1. Community
  2. Operations and surgical procedures
  3. Hip Replacement

What am i supposed to be doing?

Posted , 15 users are following.

lisa46362
lisa46362

i had THR 4 weeks ago told me they don"t give u exercises anymore life is your physio walking a lot still on a cane feels wierd to walk without it my hip feels really heavy and i limp any suggestions i'm in my forties and was really active till i had a bad fall.

3 likes, 30 replies

30 Replies

Next
  • valleyregirl
    valleyregirl lisa46362

    Posted

    Hi Lisa, I am at week 7 of THR & my doctor didn't want me to go to PT either which people think is weird but he just told me to walk as much as I can to increase strength. I know what you mean about the heaviness of the leg. Mine still feels heavy but gets a little lighter every day. I still limp slightly too. I'm hoping the limp will go away eventually. I try to concentrate on how I walk as my brain has been trained because I limped for several months prior to surgery. Your still early in your recovery. I'm sure you will be fine just have tone patient & walk.
    • lisa46362
      lisa46362 valleyregirl

      Posted

      I still lean to the left as well i know what you mean about retraining your brain to stand up straight put your weight on both sides of your body good to hear there"s an end in sight thanks Lisa
  • Lallydye1
    Lallydye1 lisa46362

    Posted

    Hi Lisa

    Sorry to hear about your experience.  In my humble opinion I think it is wrong not to be given some physio advice.  Maybe you could consider a private physio consultation as I think it is imortant to get yourself on the right track and get rid of that limp.  

    The main excercises to do now are to strengthen the muscles around your hip and your buttocks.  Lots of buttock clenches and moving your leg to the side.  The main reason people end up with a limp is that the hip muscles that were weakened or cut during the surgery  allow the knee to rotate in. By working on the muscles that pull the  knee out (buttock clenches and side leg lifts) will remedy this.  Rocketman has good advice on his website so please have a look.  However don't overdo anything and work at your own pace and stop if it hurts.  It will get better honestly.  I am also 4 weeks post THR and I think I am getting there.  I don't do long distances but I try to walk properly and not limp as much as possible.

    Wishing you all the best.

    Alison xx

     

    • lisa46362
      lisa46362 Lallydye1

      Posted

      Thanks Alison i will try those exercises i"ve thought about going to a physio but wanted to wait till 6 weeks am so paranoid of anything happening and going back to how i was before surgery i"m so glad i found this site has helped a lot to hear other people"s stories cheers Lisa
  • HipsDontLie
    HipsDontLie lisa46362

    Posted

    Hi Lisa, sorry to hear about that.

    I'm in Okinawa, Japan tomorrow will be week #2 for me, but here is complitely different, I've been having rehabilitation and physio since day 2! Massages, stretches and walking, walker first and now crutches. They taugh me how to climb stairs and back. All the excersise it's been very helpful to me. Stretching muscles and making them strong it's been key to me.

    I think you should go out and start doing something.

    xx, Paula

    • lisa46362
      lisa46362 HipsDontLie

      Posted

      Hi Paula i"m in Australia and they just said we don"t give you exercises anymore but i"m walking up and down my street with my cane as far as i can handle going to the ocean baths this weekend to just walk in the water and be near the beach it always makes me happy thanks Lisa
  • lyn1951
    lyn1951 lisa46362

    Posted

    I have had two hip replacements at Pr Charles in Brisbane, both times the hospital was very quick to show me physio exercises to do, and also the first day after surgery they get you on your feet and show you those exercises.

    You get given a book on bed exercises also sitting and standing exercises.

    Look up post hip surgery exercises, look for a hospital website, I have looked to see if they are any different, all very similar, even o/sea's hospitals.

    I also went to private physio after surgery, and again to hospital physio 12 months after surgery in the last few weeks, to review my exercise plan.

    I was on the right track, just some tweaking on some weaker muscles and to help with strength, some muscles very strong, and some not sooo good.

