Taking the plunge

hi fergal, yes I insisted on a steel head, I didnt want the potential squeeks of ceramic on ceramic.

The doc was a little ambigious about it and wanted to do things his way and I told him it was a deal breaker lol

Do a little research on the different options. The steel head comes with some risk of Ion poisoning from within the threads where the ball screws on the stem.

I just felt that if I could hear/feel my jint squeek it would drive me crazy. Like a squeek in the dash of your car but I wouldnt be able to run away from it. LOL

I think there are some risks no matter what you do these days. includiing walking across the street. Really getting a hip replacement and having the opportunity to walk and move without pain is a wondeerful

opportunity.

I also asked him to put in a larger thn normal ball. (40 MM) rather than the standard (36 mm). also I asked him to really try not to lengthen the limb to get the joint tight. I have good muscles and though I have some current atrophy

I wanted him to know that I felt I could rehab and strengthen the muscle enough to tighten the joint up good.

I know that was more then you asked for but I had quite a few things I wanted to see happen. My damn body do things my way! And dont be telling me your the pro! kind of attitude.

Cheers josh.

I like your approach. I would like to research it myself. Any idea were i could find this info.

Did opt for steel on ceramic josh.

Josh,

Sounds like you are doing fine there - well done, keep up the good progress.  You'll soon be back there on the mats with your grandson.

Graham - 🚀💃

cool Eric, Tang soo doo is a good art, in some ways it would be very difficult on the joints to kick in your Tang Soo doo class!I understand very well why it hurt. I was unable to stand in a front stance ( Dont remember the korean name for this) on the bad side

Mayeb try working on Aikido instead of Tang soo doo.Aikido can be very very effective and its not as punishing on the body. It does take a little longer to learn however. I got my leg done two days ago and im moving arond today without crutches.Im still trying to observe some specific dislocation position precautiions but I am doing well with no pain relivers other than celebrex

All is well

Josh - Have continued to follow your postings, so glad you are doing sooo well.

Agree with you about re-learning to walk without the limp.

Bad habits learned are now hard to un-learn.

Try to be very aware, slow down a little and walk correctly, it does come naturally but takes some time, and even then I seemed to fall into the lazy limp, and found myself correcting very quickly, getting better every day at this end, hope to find the same for you.

Greetings David,

Yes I have considered the Tae kwon do. I am

ranked in this also. I trained tae kwon do for about 12 years. I think as long as I stay away from breaaking

concrete slabs and maybe heavy bag workouts this may be fine.

I am already working on my kicking and was explaining to the PT

why I turned on my supporting foot so the heel faced the side I was working on, he was mostly just listning and taking notes as I went through some of the drills and why. He was an older but really experienced guy

I guess Ive been wondering about bringing my training full circle back to more of the standing training

Im at day 14 post op and doing well. I was considering some light plyometrics.

Funny, but it is using the new hip side as the supporting leg that is a bigger challenge at this point. Im sure its due to several factors. But mostly just lacking overall good strength from having babied it for 6 or 7 years

The advantage Im sure you will also find is that your body knows what it feels like to hold your knee up high and extend out with your kick. this is great PT and uses the whole body.

As Ive been healing, Ive been strengthening on a rather constant basis. Always rapping out ten legs lifts in different directions and doing various stances to strengthen on a continous basis rather than a 1 hr intensive PT time.

running through the Kata (Poomsae) slowly has also been nice. Of course my kicking is not at all snappy but rather very slow and controlled.

Im not sure I would recomend my recovery methods to every one. I was told that as long as Im mindful of the dislocation posititions as I move and my leg is able to bear the weight of my movement, then these thing should be fine

Of course, Im sure you would not say it looks much like a good Kata. but the muscle focus and oportunity to spend the enrgy on things my body knows so well is kind of nice. almost refreshing.I want to encourage you. I also feel like I could return to the Tae kwon do. Im not sure I will be abe to kick as high as I did

prior to the surgery. But Honsetly Ive always loved jump turning kicks. Or what you might call spinning heel or spinning back kicking. very fun and very powerful.

Already I can sit onn the floor in a butterfly stetch with more comfort and deeper stretch wothout pushing at all. So Im hopeful about the kicking range.

Oh one more thing. I agree with you regarding not doing both at the same time. I know one gentleman. Very knowledgeable 40 year veteran that did this and he really was never able to get his grounding and movement back the way it should be. I had just one side done and recovery is going easy. But I would bet that getting my body knowledge back with

both being repalced would be hard. Like really having to learn to walk again?

