My hip replacement diary
Comments
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@john62 Hopefully it won't be too long before you can roll around with your grandchildren - it certainly makes a difference to watching them playing 'old people walking' with my stick 😂and @Fran54 It's one of those strange ones that sometimes it seems like only yesterday since my surgery and other times I have to remind myself I've a new hip.
I really couldn't believe the 19,000 steps myself - and even more so to get away with it. I think the only way is several walks rather than one big walk. I considered going back to my walking group for an easy walk but realised they would be way too fast for me and too far all in one go. I try not to walk more than half an hour at a time. In London I had walked to the station from home, then in London walked from Kings Cross to the theatre but on the bus route so I could hop on when I needed to but actually stopped for a pizza so then could get to the theatre without a bus. Coming out of the theatre I walked the bus route and hopped on about half way back to the station then from the local train home - so five walks each of no more than half an hour. I remember the physio telling me at two weeks that after six months I would think I was fully recovered but it would really take another six to twelve months to reach my potential, but happy with my progress, albeit it has seemed to come all of a sudden.
I was a bit shocked when I realised I had been rolling around on the floor with the children - I hadn't intended to but somehow it happened. It doesn't seem long since someone on here was telling me how to get down to the floor and back up again. To do it without thinking was the real bonus. I laughed to myself remembering how I had video called my family when I was just out of surgery and my five year old grandson said that now I'd had my operation he would get his dad to pick me up from hospital and we could go for a run on the canal bank! I actually had to show him my wound with the dressing on to get him to believe that I couldn't run so soon to which he said he was amazed - he'd never seen a plaster so big! Not long ago I tried to run a little in his garden and he said 'Very good, grandma, but I don't think you're ready for the canal yet'. 😳😂
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Wowser, that's so amazing hon, I bet you were over the moon when you could play with your grandkids like that and 19000 steps just sounds like heaven. I really miss trekking around and exploring new places. Well done and applause all round.
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Hi Janlyn,
So true what you say about it sometimes feeling like yesterday and sometimes forgetting it happened at all.
I've found myself cycling without pain for the first time in about 10 years and have nearly built up to doing the full 18 miles to work. I too have been rolling on the floor with the grandchildren and have even managed to climb up into a tree to prune it.
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@Janlyn that's true. It's not six months yet so less than half a year ago I wouldn't have believed it possible to do any of these things pain free. That's the truly amazing thing for me, it's pain free, to be sure, I get the odd twinges if I over do things but generally I'm pain free (unless I'm doing physio exercises 😁)
I hope you're going well too
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@Denis68 I agree entirely. It's almost six months for me and I have found I have improved dramatically over the last two or three weeks. Just over a month ago I would feel sore if I walked too far or did too much but rarely does that happen now and my daily steps are now up to an average of over 11k. I do find bending down to weed the garden a problem, but I can live with that. My walking is faster and I no longer worry about walking too far and not being able to get home.
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Six months later - what a difference it has made too. Six months ago I was hoping I'd done the right thing, struggling to get in and out of bed and trying desperately to do my exercises but without any real strength. At the time I think I thought I was doing well but everything I did was so slow and measured. Now I'm averaging 10,000 steps a day. Walking wherever I want to walk and rarely having to stop and rest. I've not got back to running or cycling but I've thought about it. I'm feeling a real strength now and have stopped hobbling around.
Recommendations for anyone going through this soon - take care, do your exercises no matter how little difference they seem to be making, have faith you'll get there. Remember it's a marathon not a race so pace yourself, be patient, have faith you will get there - yes, I repeated it because it's important, take painkillers for as long as you need to, eventually you'll realise how good life can be again. It's an amazing feeling to get back to some kind of normal 😊
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thanks Janlyn. That’s so encouraging.
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Seven and a half months on from my replacement I am amazed at my recent progress and hope I can inspire those still worrying about what it might be like for them.
I seem to have become stronger again, I'm still exercising but working it into my daily life - whilst waiting for the kettle to boil, the coffee machine and so on. Just the little effective exercises that seem to make a difference. I'm beginning to wonder whether some of my pain wasn't from the arthritis but from poor posture, muscle wastage? Whatever I'm feeling stronger than I have in years and realise how much effort everything took previously.
I managed the travel and long train journeys through Greece recently, one day managing over 19,000 steps. Last week I had a day out in London and topped 25,000 steps - probably a bit silly but no permanent harm seemed to be done. It's really amazing and I feel so lucky to have my life back.
