Superpath Hip Replacement 3 weeks post op

hi sandra

thanks for the reply that's really helpful. I didn't even think about the stem etc and realise I've been expecting way too much too soon. 

Ill stay on at at least one crutch around the house and take it a lot easier. Thanks for the reality check, hope I've not damaged anything now. Xxxxx

hi carol

so we almost exactly at same stage...stay in touch. I'm bingeing on the A team ironside and Quincy at the moment! 

I think ive been overdoing it and expected too much. Some people on you tube who had superpath claim to be back playing tennis after 4 weeks and I kind of bought into that but I think I like your approach and I'll take it a lot slower.

ive been putting weight on my operated hip but perhaps I'll refrain from that now.

hope you recovery continues to go well xxx

hi beannie

thanks for the reply. I'm in the UK and it's the minimally invasive procedure, I think I've been expecting miracles and fortunately I found you guys on here to give me a reality check. Haven't tried to cut my toe nails yet as I literally cut them right down before the op. 

First physio appt tomorrow 

Hi Renee

thanks for the reply. My appointment with the OS is 9th November. I think from reading everyone's replies I've been overdoing it really. I thought superpath was a miracle procedure but I think I was a bit naive so I'm really grateful for everyone's support. 

Today i I was walking at pace on one crutch mainly although I did try without and did squats before coming back here. I felt ok but it increases groin pain so I think I'll take it a lot slower. 

First physio session tomorrow somwill update how it goes tomorrow xx

saw the physiology today and she said groin pain was nothing to worry about given if suffered with it for 18 months before the THR. She said I had good strength in my leg but I must NOT do any flexion until groin heals. She said to walk without crutches at home and outside with two crutches, NOT one crutch. She said using one means I lean to my good side so that will give me a bad gait. 

She he told me to now try to go upstairs normally. Only exercise other than walking she said to do was mini squats against the wall. 

She also said we wont feel totally normal for SIX months. She said to ignore enthusiastic surgeons and you tube videos saying people are very active within 6 weeks. She said 4-6 weeks the target is simple day to day activities like shopping and driving and walking. Any strenuous exercise she said is months not weeks. 

So patience is the key and not not too much exercise. Walking is the key. She said weight bearing is not a problem an pd I should be putting weight through operated hip to strengthen muscles but a sense I do so to tighten the buttocks to really push that muscle group. X

Hi susan

did you have the superpath approach? The groin pain was what made me have it done as the locking when I sat down and went to get up became intolerable although once I was moving and unlocked I was a lot more mobile than now. 

At least it seems normal to still have groin pain at our stage. Yes, Star Trek is at 6pm....wish it was the Next Generation a si like Patrick Stewart.

i forgot to pack the PATIENCE pills as well. I'm not planning on going to work until November 13th, what about you? Xx

I think the anterior approach is a minimally invasive technique like Superpath. 

Back to work in in two weeks, wow that's amazing. My wound yet to fully heal!! 

I have my first physio session tomorrow so hopefully ill be a bit ill be a bit clearer on my progress then. I don't have net flix so just reliant on freeview channels showing programs from when I was a kid, which seems like yesterday. 

Sounds like you are progressing very well. 

Hi Gary, I'm 52 and day 12 after posterior left total hip replacement. I thought I was doing amazingly well from my expectations as I was so impaired prior to surgery as I was hesitant to proceed as I thought I was too young. I read your post and was surprised to see that you didn't think you were doing well enough! I have had my first outpatient physio today, and in some ways she was very pleased with where I have got to, but in other ways I was nowhere near where I thought I was! Suffice to say I have been promoted to 1 crutch indoors, but two out of doors. She advised all the exercises I am already doing, eg side / back swing when standing, slide foot up / side on the bed, and 'mini squats' only like if you were getting down to a seat and squeezing your bum at the same time, but no more other than walking. From reading this forum I have learned that unfortunately dislocations do happen and that we must be careful to protect our new joint irrespective of how good we are feeling. 

