The Other Side

[Lopsided]

Went out for my usual walk this evening. Five and a half weeks out, and my hip is getting better almost daily, but I feel lots of strain in all the muscles of my leg, and in my back, which is a continual reminder that I have a few compressed disks as well. I am not too worried about this strain, as it is mainly due to moving freely again. I get stiff if I sit for long, but once I am walking I loosen up.

Six kilometres this evening. I have walked further since the operation, but today I was really stretching out. My gait has improved and I have not walked with such long strides for a few years.

A few twinges. Every so often as I was walking, I did feel deep in my groin a rather uncomfortable and familiar feeling, a bit like toothache, centred right inside my hip.

Nothing wrong with the operated hip, it was the other side.

[Pat Walter]

It is typical to have back, knee and other hip pain.  It takes a lot of months for the body to get balanced and many people have their backs, etc heal after their hip heals.  Remember it takes 6 months for most healing and over a year for all healing.  It took time for your hip to deteriorate and the rest of your body was out of balance too.  Give your body time.

I did water therapy at the 6 week point.  I too was very stiff after sitting and the first few steps hurt a bit.  I did a lot of water walking and some exercises.  That helped a great deal and the start of stiffness never came back.  You might want to find a pool nearby.  Here are my exercises  http://www.surfacehippy.info/poolexercises.php  and other info  http://www.surfacehippy.info/ptarticles.php   Try not to sit more than 45 mintues to an hour at a time.

Things will continue to get better.  Give your body some time.

Pat

[Lopsided]

Thank you Pat for reminding me that it will take time.

I am doing hydrotherapy already, I am the advocate that posted about it two weeks ago (http://surfacehippy.info/hiptalk/index.php?topic=2019.0).

Dan

[Luann]

Yeah! Great to hear you are walking such distances and doing better. If I remember correctly, you are thinking about doing the other hip eventually, right? How soon?
  My back is still hurting too, especially in the morning. I have had back pain for 20 years, the Dr said it would probably get better with the hip getting fixed, but it really hasn't. I have old back injuries from my race riding days. I think, like you, it will just be something I'll have to deal with. At least it is now not both my back and my hip! Thank goodness for small favors. Anyway, keep letting us all know how you're feeling and healing. Any luck with those toenails yet?   Lu

[Lopsided]

Lu,

Yeah! Great to hear you are walking such distances and doing better.

I have always been a good walker, and walking has always helped alleviate other conditions. Maybe you feel the same about horse riding.

If I remember correctly, you are thinking about doing the other hip eventually, right? How soon?

Don't know when. Both the surgeon and my own doctor say there is absolutely no way of knowing.

My back is still hurting too, especially in the morning. I have had back pain for 20 years, the Dr said it would probably get better with the hip getting fixed, but it really hasn't.

I am not pleased to hear that you have back pain. Getting our hips done is relatively easy, but there is no similar operation for a degenerative spine.

Hope you continue to progress well.

Dan

[Luann]

Hi Dan, Well, sorry for whining. It's always something, huh? I imagine someday I will really pay for all the crazy horse riding I've done. Maybe in 20 years they will invent bionic backs (and robots that clip toenails for us?). Right now it is only really bad in the mornings. I must "warm-up" out of it later in the day. I was just hoping it would get better after surgery. I'm thinking after 4 months, it is just probably here to stay. Oh well, at least the hip is better.
 I'm hoping you do not suffer the same fate, and, especially after your other hip is done and healed, you will have a pain/problem free back.
 Happy walking! (does that cute dog get to go with?) Lu

[Lopsided]

Lu,

I have considered in my daydreams, that not only should I get my other hip resurfaced, but have those sections of my lumbar replaced my metal components. And my neck too. My upper back is not too bad, a little curved, but might as well do that at the same time, do the entire spine in one go. My knees click a lot, so do them as well. My arms are stiff, I know it is muscular, but my left shoulder clicks, so do that one too. And the right shoulder. My thumb joints have been sore for many years. I do not think there are any implants designed yet for thumbs, but I would want them.

In fact, with the benefit of movement that I have gained with my left hip resurfacing compared with the grisly bit of cartilage that wore out, I should really have every single joint replaced with metal parts. This should help with 'startup stiffness' and relieve back pain.

As I have mentioned before, Lu, I am glad you take me seriously. And I think everyone else should too.

Keep riding!

D.