I am able to walk on one stick 5 days after my THR

annieg · October 28, 2012, 06:47:43 AM

I had a THR on Tues (23rd Oct) and because of low blood pressure I had to stay in bed for an extra day but was feeling fit enough to get up. When I did I walked with a frame did a few exercises. Next day I walked with two crutches and up and down a flight of stairs and over a few boxes. I had a shower that morning and managed to do everything by myself and went home later that day. However, the physio says I must stay on two crutches and I can walk well with one. I can go up stairs normally and feel no pain. I do ache a bit at first but that wears off. I can sit and get out of a chair with little problem and do my exercises as suggested. I have no pain although am uncomfortable during the night lying on my back which means I have broken sleep. My physio said to stay on two crutches to less the weight on the healing hip but my thinking is that I can do this with one crutch and cannot understand why I need two when my other leg is capable of taking its own weight.
Can anyone tell me if it's okay to walk on one crutch.
Many thanks. Anne

Jason0411 · October 28, 2012, 07:26:51 AM

It could be to do with posture. If you use two crutches it keeps you more upright and even. Not sure about THR but I thought I knew better than the Docs and Physios and done too much too soon and caused a major crush fracture under my BHR so don't overdo it this early even if you feel you can. The last thing you want is a fracture.

Jas

Mike D · October 28, 2012, 07:57:49 AM

Anne,
Great that you're doing so well so soon, but I wouldn't even think about ditching your crutches yet.
You need weeks of partial weight bearing not days. You have to give your hip a decent chance to heal without the early pressure of full weight bearing.
In the long term it will be well worth a bit of inconvenience now
Mike.

IslandCatt · October 28, 2012, 11:32:37 AM

Quote from: annieg on October 28, 2012, 06:47:43 AM
I had a THR on Tues (23rd Oct) and because of low blood pressure I had to stay in bed for an extra day but was feeling fit enough to get up. When I did I walked with a frame did a few exercises. Next day I walked with two crutches and up and down a flight of stairs and over a few boxes. I had a shower that morning and managed to do everything by myself and went home later that day. However, the physio says I must stay on two crutches and I can walk well with one. I can go up stairs normally and feel no pain. I do ache a bit at first but that wears off. I can sit and get out of a chair with little problem and do my exercises as suggested. I have no pain although am uncomfortable during the night lying on my back which means I have broken sleep. My physio said to stay on two crutches to less the weight on the healing hip but my thinking is that I can do this with one crutch and cannot understand why I need two when my other leg is capable of taking its own weight.
Can anyone tell me if it's okay to walk on one crutch.
Many thanks. Anne

Are you on pain meds? Sometimes pain meds can mask your body's natural protective mechanism that comes from feeling pain.

I ditched all my pain meds as soon as I got home from the hospital because I wanted to make sure I was not pushing things too soon due to not having the pain induced protection response.

Pat Walter · October 28, 2012, 01:57:35 PM

Hi Annie

Welcome to Hip Talk. Glad to hear your THR recovery is going well. I would ask the surgeon if you can use one crutch. When people use one crutch, they use it on the opposite side of the operated hip.

I would, however, ask first. You don't want to do anything to cause your recovery any problems. It is diffiuclt in the begining, but be conservative and patient. It will pay off with a faster recovery without any problems along the way.

Good Luck.

Pat