THR What is the best cardio-vascular exercise when fully fit?

If you are competitive then swimming front or back crawl would be safe (breastroke has too much rotation). Anything with high impact is not good which takes out running and most sports. Cycling may be OK if you have the range of motion and you watch your technique but obviously has the risk of falls and further injury.

Walking is OK so you might think about hill walking. Some work with weights may be OK but competitive lifting is not a good idea, keep the loads down and get the rep rate up and impact down.

Singing is recommended for asthma - you might find a community singing group which aims to enjoy the activity rather than reach professional heights. You might also investigate one of these resistance breathing devices - speak to your doc.

Good luck

My physio recommended a recumbent exercise bike...just bought one on ebay!! Swimming too...lots of physio exercises to do in water to strengthen the joints and increase flexibility too...

Do a Google search for other info..mostly American....

.....plus all Ros' suggestions!!

Chris

Hi I had a car accident 22 years ago smashing my hip socket and a few other pelvic fractures. I was repaired with plates and screws. Unfortunately I always used crutches to relieve pain when walking outside. No longer being able to do general exercise with weightbearing, I took up swimming which has kept me physically fit.It does not put pressure on your joint. I am now 56 and had to have a hip replacement last November. I have started to swim about a month ago. My replacement did not go well as surgeon damaged my femoral nerve which has made me more disabled than before. On the plus side my nerve may regrow by xmas so fingers crossed. I am managing to swim but due to more pain I limit my lengths to 4 , I was able to do 40 before. I also do exercise in the pool. I am sure you could still do weights on your upper body. If you feel comfortable when sitting on a bike you probably still able to do that. I was not able to carry on cycling as sitting certain ways caused me severe discomfort. I did a lot of static cycling as physiotherapy after my repaired hip joint. I put up with the pain as I wad in recovery. It was only after about 2 years that I realised that I had to accept that certain activities cauaed me more pain that I stopped putting myself through it. I enjoy being able to swim. It does take a long time to mentally adjust to what you can no longer do. Just give yourself time to adjust. Good luck hope this helps.

K

Thanks Ros and Crissy,

Good positive suggestions and the singing thing could be fun!

Also wondering how long will a THR last if you look after it? (no high impact stuff)

I have heard 10 to 20 years but nothing definitive.

I think I wouldn't fancy doing it again in 10 years (aged 65) or in 20 years (aged 75- assuming lucky enough to live this long).

How many times can the procedure be repeated on the same hip?

So I am going on an assumption if I get 10 years out of it, Could I have another at 65 (if in good health)

And if I was very lucky and in good health at 75 could I have another then?

A lot of questions I know. I am just hoping that with it being a common procedure now, that someone has

positive evidence of multiple replacements being possible or not.

Thanks again for your original replies and good luck in your recoveries.

Tom.

Cheers K,

Yes I think the mental thing will come into play. Accepting that certain things are just not possible anymore.

Good Luck and stay positive.

Tom.

Hi Tom,I am retired have time on my hands, in 2014 up until the day before my Op(March 13th) I spent 4 days a week working out in my local gym....I found lighter weights with up to 20reps and a short restbetween sets will raise your heart rate and make you puff...I added into this workout the punch bag,using

boxing gloves I would blast the bag hard for 30secs then rest for 30secs then back on the bag and after

just 5mins I was puffing like a steam train and it is good to get your frustrations out on the bag....

Being competitive you should give yourself targets to achieve,Times or distance....I also love working with

the large rubber bands,they are so adaptable and can be carried in your bag if your as crazy as me and

workout when you are vacation....

There is also the pool,I am a lousy swimmer but still get benefit by doing stretches in it and lastly you

should make time to relax,steam,sauna,Jacuzzi,hot tub,it will all speed your physical and mental recovery..

Enjoy your life and activities.....

Hi Tom....just on the voice thing...google 'natural voice' and you will find a choir near to you...always looking for male members!

i volunteer for Silverline and one of my callers has had both hops replaced twice....first lasted nearly twenty years and obviously things have progressed by now. The ceramic and titanium ..whichever is the latest..are too new to predict a lifetime but my surgeon says 20-35 years depending how you how you treat them!

