My 1st THR Recovery Diary

Fran54

@Zimmer

at 2 weeks I had my first physio appt. and was given two bed exercises, the rest standing holding onto a chair with both hands. The bed exercises were- Bridge exercise and Clam exercise. If you are not sure what they are you can look them up on this site. The standing ones are holding onto a chair with both hands a/ lift operated leg forward then back down and do the same with unoperated leg, b/ lift leg up and down again, do alternate legs like marching, c/ keep your back straight and lift leg out behind you and do likewise with unoperated leg, d/ side abductions and finally sit on a chair both feet on the floor, cross your arms up to your chest, then lean forward slightly and stand up slowly then sit back slowly. Phew! I was given these to repeat x 8 times and to do 3 times a day. I find the leg abduction to the side trying to stand on my operated leg the hardest, but keep trying.

I hope this has given you an idea of where I am at, but please do not try any of these until you have been advised by your physiotherapist. Until my physio appt. I only did the ones I was given to do by the hospital before and after the op.

I think that you are doing really well, but please err on caution and listen to your body.

I actually slept a full straight 7 hours last night but I think I was just worn out after having a rather busy day. I did quite a bit of walking today but it was more walking around the supermarket, a change of scenery rather than walking up and down my long road!!

Have a good weekend.

cocoa

@zimmer

So easy to forget but I dint think I went outsude till at least 2 weeks then only thru front door walked round thru back door ! With both crutches mainly practice to get diwn the one step of front door and up step to back door .not every day even. I live side of very busy main road . Only time I walked dude if it was when closed further diwn fir road repair then not far befire turned back . I’m better just walking round the garden now or out in car( not driving ) round s garden centre . I like something to look at !you’re doing really well with your exercises at 2 weeks but isn’t it a great milestone ! Next one is 4 weeks ! Then you start to lose track . I’m 6 weeks but feel like I should be doing lot more walking but still get very tired and use 1crutch outsude now still benefit from aft rest whether sleep or not fir st least an hour. I don’t do all the exercises am finding done too challenging and had deep thigh muscle pain last night so ended up awake at mibnight read fir and hour had walk round gave in took paracetamol then went back to sleep fir few hours ! Just have to listen to your body No exercises tiday fir me . Rest day I think

Cocoa

Jane18

@Zimmer, it sounds as if you are doing plenty of exercises already and it's good to build up repetitions slowly with a small number of exercises. The post-op ones on the VA website are useful, although they do advise caution and the later exercises in that video are not recommended for immediately post-op.

I did the same exercises I was given while in the hospital for 4 weeks. When I had my 2-week physio appointment she advised me to stop doing one that I was finding really difficult and focus on the others (the standing exercises which I think you're doing, plus the bed exercises for strengthening the glutes and quads and the ankle circles and flexion). I wasn't given the bridge and clamshell exercises, or sit to stand without support, until my 4-week appointment, and those were ones I had been doing before the operation. So as @Fran54 also says, better to be cautious and wait till you see your physio before trying additional exercises, as everyone recovers at a different pace and you want to be sure you're doing the ones that are right for you.

All the exercises you're doing already are helping and it does take time in the early stages to build up strength. So you will soon see the benefits, even if it doesn't feel as if you're doing much at the moment. You will get there!

Jane

Zimmer

@Fran54 thank you so much, I know exactly what you meant by clam and bridge exercises, couldn't do them before so shall take that easy and'll try that a bit later. The other ones you mentioned, apart from the seated too standing exercise, I'm doing already, on both sides but like you am struggling to stand on the unoperated leg but have found a way. That's so helpful hon, thank you so very much, I really appreciate it x̌x

Zimmer

@Jane18 thank you hon, I know what you mean about doing the exercises given at the hospital, but they only gave me a couple of exercises, and ones which I had been doing before I went in. But I was only there for 2 days so there was no time to provide more I suppose.

I just steadied my rollator against the wall and did the seat to standing exercises x 10 woohoo.

I was also doing the glutes, quads exercises in bed, but my other leg keeps locking up, funny how it goes isn't it. I was doing flexion on ankles but it was so swollen I found it difficult to move.

@cocoa thanks for letting me know about your walking, I too prefer nice surroundings to walk in as doesn't make you feel like exercise/work and much more enjoyable isn't it. I'll continue indoors for a bit then I think.

Zimmer

DAY 16

My leg isn't as swollen today yey. If only my ankle would follow suit, but I can do the exercises so much easier, and only have a few black areas of bruising, so feeling a little more comfortable. My stitches are healing nicely and only have a small area of weeping now, but still a little tender.

