Advice after THR

rb1234

Hi

I posted before for advice before I had my hip replacement. The advice was brilliant - really useful. I had my surgery last Thursday and was out on Monday. I can walk around the house without crutches - slowly - but need my crutches outside.

What I was wondering was did anyone else worry about the 90 degree rule? I feel like I am constantly trying not to break it getting out of bed, sitting and standing up. At the moment the muscles are still pretty sore so there is a constant reminder but i'm worried in a few weeks I might forget. Did other people find this or is it just me?

Any comments/advice would be gratefully received! Thanks

Caroline - I think you had your surgery on the same day as me. I hope it went well

plmb48

rb1234 wrote:

Hi

I posted before for advice before I had my hip replacement. The advice was brilliant - really useful. I had my surgery last Thursday and was out on Monday. I can walk around the house without crutches - slowly - but need my crutches outside.

What I was wondering was did anyone else worry about the 90 degree rule? I feel like I am constantly trying not to break it getting out of bed, sitting and standing up. At the moment the muscles are still pretty sore so there is a constant reminder but i'm worried in a few weeks I might forget. Did other people find this or is it just me?

Any comments/advice would be gratefully received! Thanks
hi its very early days dont run before you can walk take your time and please use your crutches in the house its get to heal for a few weeks and the 90 degree rule is very important soon you will get that into your head and you wont take any risks i have had both replaced good luck pauline ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,hips

Caroline - I think you had your surgery on the same day as me. I hope it went well

hileena111

Hi
I dont have mine until the beginning of Feb but am already worrying about the post op bit of it.....doing something I shouldnt do without thinking about it and undoing all the good work.
Not worried about the actual op at all..
I'll be reading the replies here with great interest LOL

Love
Hileena

cazaline

Hey!

Yeah, I also had the op on Thursday and also was out on Monday, was a tough few days in there I have to say, I got a bad reaction from the meds and was sick a lot the first couple of days . Also, lifting my leg was totally impossible at first, damn muscles lol. How did you find your time in hospital?

I am also seriously worried about breaking the restrictions, I'm sure I already have to be honest! The one I have serious problems with is the no twisting, I sometimes do that but my hip seems to be behaving most of the time. I did find that whenever I lifted my right leg up (I had the left replaced) I felt a slight movement in the groin of operated side, called up the surgeon sec but apparently that is normal, but I'm still quite worried.

Wow you're walking around without crutches, that's still amazing even if you are slow! I can manage to stand up for a while without the crutches and maybe manage one or two steps without them, but that's it really. Glad to hear you're doing well! How are you finding the excercises and everything?

Look forward to hearing about your progress!!

Much love,

Caroline xXx

penfactor

Hi there!
I am 2 months post op & had my follow up Tuesday and yes it is very important you don't break 90 degree rule for at least 3 months. I checked with my surgeon on this Tuesday & there is still the risk of dislocation at this stage even.
You really should not be off crutches at your stage either, you must keep doing exercises & follow the physio's advice to the tee - they really do know best.
love Pennie x

miss_l

I think it depends on your surgeonm, mine was encouraging me to move it as much as possilbe and on the 4 week check-up moved my leg to past 90 degrees and told me to carry on doing so.
He was strict with the twisting tho!
I found i was limted in the movememts i could do and although worried of breaking a rule i never managed it.
Try not to worry and enjoy your new hip - your sounding better than me and im 4 months on!

rb1234

I really think it depends on the surgeon. Mine came round the following morning and said he wanted full weight bearing with crutches - no mention of a frame to start. Then the physio came and despite initially looking sceptical that's what we did. By Saturday the physio tried to take one of my crutches away permanantly. I refused to let her as I want to use 2 outside and around people. All the physios I saw have actively encouraged me to use my crutches as little as poss as they said it will encourage me to walk naturally.

Caroline - sorry to hear you had a rough start. I had spinal block (not epidural) and this meant a very light GA. This really helped as for the first time after a GA I didn't feel sick. I was allergic to the first lot oif IV anti biotics though which wasn't a plesent experience! I have found being at home harder than hospital as Im much more tired. I'm hoping to leave the house for the first time later today. I have been ok with the twisting (I think) but I remember this from my knee replacements. It's just every time i sit down, get up or get in and out of bed. I couldn't beleive how heavy my leg felt to start. Have also done my physio 3 times a day as instructed. I hope you continue to recover. I have no idea how this works but if you want to email me you are welcome to. Goodluck with it.

Oops - sorry I seem to have written an essay.

ikesother

Hi well done on your progress, you are off to a "flying" start By reading your post I assume you are one of the younger people to have a THR? Im 42 and had my THR in August, and my advice to you would be follow the 90 degree rule for a while yet! I still adhere to it to an extent 4 months on. Somethings like crossing legs etc, Ive been told are a big no no, so Im not forcing the issue to be on the safe side, but apart from a few little things being restricted the ops been a great success, literally, I could only walk a few yards and now I walk everywhere and swim 40 lengths 4/5 times a week. Good luck with your recovery and take it easy for a while yet, jk

collettem

Hi, Congrats eveyone on getting the op. I had mine in March this year and I had to follow the 90 degrees rule for twelve weeks, but tended to to it for a lot longer I think part of the reason was that my leg was so stiff and I was on the crutches for six weeks so well for being of them so soon. For me I found the first ten weeks the worst again like some of you could not take pain relief as it made me sick. Hope you all have a speedy recovery and look forward to hearing your progress.

C

rb1234

Thanks for the advice everyone. It's been really helpful. I am finding the new hip is now getting quite stiff and this is preventing me from getting it past 90 degrees anyway. Did others find this? Also I have found that it is quite crunchy when i do physio. Again is this normal. Sorry I probably sound really paranoid but having not had one before it is hard to know what is normal.I am being really careful with it so I can't see how I could have damaged it.

ikesother - I guess I am one of the younget people to have THR. I'm 31. I was really pleased to hear how far you have come. I swam a lot before the surgery and was really hoping to be able to continue once my hip is a bit stronger. Can you swim breaststroke or is that a big no no?

Thanks for the help and support everyone. I really do appreciate it!

ikesother

Hi, glad to be of some help! In answer to your question, yes, I do breaststroke; at my post op I asked what stroke to do when swimming as Id done a bit of research before the op and was led to believe not to do breaststroke, but I was told that techniques are such now that the imformation on the internet is out of date, ie surgeons dont cut through certain muscles now, so doing breast stroke is ok, and Ive had no problems, in fact my muscles are alot better than before. I would still ask at your post op just to be sure. You seem to be doing really well, just dont try and overdo things, your body will tell you if you do take care jk