Hip replacement tips

Coddfish

@AndrewDunn Congratulations on your new hip and on your recovery so far. Going to sleep in the day if you need to isn’t a problem, your body will take what it needs. If you feel ok otherwise, don’t worry about it. As others have said, you are still healing.

I have also made an excellent recovery. 9 weeks on from surgery I am pretty well functionally recovered; I just wish I could sleep better. I try not to fall asleep in the daytime because I am still sleeping so badly at night. If I am lucky I briefly wake up 4 or 5 times in the night. If I am unlucky it’s every 20-40 minutes, change position, try again. I have no idea why. I have no pain, I am not talking any drugs, and I am free to sleep on my side as well as my back. Still it’s not a big problem in the grand scheme of things. I am pain free and can pretty well get on with life.

Coddfish

@Ellen An academic paper on dislocation:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4298240/

RogerBill

Hi @Coddfish, like you I don't sleep well. I find when I wake it's better to potter around for a few minutes and then I'm able to get back to sleep quickly and doing this I only wake two or three times during the night. I had a physio appointment today and was given a resisted clamshell exercise to help sleeping on my side. At present I find laying on either side soon becomes uncomfortable even with a pillow or knee cushion.

RogerBill

Now nine weeks since my hip replacement operation. Rate of progress continues to be a little up and down. I’m now doing 2.2 mile walks at 2.5 mph twice a day on most days. I no longer use a walking stick and I’m walking without limping or waddling. Three weeks ago I was only doing 1.4 miles at 1.5mph twice a day. Still a long way to go to get back to the ten mile walks I used to enjoy but very much better than during the six months before the operation when I could only manage 15 minute walks or standing.

I continue to be careful bending so not yet tying shoelaces and I continue to use a sock puller. I’m getting comfortable sleeping on my sides but still waking and getting up for a brief walk around two or three times during the night.

Over the last few days my progress has slowed because my knees have become quite painful and crack when getting up or climbing stairs. I think this has partly been caused by two lunge exercises I was given at my last physio appointment. I’ve substituted these exercises for some others I found on the internet. My next physio appointment is in two weeks time when I hope to get some useful guidance.

LizB12

Hi@RogerBill sounds like brilliant progress. Well done! It will give you a real lift to be able to walk further and faster.

kpdalston

Thanks all for all the shared experiences and thoughts.

It is three weeks since my hip replacement, and whilst I can definitely see improvements - walking with one crutch now and some exercises which seemed impossible are now very acheivable. I got off to a bit of a rocky start, fainting in hospital and finding myself on the floor, with a lot more people round then I remembered being there. The cause was established as low hemoglobin and after a couple of transfusions I felt a lot better. I have a real aversion to anything to do with joints or bones, and the thought of dislocation freaks me out. But I do find myself inadvertently going slightly against the precautions but do far so good. I am still taking pain killers and sitting uncomfortable.

I am trying to think through my return to work and would be interested in other peoples’ experience. My work is all on line currently goven covid but ut can be back to back Teams calls for 8 or 9 hours at a go.

RogerBill

Hi @kpdalston

It is three weeks since my hip replacement, and whilst I can definitely see improvements - walking with one crutch now and some exercises which seemed impossible are now very acheivable.

Sounds similar to my recovery.

the thought of dislocation freaks me out.

Me too especially as a friend's wife suffered a dislocation after her hip replacement. In addition to trying to avoid breaking the rules, I conscientiously do the exercises and walking to help the ligaments and muscles recover and build them up. I understand It's the muscles and ligaments that hold the hip joint together. At my six week review with the surgeon he said because I'd been doing the exercises and as I was recovering well, the risk of dislocation was minimal.

My work is all on line currently goven covid but ut can be back to back Teams calls for 8 or 9 hours at a go.

