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WHAT IS TOO MUCH EXERCISE ?

Posted , 8 users are following.

bernard-sweden
bernard-sweden

Hi all, I had my THR 12 days ago (rear entry) and through a combination of Gym work prior to the opp + deep tissue massage on glutes, etc the day before the opp + good luck I feel great !  My problem is that I am very much inclined to push the limited exercise program and to walk as far as I think my leg can take it ( with 2 crutches heel and toe and over hilly ground, 1km + ) .... I feel no real pain only slight twinges now and again + my wound site looks dry and stable. Has anyone got experience of over doing it ? What are the warning signs ? Or conversly has anyone got postitive feedback for pushing the recovery envelope ?

0 likes, 14 replies

14 Replies

  • Redmuir
    Redmuir bernard-sweden

    Posted

    Bernard,

    I'm 20 days post posterior rthr no cane or crutches. Pt twice a week mainly stretches and some 2lb leg weights. Started driving last week feel good a little pain after sitting awhile.

  • AnnieK
    AnnieK bernard-sweden

    Posted

    Are you on pain meds, which may be hiding pain you could be feeling without them? Regardless of how good a person feels post-op, there is the same amount of healing of bone and soft tissue inside of your body that needs to be done. And it is done starting at the cellular level, and takes a certain amount of time to happen. So I would try to rest as much as possible and not push that envelope for these first weeks. Healing and recovery will still be going on inside for much longer than that. Why risk further injuring those soft tissues? Many people on this and other forums have hurt themselves, even while being conservative with their activity during recovery.

    You will know if you have done damage if you feel new pain or experience new disability. You won't know if you have overdone it until you do.

    I hope your positive recovery continues!

    • bernard-sweden
      bernard-sweden AnnieK

      Posted

      thanks for the input, I am off pain meds (in fact 2 days after the opp I quit pain meds as I was only sore). I take your points ref soft tissue repair so maybe I will slow it down a bit as it is far more important to safeguard long term good mobility vs short term gung ho "progress". What I would say is that I have an extreemly positive outlook in general and have played sport/Gym/skied all my life so my I have a real yearning to get back to the Gym, etc asap and my worry was that my own competitve streak would come back and bite me !

    • ptolemy
      ptolemy bernard-sweden

      Posted

      My physio said that she found that the people who seem to have problems are those who did not rest properly at the beginning and are very enthusiastic to get back to normal. So take it easy to start with.
    • AnnieK
      AnnieK bernard-sweden

      Posted

      It could very well do that, Bernard! Even those of us who have been weak and rickety for a long time pre-THR and who definitely do not overdo things early on can end up with not-so-great outcomes. I am a good example of that. I was very, very careful to follow all of my surgeon's restrictions, and have no desire to do sports or any exercise beyond walking and housework, and I never recovered properly after my THR last July.

      I was never able to walk without a severe limp and pain since the op, and have not been able to balance on the surgical leg alone at all since. Went for second opinion, and new surgeon diagnosed what I suspected as a severely torn gluteus medius. It certainly wasn't torn before surgery. Don't know how it could have happened after, although I do know that my GM was gently separated during surgery with lateral approach to allow access to my hip joint, and that it was sewn up again afterwards. With all of my caution, it tore somehow very soon after THR and I have to have another surgery in 5 weeks to repair it, after limping and pain for a solid year.

      Be kind to your healing body. Sure, we need to move to do self-care. But when you move too much too soon, the traumatized tissue gets exercised right alongside the healthy tissue that wasn't touched during the surgery. You can do damage. 

  • thegreatbosco
    thegreatbosco bernard-sweden

    Posted

    hi,

    i posted a similar message recently. i am like you, i think, very keen nd motivated to push myself. however, annie k's reply is well worth reading. the healing takes longer than we think. for long term gain, i think being conservative now will pay off.

    believe me, i am very keen to be back in the gym and playing non contact rugby as soon as i can, but i will wait, certainly until i have had an x ray/ scan at 8 weeks.

    hope this helps.

    chris

    • bernard-sweden
      bernard-sweden thegreatbosco

      Posted

      Hi, yes, it's hard not to push ahead and get early "results" as the only exercise advise I had from the pyhsio was let pain be the guide and stop when it hurts. I think I will take my foot off the pedal for a few days and let my body do some hidden repair :-)

    • bernard-sweden
      bernard-sweden

      Posted

      well, that's the few lazy days over .... I just did 2.5 kms walk on crutches and don't feel sore (yet); good workout for the upper body too! I can't wait to get back in the gym so I think I will drag myself and a trustly crutch up to the local gym at the weekend and do some belt walking + some lat work, etc. Bernard

    • bernard-sweden
      bernard-sweden thegreatbosco

      Posted

      well, that's the few lazy days over .... I just did 2.5 kms walk on crutches and don't feel sore (yet); good workout for the upper body too! I can't wait to get back in the gym so I think I will drag myself and a trustly crutch up to the local gym at the weekend and do some belt walking + some lat work, etc. Bernard.

  • noplaybarbie
    noplaybarbie bernard-sweden

    Posted

    Hi Bernard:

    Sounds like you are doing great. You will definitely know when you are overdoing it. My advice is listen to your body. If you start to feel pain it is time to stop and rest. Take a break. You are still very early in recovery. Hope you heal quickly...Barb

  • john26737
    john26737 bernard-sweden

    Posted

    Hi Bernard-Sweden,

    I have my procedure in 6 weeks. I would really like to hear more details on your pre op preparations, i.e. gym work and deep tissue massage so I can attempt the same.

    Would you possibly be able to advise on the routine you followed?

    Thanks.

    • bernard-sweden
      bernard-sweden john26737

      Posted

      Hi John, I am a bit of a gym rat so 4 weeks pre-opp I stepped up quad and  glute weight work + cross trainer for cardio. The only drawback was pain as my right hip socket was bone on bone and I had limited mobility on forward stretches, so I could grit my teeth on the work outs but could not undo the laces on my right gym shoe! I am 100% sure my fitness helped my opp attitude + post opp recovery so far. Ref deep tissue massage I have 75 mins once a month but pre-opp stepped up to twice a month and had a session concentrating on glutes, quads, lower back and hamstrings the day before the opp to make sure I was as loose and with good blood circulation to give my body a better chance and I am sure this paid dividends :-)
  • renee01952
    renee01952 bernard-sweden

    Posted

    Hi bernard, 

    Thank you for sharing your story and posting - I have a feeling that many of our male members especially are happy to read this - 

    There is a difference in the  healing process between male and female - bodies are just of different design - (I read that somewhere wink) -

    so my dear ladies, do not compare yourself to anyone, especially not to the male species (they also lose weight soooo much faster than us !!!)- 

    You are doing great bernard, seriously - and smart to allow some rest in between to give your body a chance to heal -

    good job

    big warm hug

    renee

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