Today my worst nightmare came true. I tripped and fell - through not taking enough care, not due to my previous mis-aligned leg. I hurt my pride, grazed and cut my knee and hands, but so far my new hip isn't complaining.
Later this week I'm setting off for a trip around Scandinavia - this would have been impossible this time last year, so I'm feeling so very, very lucky to have my life back. My Fitbit tells me I'm now averaging 12,000 steps a day which is almost what I did years ago, so really, really lucky.
Take care and if you're waiting or worrying about a replacement, as I was, it's really been so worth it for me, x
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Thank you for your post. I had my hip operation just over a week ago so at the moment am very restricted in what I can do. Bur it is so encouraging to hear stories from other people who are further on. In just ten days I have made progress though. When I came out of hospital I couldn't lift my leg on to the bed myself so my husband had to help me. After two days I could though, and now it is much easier. I am doing three ten minute walks a day in the house on the crutches plus all my exercises given by the physio. I am trying to take one day at a time. I'm told the first two weeks are the worst.
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@shacklock25 I do agree the first two weeks are the worst and you're well over the worst now - well done. I do remember not being able to lift my leg on to the bed and living by myself it took me many minutes to get into and out of bed - the bliss when I got my strength back and could do it more easily. Going up and down steps was another ordeal and I used to think twice about whether I really needed to go up or down them, but amazingly now I take it all for granted again. Well done on your three ten minute walks a day - I don't think I could do that at your stage. Please be careful you don't lean too hard on your crutches as I did and now have carpal tunnel syndrome to contend with as well!
One day at a time and doing your exercises is definitely the way to go!
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Thank you so much for your kind comments. Onwards and upwards now.
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@Janlyn wow a trip round Scandinavia! That sounds amazing! I'm so glad everything has worked out for you and you are still going from strength to strength.
At five months I feel progress has slowed and I don't seem to get along walking as well as a couple of weeks ago so it's good to know that I might still find more progress and strength in the coming weeks.
Let us know how you get on with your fabulous sounding trip. Julie x
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@JPT I do hope you've gained strength now, Julie, and you were just having the normal 'slow down' of progress along the way.
I'm back from Scandinavia and really happy with how I managed. I went to Copenhagen for a music event where I was meeting with a group of friends but I travelled alone and had a couple of days on my own to start my trip. I walked a lot and managed my luggage and transport. Once I met up with friends I could keep up with them and they were amazed at the difference in me with my new hip. I realised that up until around five months I was walking slowly and now I'm not.
After the weekend I took the train to Sweden and had a couple of days there and then up to Oslo. No mishaps apart from losing a necklace and falling out of bed one night 😳, the latter I think as I had five different hotels in eight days and got used to wondering where I was when I woke up! I really enjoyed my trip but especially as it was a little bit of normal that I had feared might not happen again.
@shacklock25 - I hope you're making good progress?
@Nurina - hoping all is going well with you too?
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@Janlyn just wow! It’s fantastic to hear you are doing so well and managed your trip brilliantly. It sounds amazing. I love Copenhagen, such a warm and friendly place. So encouraging you were able to get around on public transport and felt at ease walking with friends. I can’t wait to get to that point.
I’m day 13 so a long way behind you in recovery terms but great to know things continue to get better with, maybe the odd mishap along the way.1 -
@KC1 At Day 13 you will be over the worst but so much further to go.
Looking back at times my progress seemed slow and there were the times when it seemed to be three steps forward and two back but amazingly it all came together. It's not a race so take the time you need, sometimes taking a bit more time can mean you get further in the end.
Exercising properly to gain muscle strength and make sure muscles are working as they should is more important than walking too far too soon. Listen to your body - if you start to limp, stop and rest. A few minutes walking a few times a day is better than one long walk my physio insisted.
Wishing you all the very best.
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Hi @Janlyn
I think you can start feeling like a star. What a difference between last year and this one!
About myself. I'm not going to lie I can barely stand up or walk. I knew my two legs were bad and it was expected but I thought that maybe it wouldn't happened. In April I walked without crutches and I had an almost normal life. Anyway, my operated leg feels really good. It's so strong and flexible. I have a big Trendelenburg because the bad leg is several centimeters shorter so I struggle when I walk. In my preassesment my height was measured and I've shrinked 5cm. I need two crutches to walk, even at home. I'm having my surgery very soon and that's a lot of hope. On Christmas time I'll feel fantastic again. Meanwhile, I'm trying to get as fit as possible to help with the recovery. I'm slowly losing weight with diet and doing exercises from the Escape app. Also I'm starting the Escape program in a leisure centre in September. I'll read all the diaries, including mine for a little bit of encouragement.