It's now over 12 weeks since my hip replacement but even now I wouldn't want to sit for that length of time. I've a desk which can be raised and lowered so I can work standing and sitting. Even so I'd want to take a couple of one hour breaks for a walk and exercise session plus hourly breaks to stretch.

kpdalston

@RogerBill thanks for the comments. That’s so helpful to hear from someone who is further down the track. I am really focussing on the exercises as the priority for now and the rest of life fitting round them.

RogerBill

Glad to be of some help @kpdalston

If you need some ideas for exercises, check out Lou Grant's website. She's a physiotherapist based near Leeds who had a hip replacement a few years ago. There are lots of free videos and some documents on her website which I found really useful re exercises and various other hip replacement topics.

RogerBill

It's now just over three months since my hip replacement operation. I've continued to make gradual progress and am now doing 2.8 mile walks at 2.8mph (up from 2.2 miles at 2.5mph at nine weeks post op). But the main difference is that I'm enjoying walking again and I know I could walk further.

I continue to do exercises, twice daily sessions c30 minutes. My flexibility is improving and I cut my own toenails. To paraphrase Neil Armstrong - a small step for mankind, a giant leap for me 😊 I can now sleep comfortably on both sides and am getting less disturbed nights.

All in all life is returning to normal and I now think far less about hip replacement. I've no regrets in deciding to have the op. My rate of recovery has been slower than some, perhaps I've been a little overly cautious but on the other hand I've not encountered any significant setbacks.

LizB12

Hi@RogerBill You sound to be making good steady progress. I am really pleased to read that your life is gradually returning to normal.

maggiemuppet

This is a great, helpful thread - thanks everyone.

It's given me a greater incentive to continue working at my recovery.

Confidence is my main issue; that and the "What If?" syndrome.

I fully understand that leaflets and verbal advice errs on the side of caution, but that doesn't help those people who want to get back to normal but need to know they're not making trouble for themselves.

I'm gonna be more positive - there's a world out there waiting for me to rejoin it.

Thanks again.

frogmorton

There certainly is @maggiemuppet your time is now!

I wish you all the best and hope you'll maybe add to this thread it's a phenomenal resource isn't it?

Best of luck and keep posting!

Toni xx

Abigail

Hi had my new hip 5 and hard months sometimes it is painful other times ok dos not help as nead hip on other side wating anytime to here now it go in .

maggiemuppet

Abigail; I've been told I'll eventually need the other hip done and sometimes I think worrying about that is holding me back too.

The "What If?" syndrome again.

Frogmorton: I'll certainly look round all the comments, thanks for the welcome.

Abigail

Yes I have got bad over winter cold is bad was better when I first hid it done

Jobyna

Doing my research as much as I can in readiness for the THR hopefully soon.

I am not good at sleeping on my back, as like so many others here, have lower back problems but I have been practising and getting better at it. Because of foot problems (I had to have an ingrown toenail removed earlier this year) I treated myself to a bed linen cradle which kept the weight of my feet and found that really good and it also made sure I stayed on my back. The other tip which might help is that I kept the weight off my heels by putting one of these shaped pillows under my feet at night and that has also helped.

No doubt I shall invent a few more things once I've had the operation! Keeping an elderly dog from tripping me up is going to be a bit of a challenge but as he is approaching 17 and has canine dementia I am not going to put him in kennels. Worked out the best way to pick up water bowls and drinking bowls is using ones with handles so that a grabber will lift them. Presently working on the best way to get things out of the bottom of the fridge and freezer!

Now busy getting all dental and podiatry appointments sorted in advance.

Thanks for all the useful advice on this forum.

stickywicket

Jobyna, you sound impressively resourceful and determined. @RogerBill has given us a very useful account of his THR and you might like to check out @Lilymary and @Codfish too, both of whom did similar.

We did recently have someone else who was afraid of living alone after their THR but, with much foresight and help, was fine.

Re your fridge and freezer - depending on which will be hardest to access, I struggle with my freezer so my son got me a tabletop one. It doesn't hold much but you could ask others to transfer a few bits when they come.

