Athletes only????

[ehiggins]

Everyone I read a posting from, here or elsewhere, seems to have been an athlete. I feel like I continually hear "Hi, I'm a marathoner, a tennis player, a triathaloner, ....etc. ...). I'm just a regular 52 year old female with severe OA in different places ( including my hip) who can no longer get along without surgical intervention  & I have an appt. with a resurfacing doc in March. I don't need to get back to athletic endeavors. I would just love to move without pain, walk without a limp, dance at my daughter's wedding & wear a pair of shoes that aren't flat. Anything else would be a bonus! Anyone else out there like me?
ehiggins

[Elaine Y.]

Oh My Gosh -- Yes -- a lot of us are non-athletes. I mean I walk for exercise and do step aerobics, but that's about it. I have been sedentary for over a year, and like you, I just wanted to be able to move without pain, do some gardening, dance, and basically be pain free. I just turned 51 this month. So, by all means, go see the resurfacing MD in March and know that you have a bunch of us surface hippies just like you  :D And the best of luck and keep us all posted on your recovery. Today I am 5 weeks 1 day and I was able to do straight leg raises all by myself. That is quite an accomplishment!!! Be sure to scout out this site and get informed so you can ask your MD lots of questions. The better informed you are the better it will be for you in the long run. See you on the other side.

Elaine Y.
RBHR 1/22/07 -- Dr. Eugene Lopez

[ehiggins]

Elaine - hi & thanks for your confidence-boosting answer. This website has been wonderful - I already have a list of questions & dozens of great recovery tips. After so much pain for so long I'm so happy to  know there's an alternative for us who don't want to go the THR route , esp. at out age. I'm thrilled & amazed at your progress, it leaves me very hopeful. I can't wait till I'm 5 weeks on the other side - continue on with your great recovery---Many thanks-
Eileen

[Pat Walter]

Hi Elaine

Welcome to Hip Talk.

There are many more just regular people that get hip resurfacing than Athletes.  I am a pretty normal 63 year old woman with a great BHR.  I walk and ride my bike.  Not much else any more because the rest of my body can't keep up with my new hip.

Don't let the talk of the great athletic accomplisments make you feel left out.  I post them because it is an amazing surgery that does allow people to continue their lives if they were really active.  Most people don't believe it is possible, so I print the possiblity stories.

Many more people are just regular normal everyday folks.

Welcome to the group.  Let us know if you have any questions.

Good Luck.

Pat

[KennyG]

Athletes tend to push past pain, which is required to be a successful competitor, however this mindset is likely bad for recovery.  So how far is too far? 

As an athlete, I can measure progress in my sport with a stopwatch, measuring tape, scoreboard, or any number of other metrics.  As a patient, I have no idea how to measure progress and I naturally feel like Im "falling behind."  I'm two weeks past surgery and my competitive nature says I am being lazy and not doing enough. 

I know everyone is different, consult your doctor, blah blah blah.  Fact is I'm a week away from my next Dr. appt.  I would LOVE to hear from athletes on what they did wrong / right / wish they would have done different.

[Pat Walter]

Even athletes can't push their body to do what the mind wants during the first few weeks or so.  The body controls your rate of recovery.  The muscles will repair and start to function when they are ready to.  Once that has started, you can probably push harder - but not during the immediate post op recovery period.

If you push and feel pain or get swelling - you are definitely doing too much. As my doctors said - listen to your body. 

I am not an athlete, but I have read hundreds and hundreds of stories and I know you can't push the envelope in the begining.  You body will be in control.

You will soon be on the road to recovery and a little patience in the begining will lead to greater rewards in the future.  I was on one crutch at 4 days and none at 4 weeks.  I was walking about 1 mile a day at 12 days post op with one crutch.  I was not an athlete, but I consider that pretty good.  My doctor said   walk, walk and walk.  That's what I did for a number of months.  It paid off for me.

Good Luck.

Pat

[Cubby52]

Hi There, I am a 55 yr. old yoga teacher, 10 weeks post op. As a "believer in movement" I felt like I was being "lazy" also if I didn't start doing easy stretches and hopping on treadmill at 3 weeks post op. So I did. Of course I held onto the bars on treadmill and evntually was able to hold on with one arm on higher window sill and the other swinging madly. That made me stand taller and gave better balance while treading at about 20-25mph.
  I still have quite a bit of pain at high point of incision and wondering now if I overdid it or have bursitis! I started back to teaching at 7 weeks but babied my right leg/hip. I do a lot. I gardened and pulled weeds for 2 hrs. last friday and I really hurt now. Just picked up the cane yesterday! Yes, I work thru the pain and ice afterward. In fact I worked out heavy, step aerobics, weights and fast walk on treadmill one and a half hours before my surgery. Not a good idea because lactic acid build up can contract and otherwise not make it a good thing before surgery.
  My advice; take it slow and get over your active self. I am upset about my setback and the fact that I still limp. I had to go back to work, yoga, at 7 weeks b/c that's my living and my students have been wonderful. They told me to come in a wheelchair if I have to and just direct lol. But no, I do it all except the poses that aggravate rite leg/hip. Still have not reached the ROM I need in right hip but I am quitting the forcing of it all.
  I feel repetitive motion at this point is NOT GOOD. Do a variety of easy actions and let your body repair. I feel like I overdid at this point and am disappointed in myself for thinking I'm still 25. I had to walk my mile at 3 weeks post op just to feel I'm keeping up. Dumb idea; 1/4 mile would have sufficed. Don't overdue and good luck. Cubby

[TomBuell]

Yes, I often realize I have to act my age (52) but I think the advice of "listen to your body" still stands. A little pushing is OK, but it doesn't make sense to overdo it.
Do whatever you want to do.
- Tom

[Tarhoo2]

Unfortunately, there seems to be a need to establish that Dr. X's procedure and protocol will assure a more rapid return to full use of our hips or that we should be able to assume the lotus position within X days after surgery.  This mentality, along with the built-in desire that most of us have to be "new again," seems to be detrimental to full recovery.  We're hearing too may stories about people pushing themselves too far and too soon, with resulting complications.  I think it's really important to recognize that there are limits to how quickly the human body can recover from this procedure and acknowledge that there are variations in the procedure and that each of us heals differently.