Take care x
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@Nurina I'm so sorry you're struggling now after you were doing so well post op and you've tried so hard. Thank goodness your op is soon, I can't wait for the time to be here for you, you deserve it so much.
I hope the Escape programme helps too. It sounds as though you are doing everything you can but I did find it a bit of a comfort to attend the Escape pain programme as I was with people who understood and we supported each other. The professionals were excellent too and I was assured I was doing the exercises properly whereas I wasn't always sure at home.
Take care, x
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hi Nurina you’ve been such an encouragement to me I’m so sorry to hear you’re in such pain again. With surgery in touching distance I hope you’ll soon be through the worst and out the other side. I found escape pain really helpful although there were a few exercises e.g. writing the alphabet with your foot, that I couldn’t manage and I was doing it at home not with others. I found going to the gym helped, for me the upright bike, some of the weight machines and using the exercise ball were brilliant.
Sending you all good wishes0 -
just found this site and thread. Had hip replacement 19 days ago, so many people had told me you go in with pain and walk out pain free, not the case for me, still having groin pain and muscle pain. Sleeping on my back and have found wedge pillow under head and shoulders helpful but waking every couple of hours, have restless legs too. Am doing exercises laying flat but finding standing exercises painful, am managing a walk outside once or twice a day weather permitting. What I’m really struggling with is the isolation and monotony of recovery and I’m feeling quite down, my hip pain and mobility was pretty bad before op but am finding it it hard feeling more restricted and disabled post op. Wondering if anyone else has felt like this and how they managed.
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Hello @soohogg and welcome to the Community. We are a friendly and supportive group and I hope that will be your experience as well.
Our website is a mine of information so do look at it. There is a section on hip replacement that includes a sectio on recovery which may help:
I have had both a knee and a hip replacement in the last few years and, like you, I thought that I would walk out pain free. For me, that didn't happen with either my knee or my hip and I feel that my expectations were unrealistic. We are all different and your body is complicated and what happens for one person doesn't happen for all. Be patient with your recovery - it changes week by week if not day by day. If you're used to being a busy person it is monotonous but it will get better!
Our community members will have vast experience so keep checking back here for their responses.
Please keep posting now you are here and let us know how you are getting on.
Best wishes
Mary
Need more help - call our Helpline on 0800 5200 520 Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm
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Hi. Firstly don't be too hard on yourself as it is very early days for you and your recovery after your hip replacement. Regarding groin and muscle pain, after my hip replacement in June of this year, I too had groin pain in the opposite side to my hip replacement. I was told that it is probably due to the muscles that have not been used properly for a length of time. After a few weeks and being a bit more mobile and doing the physio exercises the pain disappeared. The exercises are important but try not too overdo it and if it is painful stop/reduce quantity of that exercise for a while and gradually build back up again.
Secondly for me I too had times when I felt quite low and didn't seem to be progressing much. As for feeling restricted I think gradually as each day passes you may find that you are moving slightly better. Getting out for a walk also helped lift my feelings and just saying hello to a passer by helped as well. Do you have friends/family who live close by who you can talk to? I found this site really helpful as there are plenty of us "hippies" on here who are always there with helpful advice.
Please keep in touch and let us know how you are getting on. You will have good/bad days so try and be kind to yourself. Take care.🙂
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@soohogg - I'm so sorry to hear you're having a tough time. It really is early days for you. I admit my hip pain went straight away, although actually I was so numb for the first few days I wouldn't have felt it anyway. But I did have groin pain which I found out was muscle pain due to my muscles having become wasted due to lack of use pre-surgery. It did take time and perseverance to get my muscles working again but I did manage it.
I found it impossible to sleep until I was able to go on my side. I don't think it was so much sleeping on my back as not being able to move and shuffle around and get comfortable. In time it all falls into place and you look back and see the progress you have made.
My physio told me that everyone gets fed up around the two weeks time and feels they aren't making progress. As @Fran54 says, don't be too hard on yourself. Do what you can with your exercises. I was the opposite to you - I struggled with exercises when I was laid down but managed better stood up. My physio said it was good when the exercises were hard, once they become easy they are not really doing us any good.
Please keep us updated as to how you are getting on.
Take care.
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