OA and exercise

Clarky272

I’m awaiting bilateral hip surgery and in the meantime trying to stay reasonably fit and active. Been reading all the coverage on exercise being good in the long term but here’s my problem. After every session (yoga with an experienced teacher who adapts poses to my condition) my hips are so sore for a few days I can hardly walk. So is it worth the pain? And how can it possibly be benefiting my hips?

Chris_R

Hi @Clarky272

Welcome to the online community,great to see you posting

You say that you are waiting for bilateral hip surgery and the exercise regime you currently follow leaves you in pain and hard to walk.

Here are exercises from versus arthritis that may help you.

https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/exercising-with-arthritis/exercises-for-healthy-joints/exercises-for-the-hips/#:~:text=%20Exercises%20for%20the%20hips%20%201%20Introduction.,your%20knees%20down%20towards%20the%20floor...%20More%20

Also a link that may help you through your pain.

https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/managing-symptoms/managing-your-pain/

Hope this helps in some way, please keep in touch and tell us how you get on and do talk to others on our forums.

All the best Christine

stickywicket

Frankly, I don't think this can be benefitting you if you are in a lot of pain for so long afterwards. All physios say that if pain lasts over 1/2 after exercise it's too much. Your yoga teacher might be experienced but what does he or she know about arthritis? Have you explained how bad things are afterwards?

Exercise is really important before and after THRs but it has to be the right kind. Try the ones given above. Start gently and build up slowly. Good luck.

Lilymary

I agree, if it’s hurting for days afterwards, it’s much too much. As @stickywicket says, and my physio agreed, if it hurts for more than half an hour after exercise, don't do it. I’d suggest seeing a good physio to work out an exercise routine that suits your condition. When my hip really started going downhill I had to give up my pilates and yoga as it left me in far too much pain, even when modifying the exercises, and revert to exercises from my physio

Clarky272

Thank you all. I’ll give this regime a try but, frankly, have done these exercises before (and had extensive physio) and not found any improvement. In fact the pain and stiffness have got worse since Christmas. But I will give them another go.

stickywicket

I think it's in the nature of arthritis that it gets worse. But the right kind of exercise(s) strengthens supporting muscles which hold the joints steady. This results in less pain and slower deterioration.

When my husband's hip got so bad he could no longer play golf or go for longish walks or even, by the time he was referred for a THR, do much in the garden, he bought an exercise bike. He had to change the saddle to support him better and could only do about 3 minutes at first. By the time of his op he was doing 2 or 3 20 minute sessions per day and his post-op recovery was good. He's never used it since!

Lilymary

I'm afraid with physio you have to keep at it every day for a few months before you start noticing a real difference, but it does work. The problem is, people give up too soon because (a) they can't feel the difference and (b) it's frankly boring. Even my physio says she knows most people don't do the exercises she gives them anywhere near enough. I tend to do mine with the radio on or in front of the telly to make it less dull. And timetable in a time each day to do it too, like you did for going for yoga classes. It's easy to say - I confess I still don't do mine as much as I should, but that's what it takes to make it work.

Jobyna

Over the years I've built up an exercise regime that works for me. A lot is similar to the VA exercises plus I do some that I had through a Breathe Easy Group and I use these as warm ups and then do a good Tai Chi 18 gentle movements and I try to do these every morning. I also found an exercise bike really good but have it set on lowest speed and do about 10 minutes, but only when I feel up to it. I can no longer do any exercises that are floor based so didn't find the physio exercises I had a while ago worked for me any longer. But find something that works for you and try and do them daily.