    Oh what a difference it has made to my ability to walk nice and straight and upright in just a few weeks of following advice from physio.

    • lisa46362
      lisa46362 lyn1951

      Posted

      Hi Lyn i did see the physios in hospital but they didn"t give me exercises to do at home i"ve researched it but it"s good to talk to people and see what their doing have felt a bit lost Lisa
    • Rocketman_SG6UK
      Rocketman_SG6UK lisa46362

      Posted

      To be absolutely honest, I sometimes wonder just how much good the physio exercises do us, perhaps it's just to keep our minds focussed?

      I often find if I overdo it one day, and have a day of no exercises, I am better thanever afterwards.  Is it the 'overdoing it' or the rest that helps me?

      I wonder.

      Graham - 🚀💃

    • lisa46362
      lisa46362 Rocketman_SG6UK

      Posted

      Being outside in the world the fresh air helps me the most just to get out the house i had aquestion about sleeping on your un operated side do you use 1 pillow 2pillows?I know my operated leg can"t cross over do you have your feet together i don:t know been 4 weeks hate sleeping on my back is it too early?
    • Rocketman_SG6UK
      Rocketman_SG6UK lisa46362

      Posted

      Lisa

      I used a large cushion between my legs - and am now trying sleeping without it (I am 8weeks post revision), and do have my feet / ankles together.

      4 weeks is quite early - you'll soon know, if the scar hurts, you are definitely not ready.  Take it easy, I've had two rounds of being on my back for 6 weeks since October, not pleasant, but it seems we have to (or should) endure.

      Graham - 🚀💃

    • AnnieK
      AnnieK Rocketman_SG6UK

      Posted

      If you go over to the Bonesmart hip replacement recovery forum (link in the pinned thread at the top of our forum's first page), you will see that they maintain that in normal circumstances walking is all that is needed for recovery from hip replacement surgery. I felt that all those PT sessions I had after THR didn't help me one bit, as it was mostly the same as what I was doing at home in a normal day anyway. And who knows if the stretching that they had me do (which was NOT a part of my normal activities) didn't cause my torn gluteal tendons/muscles which are causing me no end of trouble now, with pain and immobility and in need of surgery to repair. 
    • Rocketman_SG6UK
      Rocketman_SG6UK AnnieK

      Posted

      Agreed, I think that many torn tendons and muscles are caused by over enthusiastic PT, especially if you were not very fit before the operation.  

      Rest is at least as important as stretching everything.

      Graham - 🚀💃

    • Kate53CornUK
      Kate53CornUK Rocketman_SG6UK

      Posted

      Graham, that says everything for me. here in Cornwall we are not given any advice except 'walk'. The only exercises are moving your leg back and forth and out to the side a little.

      I listened to people doing all the PT stuff and also read how many were tearing themselves and maybe think that my not-so-forthcoming surgeon is right. 

      I walk a little each day and now at 3 weeks I am walking around the house with no aids. I use crutches when I go out but limit a walk to half an hour at most. 

      Lisa, you, I think, should still be using crutches or sticks when you walk outside. The implant is only just beginning to bond. When I saw my surgeon after my first hip was done (last June) he put on the report that my recovery was 'un-remarkable' - b****y cheek. I think he meant that everything was on track so this time I am aiming for the slow walk towards un-remarkable again!

    • lisa46362
      lisa46362 Kate53CornUK

      Posted

      Hi Kate definately walking outside with a stick balance is pretty wonky been to the ocean baths this weekend the water has helped immensly.Walking around Cornwall would be lovely just read The Lake House by Kate Morton and it"s set in Cornwall sounds magical Lisa
    • bridie000
      bridie000 Rocketman_SG6UK

      Posted

      I have a vague recollection, picked up from weightlifting, that pushing yourself until your muscles hurt makes them stronger because micro fissures have to be repaired and that creates a greater mass and therefore stronger.
Back to top
Next

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.