Hi jools

sound slike you are doing brilliantly. Have you got any groin pain! It's the groin pain that is of concern and it does seem more prevalent with those like me who had minimally invasive methods, be it SuperPath or Anterior approach. 

My movement i feel isnt bad bad at all, but the pain is worrying me but I'll update tomorrow when I've seen physiology, my first session. 

Hi Gary, I was on an accelerated pathway and out of hospital very quickly, but I'm not entirely sure how the surgeon approached / cut the muscles. I've had groin pain to varying degrees since surgery but wasn't too concerned as I was in so much pain beforehand it actually didn't seem as bad. I've been monitoring how many steps I've been doing since coming home, and even though I've mostly been pottering about at home the total amount is steadily increasing. So, after a physio session and being good and staying within the rules it was such a lovely day yesterday I took a little walk out probably no more than 5 minutes there and back on 2 crutches ( oh, and a little nosy in the supermarket on the way hoe from physio). I have had such a bad night since with groin pain, pain at the back of the hip and down the front of the thigh and had to go back to 2 sticks to get out of bed! The shock of returning to the that horrid relentless nature of the pain after less than 2 weeks was immense! So it seems our bodies are absolutely telling us how fast we can go! 

?You sound to me like you are doing really well and will return to all your pre - surgery activities in time; it's just the pesky amount  of time that is the unknown at the moment. Let us all know how your physio goes today - I bet they will be really pleased with how you've got on so far. 

Sorry to hear you had pain again. Physio said i have good strength but am imbalanced and NOT to use one crutch. She said either use none or both for longer distances.

She told me i was squatting too far and to squat against a wall but only go down halfway.

Im not to do any flexion at all as that aggravates the groin. But ahe wants me around house to not use crutches and put full weight on operated leg but squeeze my buttock as i do so. Im to go up stairs normally.

She said the idea is to not limp. Hence why one crutch is bad as i will lean to good side.

We get so many different opinions its so hard to know what to do. Today is 3 weeks exactly post op

Sounds like you have a very good physio. Like you say they all say something a little different, but the one crutch thing makes perfect sense. Of course we would lean over ? I've rested more today and just pottered, and think I have settled whatever I had overdone. Have a calm and comfortable weekend!

Hi Jools

im going back on Wednesday and if my wound is fully healed she will arrange for me to have a pool session. 

Im walking around house with no crutch but it's hard. It is painful in the hip and I can still feel the groin. The groin though is a lot more problematic with any flexion so I'm trying to avoid flexion. 

Im tempted to keep using crutches but it's a tricky one as the more we use crutches the less we use our muscles so I'm trying to go through the pain. She did say walking has no risk of disclocation neither does putting weight on it so that gives confidence. 

She said she wasnt surprised by my groin as I'd struggled with the groin for 18 months so she said those muscles will be needing a lot of work. She was very clear that as long as the pain isn't continuous then it's nothing to worry about. 

Hope me that helps. The one thing that is now crystal clear is that anyone who needs a hip replacement should get it done asap and not struggle on. The more people try to struggle the harder the post op recovery is. 

I think pottering like you did today is useful if you had a hard day yesterday as it's a good way to work the muscles but allow them to recover before going again. 

Not sure if this will help you but, before my hip got really bad, I used to do a lot of Pilates so understand and benefit from a strong inner core to achieve strong muscles and good posture. My Pilates instructor has advised me to not only do the bum clenching but also pelvic floor exercises as this really helps with hip replacement recovery. It might be good for your groin pain too?   Just do them every time you are sitting for short periods....obviously check with your physio but it seems to be helping me so far....I am now 16 days post op, can get around with one crutch around the house but have heeded your words about this could give me a limp.

In your position I would carry on with both crutches and as your muscles progressively strengthen you can reduce your dependence on them.