Just keep positive, attitude is everything!

Chris

Thanks Parps and Crissy,

That is just what I wanted to hear.

I feel Like I am progressing.

And am prepared to be patient, but at least I know there are activities I can go "full tilt" at when I am recovered.

Meanwhile I have had a good walk out today with crutches (trying to get weight on my weak side) and now

it is time to watch the futty Chelsea v PSG

Good Luck

Tom.

I know a number of people who've had a hip for over 20 years. You should get an x-ray at a year and if that is looking good (solid interface between bone and artificial materials and good alignment) then 10 years has a very high probability, median is 20+ and the new generation hasn't been going long enough to find out the addition. As I used to say to the students: the problem with trying to improve the lifetime of a device when the current one is 20 years is that you will be retiring by the time you find out if you got it right!

As for replacements, it depends on the bone. You tend to lose some bone around the prosthesis anyway because the loading has changed and bone responds to load. Each op takes a bit of bone away as they prepare the canal for the new prosthesis. Eventually it gets really hairy and you get into bone grafts and all sorts of salvage procedures. Usually they can do 3, 4 if you are lucky so even 15 years a time should see you into your dotage. The oldest patient I came across with a first prosthesis was 101 and she went home after the op. No I'm not a doctor but I was involved on the engineering side.

Hi Ros,

Glad I logged on this forum.

I feel more optimistic now. I intend to stay positive. I will be having an x-ray in about 3 weeks which will be week 6 after my op. Hopefully the progress will have been good.

Then slowly build my activity up (going to avoid high impact). Hoping this THR will see me out if I take care of it and avoid Ford Fiestas!

Thanks for your input.

Tom.

'Chelsea tractors' carry an even bigger wallop. I think your motto should be that if I have to impact on anything make sure it is a mattress.

At 55 and average lifespan of yourself and prosthesis you stand a 50 % chance of needing a revision but my friend is in her 80s, is on her 3rd prosthesis and lives in a top floor tenement with no lifts. She doesn't get out as much at the moment because she had a health wobble but a revision isn't the end of moderately active life although rehab may be more demanding.

Daughter-in-law of another friend who is about your age is coming towards the end of her current prosthesis life (20 years) after revision for a botched first op. OK she went to one of the top surgeons for the revision but they reckon that they can do a revision for her when it becomes necessary in 2-5 years time.

So she has enjoyed swimming, low impact activities in the gym and a generally active lifestyle since her rehab after the revision. She's been told to cut back on some activities and they are monitoring her every year but 20 years ago she was looking at life in a wheelchair so she's done well out of the revision. Onward & upward is the motto.

Tom..good luck with your 6 week review...my surgeon was fairly laid back...go with how you feel he said..ditch the crutch and then both if you feel ready...lie on your side if you feel comfy....drive somewhere quiet..practice emergency stops and then just go for it!

I know different professionals give different advice but I like his attitude....

Ask to see your xray if you can...really fascinating! I even asked if I could have it on my phone ..for airport security but he said its so common now they don't bother!

Posting on this forum and Facebook has been interesting too....!!!

Keep posting!

If you are anything like me then one day you find yourself doing something new without thinking too much about it then saying to yourself - that was nice or sometimes, best leave that a bit longer. The main thing is to avoid those movements and loads which might damage your hip and build up the rest as the rehab progresses.

Get my review on Monday and I hope to get my wheels back, some spontaneous trips out of the village would be good even if I don't go far. I have a feeling that I will visit most of the coffee shops in the area over the next few weeks as I find new places to practice my walking!

Just be careful of the chairs...and the loos!!especially with all that coffee!!

Since I'm fairly small I can usually find a dining chair at reasonable height. I find that if I use the disabled loo I can cope. Stick operated leg out and sit down carefully. Repeat process when getting up. I suspect I might pack a long dish for real emergencies!!