Cheers josh

Thanks for your information you have given. Im amazed by how ur recovery us going its really inspiring. So much so quick.you must have had good musle mast in the leg begore op did you. Im hoping when i go back to speak to surgeons that i have other options here in ireland. Not sure if your European yourself josh. But im under public hospital at the min. Hoping if i go private now does it give me other options on type of Thr. As the public is standard THR. With age playin a factor id like to explore and see if other Thr would benfit me.

Thanks again

Enjoying following your story.

Massive fan of martial arts myself.

Both my girls do TKD and trying put jui jitsu at the min. Would have loving to do these sports but only found an interest tge lasy 1p years. Bit to late to take up now with the leg i think. Lol

You wil have to excuse my spelling. Big fat fingers on a small phone.......

Hobbies are swimming and golf. cycling is a no go at the min. I can do it but afterwards its painful. Seems to flare up the OA. If i could get back to these sports it be ok. Cardio wise anyway.

Keep us all posted josh and david.

Id be interested to see how the 90 degree bend can be broken or is that even possible to ever do after Thr.

Hi Josh,

Well done, that truely does sound like amazing progress in 14 days.  If I am doing that well I will be over the moon!

What does worry me about having it done is that I read on various forum that everyone notices such an improvement when they stand up as they can bear weight on to the operated leg for the first time in years, dont need crutches etc.  I dont necessarily have those problems yet. 50% of the time I am sore to stand up, but equally it can be mild discomfort.  The main issues arise once I have walked a distance, exercised, or bend down to get something, all of which i wont be doing immediately after the operation.  I guess it will be a longer weight for me to experience the benefits. I'm also dreading sleeping on my back. I never sleep on my back....

David.

Josh,

I meant to say, whether I go back to TKD will depend on what the new hip is like. If I do go back i will avoid any contact sparring, breaking etc.  I'd do bag work but I would always be consious of the power I put in. I can only imagine what a full force side kick would progressively do to a hip replacment! I'm a Third degree in it and wanted to go for my fourth.  We shall see if that happens.  Needless to say though, I couldnt have gone for my 4th with my existing hip!

All the best,

David.

Hi David

Just came across your story. All your symptoms are the same as mine. Although i did have surgery 20 years ago and have never recovered complete movement. Just the 90 degree bend is were im stuck. Hip necer been able to get past that just freezes or hurts if i push to far. But like yourself im 50/50 with pain. All depends in how active i am on it. Walking seems ok bit of a limp but liftin or bending while lifting kills. Lighten pain down the leg i get. Cold weather is a killer or running on it. I do a couple of kilometers swims average twice a week but need an aid between legs so as to not over do kicks which also causes pain afterwards. Anti inflammatory get me fixed for a couple if days. I have noticed that the right hip has started to bother me now. So waiting on xray on that. But all in all i got to do lifting in my work place so it needs to be done as everyone clearly puts it doesn't get any better.

Best of luck on your recovery and keep us posted.

Im 37 myself David its a hard to come to terms that its needed so young but all sounds like everyone recommends the op.

Hi Fergal,

Your right it is hard to come to terms with and it doesnt help that colleagues, friends and family members keep saying "but your so young to have a hip replacement. Are you sure?" I am finding it very hard to keep a resolve to go through with it. My job is officed based so I sit down 90% of the day.  On top of that I am still very fit.  I think those two reasons are why I'm not in more constant pain.  That said I'm on constant paracetamol and Naproxen.  If I stop taking them I suffer. Before those I was given other meds to try: cocodomol, diclofenic and arthotec (not all at the same time), however I had to stop taking them as they were killing my stomache. I also had Tramadol 200mgSR to help me sleep, however I developed a reaction to tramadol and felt drunk and shakey for about 2 days afterwards. In anycase, I never felt the tramadol got rid of the pain, it just made me not care about it anymore!

I cant run anymore. The most I can achieve is perhaps 5mins on the treadmill at a slow jog, however even that is extremely painful and i can feel the stress its putting on my knee.  I only do it because I'm stuborn! I tried swimming as everyone said it would be good for my joint(s) however even the kicking motion hurts after a couple of lengths.

