I had my right hip resurfaced on 06/06/11.  I am recovering well and taking it easy.  I immediatly had an increase in the range of motion but the right hip is not were the left hip is at this early in the game. 

I was wondering are most able to regain the simple motions as touching your toes or bringing the knee to the chest.  How long did it take?

It took me about six weeks before I could touch my toes. As for the knee to the chest - I'm not there yet.

Touching toes took me about two months. Now at ten months I can bend down to touch my second knuckle on the floor.

Bringing my knee up to my chest is continually but very slowly increasing. I can just about touch my knee to my shoulder.

D.

Touching toes - about six weeks, like Hip. Knees to the chest - it's a stretch I do every morning, but like all stretches, I don't push it, especially that one.

I began bringing my leg towards my chest as part of my in home PT about 5 weeks after the surgery.  I started by bringing up my leg with my hands under it LIGHTLY, until I felt any resistance, held for 30 sec. and brought it gently back down (my PT helped with it). I can now bring both up pretty far to about an inch from the chest (one leg bent, the other straight out, lying down). 

The main thing is to be very deliberate with it and patient. Don't want to compromise anything when you do these exercises. If you have a PT, talk it over with them and set that as a goal, then follow what they say about working it in.

Most of all be careful. These stretches will come, you want to do them when it is safe to do so and in a progressive manner.

I am at 6 weeks and I am able to touch my toe, I can cross my operated leg on to the other knee (although it is high and hurts) and I am 85% of the way to get the knee to the chest.  I feel like I have excellent range of motion the PT does not even check me anymore.
I am now doing small squats, and balancing on operated leg.  WOW.

That's great Lori. The improvement will keep happening with stretching. I always told my Tae Kwon Do students when they first started and got discouraged about their stretching, that you just need to proceed at a slow pace, and pretty soon you're flexible. Stretching cannot be rushed.

Hi Lori.36,
I am at 6 weeks too. Can you jump only on your operated leg without pain ? I did this during my 6 weeks check up and I got some hard pain.
Fortunately, it has gone off a few hours after.

I am at 7 months post-op and can't remember at what point in my recovery I could touch my toes and bring my knee to my chest....I should have written it all down! If I recall, once the 90 degree restriction was lifted at 4 weeks, things happened really fast and I just keep improving. I think it was at about 5 weeks that I could touch my toes, tie my shoes, etc. At 7 months my ROM and strength on the operated side are better than they have been in years, since my bike crash in 2007. People who don't know that I had surgery, would never know!

June

Nekko,  Nope have not tried hopping up and down on operated leg.  That does not sound fun.  I am able to walk up and down the stairs normally, which is really nice.  I am also able to walk at a good clip.   :)
Are you back to work now?

I could touch my toes probably at about 6-8 weeks. Putting a sock on was a different story. It took me about 3 months until I could do it. Not comfortably but I could do it. That's about when I stopped using the "sock thingy". I'm working on bringing the knees up to my chest. I do it slowly and carefully. I can't touch yet but I'm working on it. I'm still a little nervous about doing it. I'll get there.

Hopping up and down? Not yet. At almost 6 months I'm sure I could do it but I'm not pushing it yet.

Lori, yes, I am back to work and it is enjoyable to meet the colleagues again.
Newdog, thanks for the advice about hopping. During the 6 weeks check up I had yesterday, my surgeon ask me to do one jump on the operated leg and I must admit it was painful  :(. After that he checked that everything was OK about ROM, in all the directions. No pain. X-rays showed that the device was still there  ;)

Quote from: hernanu on June 24, 2011, 11:37:04 AM
The improvement will keep happening with stretching. I always told my Tae Kwon Do students when they first started and got discouraged about their stretching, that you just need to proceed at a slow pace, and pretty soon you're flexible. Stretching cannot be rushed.

Great advice Hernan :)  I'm one of the slow achievers and still a little way away from the toes (currently 11 weeks post op).  My ROM was absolutely horrible pre-op and all of these muscles need stretching and strength.   The immediate improvement in the ROM after surgery was huge and it's slowly getting even better.

When you all talk about "touching your toes" I assume you mean while standing with your knees straight?  I haven't actually checked until now and I find that I'm still a couple of inches from that, but I've been able to tie my shoes pretty easily, either while sitting or squatting straight down, since the first two or three weeks.  Before surgery I had to sit down and put my foot on the opposite knee to tie my shoe.  They always came out with the knot in the inside edge of the laces.

My biggest immediate ROM improvement was outward rotation (I was warned against inward rotation at first).  I was very locked up in this regard.  After the surgery the hips felt so loose it seemed like my nkees wanted to flop outwards.  I can now sit very comfortably on the floor with my legs crossed, something I haven't been able to do for a long time.

My range of  motion always sucked and it still does. My running coach wasn't a big fan of stretching. It seems there is an on-going debate about the benefits of stretching for runners. Nevertheless, I think increasing range of motion is necessary for us HR folks. I am looking at the specific activities where ROM is needed and working with a trainer to increase ROM in these areas.

HEre is my list.
1. Picking up and placing a golf ball.
2. Mounting my road bike
3. dismounting my road bike
4. Picking up dog poop at the dog park
5. Some things that I do not think I should mention (just call me Dr. Love)

Hilarious.  ;D

I'd just gotten used to calling you hipnhop.

Just a warning, obviously you shouldn't be trying to touch your toes if you have posterier restrictions from you doc for 6 weeks. 

My ROM is not good, but it is slowly getting better.  My PT says the hip capsule tissue regenerates at a whopping speed of 100 to 300 days.  So no one should expect to have any great advances in their ROM.  I'm 4 months out and I can touch my toes with straight legs, but I can't get my knee up to my chest very well.  I still tend to use my back a lot when bending over and my lumbar takes a fair amount of the strain when trying to crouch down.  I can barely get my foot on to my other knee (cross-legged sitting).  The good news is that every week or so I notice a little bit more of an increase in ROM and my walking stride length keeps getting better.  It feels great to stretch the stride when walking.  Also when going up stairs, I'll lead with the operated side and take 2 stairs at once in order to increase the ROM.

I pick up a lot of dog turds too.  Gotta make the kids do it.   

Quote from: Tin Soldier on June 29, 2011, 05:07:18 PM
I pick up a lot of dog turds too. 

;D ;D

My PT has me do a core exercise called "dead bug" where you lay on your back and move your arms and legs up and down.

I can imagine a variation of the old "line touches" drill called "picking up dog turds".  A great exercise for surface hippies.

Quote from: FlbrkMike on June 29, 2011, 07:46:48 PM

Quote from: Tin Soldier on June 29, 2011, 05:07:18 PM
I pick up a lot of dog turds too. 

;D ;D

My PT has me do a core exercise called "dead bug" where you lay on your back and move your arms and legs up and down.

I can imagine a variation of the old "line touches" drill called "picking up dog turds".  A great exercise for surface hippies.

The most sadistic exercises have cute names. I was introduced to dead bugs and now still do it 'cause it's the best core exercise around, but c'mon...

OK, how about "picking up golf balls"?

You could add an extra agility component by doing it on an open driving range.  You might even get paid minimum wage for collecting the balls.

Sorry...I've been at work all day and getting a little goofy.

You guys crack me up!  Thanks!  I usually need a good laugh after I get home from work!  How about a demo of the dead bug exercise?