Do accept all help on offer, especially at first. I hope others can walk your dog for a while. I'm impressed if you can lift a bowl with water using just a grabber.

Please join us on Living With Arthritis as others might have good tips.

Lilymary

@Jobyna , I found the shaped pillow (actually a knee pillow) under my feet really helpful for keeping the pressure off my heels helpful too while sleeping on my back. I also slept on a long row of pillows which helped stop a whole load more pressure points. I found 7 weeks of sleeping on my back an awful trial, but I just gritted my teeth and got on with it. While my husband was around at night, he slept (soundly) in the spare room so I had to be self sufficient at night, and largely during the day also as he went out quite a bit, including the day after I got back from hospital, but I was amazed at how well I coped, with a bit of forward planning. Having a large soft shoulder bag slung across my chest was really helpful for carrying stuff around too.

Jobyna

Thanks Lilymary it was the shaped head pillow that I use (shaped like a 'B' on it's back!) It gives better room for the feet. The knee pillow I do use for sleeping on my side, which I prefer, but persevering with back sleeping as much as I can before op release.

Stickywicket I hasten to add that the water container is a small children's sand castle type of bucket so is light enough to be held with the grabber. Patience is needed to capture the handle! Pretty sure I would have quite a few accidents with anything bigger! Table top freezer sounds a good idea, I'll look into that, otherwise grab a neighbour for freezer food shuffling (after they've walked the dog of course)

RogerBill

@Jobyna "Presently working on the best way to get things out of the bottom of the fridge and freezer!" Have you tried putting things in a carrier bag with string attached and looped around the top shelf? Together with an Easy Grabber it might work. It's surprising how adept you become with a grabber after the op. I must try my newly developed skill on the grabber machines at an amusement arcade 😊

Bigguy

Thank you all who have commented here. I am a 72 year old American who goes in for total hip replacement in six days. Prior to my hip analysis I was experiencing severe back pain and as a result, suffered through four back operations in six weeks. My hip OA is causing me considerable pain when I try to go anything. Excruciating pain. Some of the comments here have spooked me considerably, but I’m ready. If a couple of you would comment on your levels of pain before the operation and your pain level now, post surgery, I would appreciate it. Thanks for your help.

stickywicket

My situation is a little different as I've had RA for most of my life and OA for a bit less

I've had two THRs. Before the first one I was in a bad way as it just broke, spontaneously, while I was in bed. (No, we really don't have that interesting a sex life😉) They fixed it, about 30 years ago and it's still good. My other just gradually deteriorated until I was struggling to just get to the bathroom using a stick. That's been good for about 15 years but is a bit problematic now.

Sometimes backs are helped by hip replacements but I'd be guided by my consultant on that. If you decide to go for it - or not - do the exercises before and after.

Abigail

Hi I had 2 new hips one in October and one may this year. I am back to my old self now before I had bad hips . The pain is gone now only get twinge now and then it it great so glad I had them done now new woman now

RogerBill

Hi @Bigguy Sorry I haven't visited this forum recently so I guess you will have now had your hip replacement op, I hope it went well. But to answer your question:

It's now almost 11 months since I had my left hip replaced. Before the op my hip OA was such that I was unable to walk or stand for more than about 15 minutes. Post operation recovery was quite rapid through the stages of using crutches to walking stick to no walking aids then recovery became more gradual. I can now walk 5 miles with ease. I fortunately didn't need many pain killers and nothing stronger than a few paracetamol and ibuprofen during the first couple of weeks after the op.

Before and after the operation I spent a lot of time on doing the recommended exercises. After the op I gradually built up walking and was careful to stick to the rules re bending, etc. I believe these are the most useful steps you can take to help yourself.

My hip is dramatically better than it was before the op and I'm really happy to have had the op. I don't think I'll get back to the level of strength and mobility I had ten years ago, but I did have somewhat unrealistic hopes that a replacement hip would fix my long-term back problem.