Although I highly recommend using gel ice packs to reduce swelling and bruising, if you use area specific types, such as for the hip or foot, you are dependent on someone else putting them on for you. If you live on your own, then this type of icing won't work for you, so maybe the Magic Gel leg ice pack would be better for you as you won't have to bend over to attach it to your leg or ankle.

There are cheaper methods, such as frozen peas but you will need a cloth in between to avoid frostbite and another towel on top to hold it in place, and as you have many areas of bruising down the length of your leg, then the Magic Gel leg ice pack at around £25 is in my opinion well worth it, especially as it'll help you to recover quicker and is a lot less potchy.

Trish9556

Frozen peas, are best for reducing swelling. I just wrap them in a tea towel and move about as necessary. Laying down with your feel elevated on a vision will also help. Ice therapy should only be applied for about 20 minutes at a time.

Arnica cream is the best method for bruising on my opinion but you must keep it away from your wound.

Both methods by far the cheapest options, I buy a bag of cheap and cheerful peas specifically for swelling and shove then back into the freezer. You're not eating them so it doesn't matter.

Trish

Zimmer

@Trish9556 I don't know what your bruising was like, but mine was extensive. Obviously it was all around the hip area, my bum, back and then it started creeping down my leg. It came out in stages, probably as the bruise was so deep but it was on the back of my thigh, calf, knee, shin, all around my foot and weirdly enough, on my toes, so a bag of peas wouldn't have cut it on this occasion, that and you can't bend to put it on those areas.

Don't get me wrong, peas were my go to when I pulled a muscle previously, as you can manipulate them around what you want to ice but they don't stay cold for too long, especially if you have a number of areas that you want to ice. You can also just get small gel ice bags, but again, you can't bend to put them where you need them either

Arnica for the win though, I used to practically bathe in the stuff before, as it takes all the pain out of the bruise, awesome stuff, but as you said, not on broken skin and definitely not on our wounds.

The district nurse recommended aloe Vera for bruises.

Choose pure aloe vera gel: Select a product that is 100% pure aloe vera gel, without added ingredients like alcohol, fragrances, or colors that could irritate the skin.

She also recommended Vaseline Intensive Care for the wound as it aids healing. To help the injured skin heal, use vaseline to keep the wound moist. It prevents the wound from drying out and forming a scab; wounds with scabs take longer to heal. This will also help prevent a scar from getting too large, deep or itchy. But, I forgot to ask her if I could apply it yet, being as my wound is still a little weepy, so I'll wait until I see her next.

Trish9556

I had no bruising at all from my hip replacement but have had severe bruising with previous ones. My swelling with my hip was horrendous and used my feet and peas. Everyone is different.

A surgeon told me to use E45 in a tub, not lotion, on a scar many years ago and I have used it since all my scars, including my hip are barely visible and I just lather on as much as I need to once a wound has healed. It's also very cheap and does not irritate skin. E45 can also be used as a gentle shower cream.

Vaseline, in my experience just does not work.

We all prefer different things

Trish

Zimmer

Now funny you should say that @Trish9556 as I read that E45 could help too, and I'm sure that I read, from another member, that she used to put it in the fridge as she found that incredibly soothing. I used that a lot when I was younger, to alleviate my eczema. So if I get no joy from the vaseline, I'll buy some of that instead thanks hon.

Zimmer

Now, on a different subject, and this is for anyone who has undergone two hip replacements; how long in between hip replacements did you have to wait for the second one?

Trish9556

https://community.versusarthritis.org/discussion/comment/737264#Comment_737264

That was probably me

Fran54

@Zimmer

Hi. I had my first hip replacement in June 2024 and my second in July this year, so just over a year between the two. I was glad that it wasn't sooner as I felt that I needed that year to fully heal and be comfortable.

Zimmer

Thanks @Fran54 I was hoping it would be a lot sooner being as the transformation in my new hip is out of this world; I can't believe how much I can do now and it's my unoperated leg that is giving me the most pain at present.

@alwayssewing didn't you have both legs done?

I'll have to revisit people's diaries I think. I thought it was like 3-6 months for the 2nd op, obviously everyone is different but I think it's a case of me wanting to run before I can walk analogy again.

@Trish9556 that made me laugh, I'm sorry but I'm hav I ng a lot of brain parts lately

alwayssewing

@Zimmer I had my left hip done in Feb 2024 and the right in May 2024. I'm doing really well with my hips but my right knee is getting worse. I'm hoping to hear when it can be done soon.

Zimmer

@alwayssewing omg!!!!! That's freaking awesome, three months. I'm so glad that you're doing OK hon. I haven't been on for a bit as I'm just so incredibly exhausted, probably the exercises I dunno.

