. I go to the gym. Only thing I was told not to use was rowing machine. I try stuff and the hip lets you know if it doesnt like it. I would build up playing speed slowly. If you had ceramic with titanium stem should last a lifetime I was told. Someone I know skis regulary. He had revisionsl ast year. After around 20 years but implants would not have been as good as they are now.
    • Posted

      Dear auntiebeanie

      I was always told it was the impact that did the damage. I can well imagine that this could result in the stem becoming loose and if a poly cup was used as is usually the case then faster wear and finally failure.

      I personally think it is very unwise to assume that because you can run that it is a smart thing to do.

      Cheers, Richard

  • Posted

    Serafin, good gosh I was just glad I was able to walk without pain after my first THR. 

    So happy for you and the others that were able to go back to an activity like that in such a short time. Sending well wishes. 😁

  • Posted

    I was told not to do any pounding sports such as tennis. Its up to you and what your specialist advises. You both know what you have been through.
    • Posted

      That is interesting about not playing tennis as during Wimbledon a couple of the commentators were talking about hip replacements. Andrew Castle was one of the commentators and he had a THR two or three years ago, three months later he was playing tennis with John McEnroe. He also played Henri Leconte in the Statoil Masters. Henri said that he could hear his hip squeaking! 
    • Posted

      Dear Ptolemy

      Sounds good but come ten years down the line the story could be very different especially if a subsequent revision goes wrong for those who push the limits.

      All I can say is that I had twenty years of pretty physical work and my hip lasted well for which I was hugely thankful. It was like being reborn and I deturmined not to risk wasting it.

      We all have different attitudes to life and I looked on my new hip as I did my new ankle joint in the same way that I view my savings account. Invest in it for long term enjoyment and security and independence rather than spend, spend and spend however tempting that may have been. At the end of the day we each have to deal with the consequences of our decisions.

      Cheers Richard

    • Posted

      It should be interesting to see how Andrew Castle gets on, he said lots of ex professional tennis players had had new hips. Interestingly he said he spent ten days in hospital, perhaps he was private and decided to have a rest.
    • Posted

      Dear Ptolemy

      It is always interesting to hear how others get on but unfortunately it takes time and a large sample to come up with meaningful results.

      Cheers Richard

    • Posted

      Hi Richard, we also need to know who the other tennis players are!  It was quite an interesting conversation they had on TV on THR, I think rain had stopped play.
    • Posted

      Dear Ptolemy

      I cannot help thinking that apart from the potential impact damage to the joint there is the twisting action too. All of this quite apart from the wear is going to have the ability to stress the cup and the stem stability.

      I'm certainly not going to be putting it to the test because I value my mobility, pain free independence far too much.

      Having recently had a revision that so far has been very successful, there are no guarantees as we know only too well from reading others stories.

      Cheers Richard

    • Posted

      Hi Richard, I think I agree. On the other hand playing squash is even worse as far as twisting is concerned. I gave squash up when I was 40 so no problem there!

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