Posted , 9 users are following.
hi i had my first hip replacment a yer ago aged 36 . interested to hear oter peoples strories of having hip replacments at a younger ago and the stories of why? also interested to know how long some of these lasted at a younger age for those who are now slightly older and also if you are being very active?
many thanks
2 likes, 16 replies
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kelly99515 kim54380
Posted
Hi Kim! I always wonder the same thing myself. I just had my right hip replaced using the anterior approach on October 16, 2018 - so I am a little over 3 months out. It took longer than I expected to really feel "normal." I just got a Fitbit so I have been aiming for 10,000 steps a day when I can, and I've been using the steps a lot. My surgeon said steps are good. I too was once very active. I was diagnosed with severe OA and big bone spurs after I was training for my 4th half marathon. I went on a 7 mile run and when I stopped, my hips felt out of whack and I had a deep dull ache in my behind (I thought it was my piriformis). I went to an orthosurgeon who was very young and told me he wouldn't perform the surgery because of my age, even if I was 45. Then I went to the wonderful surgeon who replaced my dad's hip when he was only 50 and he said by the time I was 40, my hip would be so bad I would need to walk with a walking aid of some kind. He said I had the hip of a 70 year old woman with severe OA, and I definitely felt it - every day. Sometimes the pain was excruciating with certain movements, so I scheduled the surgery for 6 months after my diagnosis. PT didn't do anything for me, so it was time. It was all very scary for me and it seems like it's been a long road, but I finally hope to return to the gym within the next few weeks (no more running though). 😦 My right hip so far is fine and is just showing the early signs of OA. My doctor told me my issue was genetic and I just wore my hip out faster than my dad (probably because of years of running and many years of sports growing up). I'm interested to know more about you! How has your experience been so far?
melaruse kelly99515
Posted
Similar story, was never able to get up to longer distances, though , due to what I now know was a hip problem. THR R lateral approach last year at 50. Interested in hearing more.
kelly99515 melaruse
Posted
Hi. I always wonder if I would have been a faster runner had I not had this underlying hip problem. I recall telling my husband after many runs that "my leg hurts where it meets my body." It was just a sore ache for a long time that I just thought was from pushing myself. It makes me wonder how much pain I was really in the last few years and how much my body was compensating for it. All of my doctors have told me to stop running to preserve my other hip, but I miss it so very much. It was an outlet for me, very meditative. I sometimes wonder if I can just get away with running a mile on the treadmill and calling it a day, but I don't want to go against the advice of my doctors. What do you do to stay active and are you satisfied doing something other than running?
daniel68507 kim54380
Posted
I had my right hip done December of 2016 when I was 34 years old. I'm 5'7" and in the neighborhood of 135 pounds. My surgeon told me at the time, with my size, this replacement could very well last me the rest of my life. I had avascular necrosis, a loss of the blood supply to the hip. This caused it to deteriorate. My recovery went very smoothly after the initial pain from the surgery. So far I'm very happy with my decision to have the surgery.
jane83133 kim54380
Posted
Hi Kim,
i had a hip replacement at the end of 2017 at the age of 39. I was very tentative at first with it and hd some extra physio and it took a while for me to feel confident enough to use it to its fullest.
I am so much more active now, 10,000 steps a day (at least!), rollerskating with the kids and i've recently gone back to zumba classes. my new hip is great, my problem is my other hip which i was told would need replacing at some point.
X
kelly99515 jane83133
Posted
I am VERY eager to get back into Zumba. So you're liking it and feel like you can jump and push yourself without harming your hip? I would love to go back after a few more months of lighter exercise.
jane83133 kelly99515
Posted
absolutely! its been doing great even with all the shimmying ans shaking! zumba is the only excercise i really enjoy so i'm so glad i can do it again - give it a go, just don't push it at first and see how it feels - i do ache the next day but thats nothing new lol! x
kelly99515 jane83133
Posted
This is so exciting to hear!!!! It's the one other thing that gives me as much joy as running. I am so happy to hear how well you've been doing! Now I am even more excited to get started, but I have a lot of work to do to lead up to that! Thank you. It's fantastic that your recovery has gone so well.
One more question - how about lower body strength training at the gym? I am afraid to get back into it, but it's necessary at some point. I have PT exercises that will help build up the muscle, but I'm thinking of the lower body weight lifting machines at the gym. Any experience with that since your replacement?
jane83133 kelly99515
Posted
'fraid i don't do gyms so boy sure about that one, hipefully your PT will help tiu build strength gradually - i've been to zumba tonite, lived it bit absolutely knackered!
lots of luck with your recovery, take it steady - you will get there!! x
Lilylou1 kim54380
Posted
Hello
im 45 and 8 weeks post op. I dont think that my surgeon really knows why i have ended up desperately needing a replacement...i was told it was seriously arthritic but hang in there because of my age i was 38....then i was told it was dysplasia and that i should get my kids x-rayed to rule out any issues for them....now i have been told i have a slightly dysplastic hip....so i have reached the conclusion that he doesnt really know.
Im walking further than i have in 5 or so years every evening which is super amazing and my surgeon has said that the type of replacement i have in elite cyclists shows very little wear and tear after they have done extensive training.
melaruse Lilylou1
Posted
May I ask what type of hardware you're sporting? I'd like to go into my revision. discussions with as much info as possible in the direction of being as active as possivle like I used to be!
Thanks,
M
51, 10 months post R THR
Lilylou1 melaruse
Posted
Hi, i have forgotten however I have another appointment with my surgeon in two months so will ask and i will keep this thread/message and let you know.
robert88575 kim54380
Posted
Yes, you can do lower-body exercises ... but ... timing is crucial ... and you'll have to listen to your hip. There is soft tissue healing going on (in addition to having this device hammered into your bones) ... So I don't know that you'll be lifting a full capacity for a while ... in terms of full capacity ... probably a year ... but everyone is different ... every hip is different ... you'll have to play things by ear ....
I'm not sure ... but I think my surgeon wanted me to stay off serious lower-body exercises for three months ... which was also the time he banned me from running. (Yes, lots of surgeons these days are fine even with running!) ... The device takes about 3 months to fuse strongly with the bone. (Most of us get press-fit, uncemented devices that literally fuse with the bone) ... If you've ever had a dental implant, that also takes 3 months to fully bond with bone ... (and is also made of titanium) ... So once the device is fully in place ... the issue is the tissues that are cut ... can they handle the exercise ... and for most people you have to try and see ... but certainly at a year, you should be building back up ... some people recover sooner than that.
kelly99515 robert88575
Posted
Thank you for your input Robert! I am eager to get back to the gym, but I'm going to take it really slow.... I will probably focus on only upper body for a while and then go with very low weight when I feel strong enough for lower body strength training. I'm so happy you're running again!
staceyXB kim54380
Posted
Hi kim. I had a double hip replacement when i was 14 due to Rheumatoid arthritis that was diagnosed at 9. I am currently 29 yrs and am waiting on revision surgery for the right side. My left side is still fine. Ive had times of being very active (as much as RA allows). Hip replacements withstand a lot more than we realise according to my surgeon. 😃