5 weeks post-op encouragement

[justinmusic]

It has been 5 weeks now since my left hip was resurfaced and I would like to pass along some encouragement about how it has progressed. I am 59 and a life long athlete (golf is my main sport) have played for 50 years and that is how I wore out the left hip. I had put off the surgery for 5 years until I could no longer swing a club. It was not a fun experience by no means. Everyone tells you how great it is, but no one tells you what you have to go through. I won't go into that here.

Only the positive stuff:
I was driving a day under 2 weeks, back to work in 3 weeks, able to cook, clean and do just about everything in 2 1/2 weeks, on a walker only 2 days after being home, crutches for another 3 days, and 1 crutch after that for any extensive walking, but getting around the house with nothing, however there is still a limp going on and it will obviously take some time for the muscles to get back to normal. Very little pain at all, except some muscle pain, but have taken no pain medication at all since the hospital.

I did spend 2 years doing daily pre-op exercises which I think must have helped in the post-op realm. Obviously from all the posts on this site, everyone progresses at a different rate, and I think the younger you are and the more active you are, the better chances you have of progressing more quickly.

One thing I have been doing in the last week or so, is walking around and doing exercises with 2 1/2 leg weights attached to my ankles. This has really seemed most excellent in the progress realm. It just gives the muscles a little extra work out, and when the weights come off, the legs seem light as a feather.

Anyway, thanks Pat for this excellent site where we can come together and share our thoughts and concerns about our common hippy thing. And, I send all my thoughts and encouragment to all who are about to go through this process, and to all who have been throught it.

Happy healing
Daniel Justin

[halfdone]

Great progress Daniel.  Congrats on your new hip.   Good to hear that you're quickly getting back to normal life.  I hope that putting, chipping and the other kind of driving will be back in your routine before too long.  I'm going to try your weights idea in a little while.  When will you start PT?  I'm guessing that you'll want to include balance and proprioception exercises to support your return to the links.

Best wishes
HD

[silky]

Hi Justin,

I too am an avid golfer and scheduled for a resurfacing in a month with Dr Su in NYC.  Who did yours?  What exercises did you do pre-op?  I swim regularly but that is all I can do and even that hurts now.  How are you doing now and how is your golf game?

Silkytempo