I contacted the orthopaedic department to query when I could expect to have the other leg done and received a generic "waiting lists are long" answer, so that got me a little despondent I think. I was hoping to have it done, like you, a lot sooner, especially as I'm pain free and can put full weight on it you know.

Thank you so much for your response hon and hope you get your knee op soon xx

Zimmer

I can't believe that it's been four weeks tomorrow.

I still haven't heard from the physiotherapist, so think I'll try and give them a bell today.

I noticed that I was finding the exercises were getting too easy, so I just upped repetition, which seemed to do the trick as my legs were like jelly afterwards 😅.

@Fran54 yeah your muscles must have been stronger than mine to begin with, as I was unable to do the bridge. I have started with the clam exercise today though, but it's so incredibly tight that I could only raise it around 4 inches, but will persevere as long as there's no excessive pain.

Thank you all for your support, it is really appreciated

Zimmer

https://community.versusarthritis.org/discussion/comment/737507#Comment_737507

Would you mind telling me where in the country you from? I only ask since I've come to learn that this does matter. Obviously I wouldn't be offended if you don't wish to share this

Jane18

@zimmer, sounds as if you're doing well with the exercises. And 4 inches with the clamshell is a lot! I couldn't move my leg much at all at first but my physio said that was really good even moving it slightly. Hope you get your physio appointment soon.

Jane

Fran54

@Zimmer

Hi. You are doing really well with your exercises and hopefully you will have some news regarding your physiotherapist soon.

Last week I was given more intense exercises some involving a resistance band and am finding some of them hard, especially as I still cannot put my full weight on my operated leg and still limp. I am using my walking stick indoors and out and get around fine with that so will carry on as I am.

Am gradually getting out and about a bit more which is a positive feeling, especially if it involves eating out or shopping! Hope the weather is a bit kinder soon so that I can get out and do a bit more walking, but at least the garden does not need watering. Take care.

Zimmer

@Jane18 thank you so much for saying that, I was trying not to give myself a hard time as I had no reference point.

I called the hospital where I had the operation, as their physio had referred me to the community hospital, being as I couldn't get out in our car. I was told that it could take around four weeks to hear anything, but being as that is tomorrow, I thought I'd query it you know.

The physio called me and said that either she or the community hospital physio would call me back to confirm.

Finally heard back, only to be told that although I was top of the list it would probably be a further two weeks before I would hear from them!!!!!

That makes it 6 weeks, yep I can count lol, but seriously had I known that, I would've waited to see the hospital physio, as you are allowed to bend after 6 wks isn't it?

Ho hum, never mind, I will carry on regardless #show age 🤪.

Zimmer

@Fran54 Thanks hon. I used to use resistance bands and found them really helpful, but would probably find them difficult to use, being as I'll be weeks behind now; given that I'm trial and erring exercises at the moment. But I've upped the repetition to 20 of each exercise and find my legs are like jelly afterwards, so at least I know they're working innit.

I don't know why, but I still haven't ventured outside yet? Okay, so the weather has changed dramatically, and I wouldn't dream of venturing out in bad weather, but it seems I have no inclination to either, it's weird. I remember the feeling of elation when I first made it outside on my own, it was so freeing and I almost cried soooo, yeah, I dunno. So hope the weather breaks for you soon hon.

I'm still living room walking though and it's getting longer and longer before I rest but it's no marathon yet hehe.

Zimmer

@cocoa how are you feeling hon? What did the physio say you afterwards osgsgu

Zimmer

@cocoa I don't know why, but I just about pass out when I go to bed, so I dropped the phone, it wrote some gobbledegook at the end and also posted it!!!. I was going to ask if the pain has subsided at all hon, just don't want you to go backwards because of it you know xx

Jane18

Hi @Zimmer, that is a long wait to get to see a physio. As I couldn't drive for 6 weeks after the op, I got lifts from people and taxis to take me to the hospital, which worked pretty well. Have you not got anyone who can take you in their car? It's not too difficult getting in the front seat if you sit first and then swing your legs in, taking it slowly. Having a plastic bag to sit on makes it easier as well, which is what they suggested at the hospital when I was collected immediately after the op. You might have to wait just as long now to see the hospital physio, but it's worth investigating.

In the meantime, it sounds as if you are doing all the right exercises to build up strength. I do 10 reps of each 3 times, repeated 3 times a day and that is quite enough for me. I wasn't given the resistance band exercises until more than 6 weeks after the operation, so no rush to do those.

And you will get out when you're ready. I'm quite lucky as all the streets around my house are flat, so I didn't have any hills to negotiate. Although now, finally, I am starting to walk uphill a little sometimes, but it's taken me a good while to get to this stage.

Carry on, you are doing well and just take it at your own pace.

Jane x