I see you play golf? I play (badly), however since my symptons developed around 4 years ago I went from being a 16 handicap to struggling to go round 30 over.  I think it was due to lack of mobility in the joint. I also ended up limping round and painful after the 18 holes. Last year was a struggle to complete a round and I tried to play 2 weeks ago and lasted 4 holes before I wanted to quit. I ended up walking off after 10 as I was in agony.

I assume that you have had your THR now? (I was just reading a previous post by you.) How did it go?

No i have not had it yet myself. I am due back to speak to surgeons in may. I was due to go in april. But i be honest i got cold feet as i hadn't heard about other options or had all this info i got. So i got a long list of questions i need answered to push me that extra step. Age does play a factor and yes your right eveyone saying the same thigs your very young. A big thing for me is the revision surgery been only 15-20 years away. I hear that they are harf pushed on revision surgery. So the fear of not been able to work when that comes around is hard. People will say things will be different in 20 years time. But are we tied into the same type of op now that we have had this 1 done.

Im not on pain killers everyday. I feel awkward walking and over use im taken diefine anti inflammatory.

As for golf had to quit about a year ago i knew i was doing more damage than good as after each game i had to elevate my leg and rest it.

Swimming i have stopped using the legs now and just do upper body swim i have an aid between the legs to help keep them floating.

But as pain goes i think my good days way out the bad.

Concerns are that am i doing damage elsewhere to my body. Like u say knees nack etc.

So to get it done earlier and not wait for the daily agony is my question.

Best of luck with it anyway david.

I find it hard to stau positive at this age but i need to overcome that. Im working on it and pre op exercises at the min.

Hi Fergal,

Can I ask what other options have you been given? When I was first diagnosed I was given physio, however that didnt do much. They then refered me to the orthapedic consultant. I saw one that said he wouldnt touch me until I was 60. The next one I saw said that the hip joint was severely degraded and that the only real option was replacement. 

When i say options i mean. Types of hip replacement ceramic on ceramic or steel, Bhr hip etc. Type of surgery anterior or posterior. As the gluten muscles seem to have shrunk over the years will they become a problem with holding a replacement. These been Some of my issues im concerned about. So il be addressing these at next appointment in may. I have been doing some phsyo to strengthen these musles around the leg but cant say it easy but no pain no gain i suppose. Feels progressive.

Besides that why was the 1st guy saying he wouldn't touch it until you are 60.

Makes you wonder about the revision been a problem.

But as most will say on here why be in pain when you csn get this done and be pain free.

Spoke to my daughters tkd instructor and says the best thing he did was pre op exercises and this guy has no limits aged 60

With what he can do now. I seen him move and stretch, never notice a thing was ever wrong. Thought that might intersest you.

Hi Fergal,

I see what you mean about the options.  Since I have been diagnosed I have been offered hip resurfacing as being the definate option for me. 1yr down the line it was a 180 as the consultant said that the recent studies showed that the benefits dont outweigh the risks.  The next one offered to me was the conventional Exeter system (i cant remember what the ball was made of now) which I was going to get and then I pulld out of the surgery as my symptoms suddenly calmed down and I was managing okay. The recent option (on private cover) that I was given, and have chosen to go with, is an hybrid system with Exeter stem with ceramic ball, tritanium socket and X3 highly cross linked polyethelene liner. Theres a risk with that one though as there is only 5yrs of data on it vs the conventional tried and tested exeter system. However the test data looks good with regards to wear and the combination of materials is meant to give me a much better range of motion which is important to me.

The second consultant I saw said that the reason he wouldnt take me on was the need for revision.  However he then offered to refer me to his colleague who specialised in young people. That consultant took one look at my x-rays and said I needed surgical intervention....

I dont know what your experience has been with the NHS (I'm assuming your in the UK), however I have found very little support and understandng with this. The GP originaly refered me to physio and the orthapedic consultant at the same time. Physio saw me twice, gave me some exercises and then didnt want to see me again. I saw three consultants, two of which offered no advice or assistance nd mad me feel like i was wasting their time, the third could only offer the surgery.  I was never offered steriod injections, more physio or anything.  In the end I kind of felt I was just a low priority. Also the opinion on what I should do with regards to surgery differed from one GP to the next and from one consultant to the next.  There was no consensus which I found (and still do) find very very confusing and hard to deal with...

Thats good about the TKD instructor.  I'm hoping that will be me. Maybe I can go in to teaching it and back off on the training a bit

Sorry Josh, I dont meant to hijack your posting.  I hope your recovery is going well and that your still astounding everyone!