Cheers Richard

when you say pelvic floor exercises, may I ask what these specifically are? Sounds like you are doing great. 

Inwas doing a lot of planking before the THR but yet to resume those and forgot to ask physio today if I could x

Hi richard

yes, I am going to take it slowly as at the moment apart from really short distances it's painful without. Overdid it today but it was worthwhile as a test. 

I did drive today, it was my dads car and I felt ok but it is a big luxury saloon. My car is a low slung coupe and no chance I'll be using that for a while. But it was good just to keep the alertness up but won't be driving again for at least a week. Today was sort of a test day as it were. 

“Sit, stand or lie down with your legs slightly apart and relax your thighs, buttocks and abdomen muscles. Tighten the ring of muscle around your front and back passages drawing the pelvic floor muscles up inside. Try to complete up to 10 slow squeezes and 10 fast squeezing exercises”

They are usually recommended for women after giving birth but great for men too. 

Planking is the best for abdominal muscles isn’t it? 

I couldn’t get down to the floor or up again at the moment though 😂 keep up the good work and share any physio advice please! I got very little in hospital x

I can't get down as far as floor either lol. I haven't really been on my front at all since the op wo will leave planking until after Wednesday when I see physio next. 

One thing surprised me was when she got the step out. Until today I was good going upstairs but always good leg first method. I was really sceptical about putting operated leg on first but she said nothing will happen give it a go. When I did it was really easy and I think the stairs is good exercise going up. I would say brave it and walk normally up them even if you hold the bannister for support. It's a good way of putting weight onto the operated leg but with a natural (bannister rail) support there. 

She did tell me not to sit for more than 30 mins at a time but I'm being naughty as I found sitting on a soft sofa that reclines and has a foot rest really helped me. That is against all the advice but I've had no swelling at all and I'm sure having my legs raised when sat down as helped and the soft sofa helped all the bruising. 

So my method is is when I do some exercise do it in very short but intense bursts then a lot of rest. So far I'm not having any pain when at rest. From what I gather that seems the yardstick, level of pain at rest. If the only pain you get is when exercising then it seems they are not too worried as that's just tired or under used muscles needing to be re trained. But pain at rest seems to be a warning sign so that's what I'm keeping an eye on. 

Ill go for a walk tomorrow outside but will use two crutches. I think the key is to slowly build. Xx

Yes, my physio thought I would take slightly longer to recover than someone who had not lost muscle mass in the thigh / groin, which I think accelerated rapidly over the final 3 - 4 months. I couldn't lift my leg at all without pulling up on my trouser leg, so always had to wear trousers! Do you think you could use your crutches but only partially weight bear through them, taking the majority  of weight equally through each leg? I can feel how strong the joint is compared to before, when I was worried that it would just give way and leave me in a heap on the floor. I am finding night time pain a bit unpleasant, I guess it's when the joint hasn't moved for a while and you are stuck flat on your back in bed! Maybe a mixture of more and less intense daily activities may be the way to go too.

I can't believe you are nearly at the point for swimming though - that's good!

Hi Jools

its a strange one really. My muscle strength was really good before the op a s I was doing a lot of cycling and sort of going through pain barrier. But my worry is that doing that may have hurt the tendon in the groin and kind of ripped it as it was rubbing the inflamed joint and catching it. 

I am now walking more confidently around around the house with no crutches and the pain in buttock and hip area is a bit less, but isn't getting worse even after weight bearing. But the groin is making no progress which despite what physio is saying is worrying me. 

I will use both crutches still outside and not fully weight bear for long distances. In bed I have no pain at all so sorry to hear you are but of course you were worse than me before the op and I think post op pain and stiffness is directly related to how bad someone was pre op. Which makes sense as my groin was worse part pre op and that's the worse but now. 

As for swimming i think forst it will be walking walking in the pool before swimming as I'm no good at front crawl and breast stroke I think would be risky at the moment xx