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Walking post THR

Posted , 12 users are following.

JeremySt
JeremySt

I've had a lot of very useful info from this forum since I joined not so long ago - thank you all very much! I have a couple of questions:

1) Post LTHR op to exercise must I walk outside, or can I walk just inside the house (difficult terrains outside the house)? Has anyone in this situation just walked inside the house and got better?

2) Will I need to move the bed downstairs, or will I be able

to use the stairs? Does the PT practice stairs while still in hospital?

Sorry these may be elementary questions, I would really appreciate to hear about your exoerinces. Thanks, Jeremy

0 likes, 69 replies

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  • CelsB
    CelsB JeremySt

    Posted

    Hi Jeremy,

    I really started indoors and progressed to outdoors when I felt more confident.  On crutches it felt strange on sloping pavements because one crutch was higher than the other.  I'm 6 weeks on Thursday and I still stick to level surfaces when I can.  I haven't attempted walking on grass or gravel yet.  

    As Graham says, you'll do stairs in hospital with the physio.  

    Good luck, whenever your op is.

    Cels x

     

    • JeremySt
      JeremySt CelsB

      Posted

      Thanks Cels all very useful stuff. Jeremy
  • linda38528
    linda38528 JeremySt

    Posted

    Graham's site is brilliant - great advice but also a basicguidelines re progess and concerns we have all felt at various times. 

    Welcome to the group and let us know how you get on. And let friends know what you are going to face and be specific about how they could help. Perhaps a group of friends could coordinate meal contributions or activities and visits or chores. No matter how prepared we think we will be - this operation takes a lot out of you and you may need help in unexpected ways. So do not be shy about getting friends to help with tasks or keeping your spirits up (and those of any partner too - it is tough seeing your partner suffering and shouldering the extra load.

    I wish you a skillful and careful surgeon, excellent nursing staff and a smooth recovery.      

    • JeremySt
      JeremySt linda38528

      Posted

      Thank you Linda, good info and kind words! Will keep you informed. Jeremy
  • Chris8968
    Chris8968 JeremySt

    Posted

    Since I have a flight of stairs to get to the living area/kitchen and another flight of stairs to my bed room I was cleared to do stairs before I left the hospital but I was told not to do stairs unsupervised for a while. I also need someone to bring my walker up and down stairs for me since I only have one. My girlfriend prepares food for me and leaves it in my bedroom before she goes to work. I stay there until 3pm when my daughters get home from school. Then they help me downstairs.
    • linda38528
      linda38528 Chris8968

      Posted

      Sounds as if you have it sorted out pretty well.

      How are you managing otherwise? Pain, swelling or spirits?

      Are you doing any physio at home?

      Hope you will have other company and activities.

      Keep in good cheer. Regards

      L

    • Chris8968
      Chris8968 linda38528

      Posted

      Thinks are going pretty well. There is very little pain on the hip I just had replaced but my other hip is getting worse. I've been out walking a few times with a walker for about 10 minutes. It seems much easier and smoother every time. It gets lonely at home all day. I'm doing pt twice a week and some exercises every day.

      I've been getting board but make the best of it.

    • linda38528
      linda38528 Chris8968

      Posted

      It is tough .. so many of us need both hips done. But it also sounds as if you need a project!

      Sadly mine ended up writing to my parents' friends who live around the world after my Mom's death a week after my surgery. There was also a fair amount of paperwork.

      I sure hope you can do better than that! Do you write, paint, play music?

      As an interim measure ... Start a discussion about musical tastes .. genre or best vocalists, etc.

      Good luck.

    • Chris8968
      Chris8968 linda38528

      Posted

      I tie flies for fly fishing and as soon as I can sit for a longer period of time on the stool at my fly tieing table I plan on working on that.

      Lately I've just been watching too much tv.

    • JeremySt
      JeremySt linda38528

      Posted

      Linda, so sorry to hear about your Mom passing. It's a sad enough experience, but for it to happen one week after your surgery must have made things really difficult for you. I hope things improve on all fronts for you.

      And thank you all for your invaluable advice; it's certainly goes beyond the practical! Will keep you informed how I get on. Jeremy

    • linda38528
      linda38528 JeremySt

      Posted

      Good morning Jeremy and thanks. It is never easy losing a parent as you say but Mom had very advanced Alzheimer's so, in many ways it was a blessing and I had penty of time over recent years to come to terms with this and to be sure she knew she was loved, would be remembered and had been a great Mom. And ... the letters turned into another lovely (what is a good non-religious word for blessing?) as so many of my parents' friends wrote or phoned to give me their favourite stories about Mom and Dad.

      The tougher part was not beeing there for Mom' death (although my daughter did a briliant job for me) and to help my Dad. He has vascular dementia and is still struggling to realize that Mom is not there and I cannot visit quite as much as I did although I am getting back into many routines and activities.

      However, that is neither here no there. What I was really trying to convey is that a small project is a useful distraction during recovery. Sleep, exercises and walking are all well and good but can get depressing even with this forum to vent or chat. So do think about some actiivities to do on your own or friends and other distractions to come to you or to come and get you for short outings (it is complicated with all the paraphenalia we need to protect out hip but it is doable and does lift the spirits). 

      Good luck with your operation.    

       

    • Fernlady
      Fernlady linda38528

      Posted

      My OP isn't for another 8 weeks yet but I've resurrected my old jigsaw hobby! I'm hoping to keep busy doing jigsaws when I've had my OP - daytime TV is rubbish!
    • david73016
      david73016 Rocketman_SG6UK

      Posted

      Hi Graham

      have just completed a 2,000 piece jigsaw (well 1,999 really because the wife put one piece in!)

      It has taken about 2 months hip recovery time.

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