How long did it take you to walk normally without assistance?

[Nemesis]

I was just wondering how long it took you guys to walk without a limp and without assistance?

What do you believe helped you most to achieve this?

[jjmclain]

Hi Nemesis,

I was restricted to 50% weightbearing with crutches for 3 weeks, and then one crutch for one week. At my 4 week appointment, the 90 degree restriction I had was lifted and I did not have to use the crutches. I walked out of my surgeon's office (a little wobbly like a toddler since it had been a month!) without a limp and haven't limped since before my surgery. By the next day I was walking normally! You will be amazed at how fast everything comes back.

June

[Eitan]

This is an excellent question!

I was on a walker for the first two weeks, then I went to a cane.  By 3 weeks I could walk easily without the cane but I had a massive limp.  Not a limp from pain, a limp from muscle weakness.  It seemed that no matter what excercises I did I still limped.  What helped me?  I began working with a physiotherapist who was excellent.  She pointed out that I wasn't shifting my pelvis adequately as I weight beared onto the operated side, something that I myself couldn't feel at all as I was walking.  She made me walk in front of a mirror which really helped also.  There were other more fine points she helped me on too.  Probably another factor in all of this is that many of us were not walking normally before our operations; I know I wasn't. So we have developed alot of bad compensatory habits that are then exacerbated by this very invasive proceedure we call resurfacing.  Add up prior muscle weakness, bad compensatory habits, stiffness, surgery and you have one whopper of a post op challenge in getting back to walking normally.  All told, by the 10 week mark I was walking without any limp.  I am now almost 4 months and I can run and even sprint (which I probably shouldn't, but that's another story).  Do not get discouraged.  Work at your own rate, and it will come.  A good piece of advice that I saw on this very site:  Do not atttempt to measure your progress in days:  You will likely not see much difference from one day to the next.  Use weeks.  You will definitely see changes from one week to the next, at least for the first few months.  Good luck.

Eitan

[KirkM]

I was walking without a cane or crutch around the house (with a limp) at a little before 3 weeks.  That was just last week.  I am walking 3.3 miles at a stretch with a cane but lift and carry it much of the time to practice walking squarely.  Haven't got the wobble out completely yet, but I do notice a little bit more strength and less limp every day.

Eitan is quite right, don't really look at progress on a daily basis, just focus on working at things on a daily basis.  I still get up every day hoping I will feel completely done and strong.  Of course, that isn't the case, and when I get frustrated by that, I remember how it was just a week prior and realize how far I come every week.

To me, the surgery is the easy part.  Putting all the outdoor activities I love on hold during these perfect SoCal summer days is torture!

The good news is that the time does start to fly by the further out from surgery you get.  And just to further repeat the refrain stated many, many times here:
DO NOT use any one else's recovery as a standard for "normal".  Whatever timeline suits your body and your circumstances is normal for YOU.  Be patient and be smart and you will soon be one of the people posting down the road that says they don't even remember they have the thing when they are out doing all that they want.  (Me too!)

[Ernie]

I was full weight bearing from the beginning so I was able to progress pretty quickly.  I used a walker for the first 5 days.  Then a cane until day 11. Then I tossed the cane and walked a couple miles, up and down hills, twice a day.  I would limp when getting started, but kept at it.  At my six week checkup, my surgeon had me show how I was walking to a new nurse.  He said my wobble (waddle?) was normal for six weeks but would soon be gone, whether I exercised, did PT, or anything!  Now at 3 months, any limping on a long hike or when getting up from sitting is from the unoperated hip.  The Wright, conserve + feels solid as a rock!  It is amazing.

[Tin Soldier]

Crutches for 2 weeks, or maybe 1.5, used mostly for control and support, but tried being full weight bearing from day 1. 
Cane for about 2 more weeks
Limp for another 4 to 6 weeks

Nice thing about bi-lateral, is that my operated hip feels very strong (4 months post-op), don't even notice it, no limp, just ROM reduction.  Bad hip is the one with the limp now.

[maxi]

took me 7 weeks, but still is a struggle to get strength back in legs after not using them fully for 2 yrs. no limp, no pain and walking 4 ks a day (around 3 miles) playing golf again ( walk 9 holes, buggy the rest), which is fantastic, been fishing on beach,and the mandatory pt. .im 5 mths out tomorrow but have a severe prob with a very tight wound site, yep, the tennis ball is still there . ???..  i see doc in 4 weeks so hopefully will find out then whats causing it ...

i believe why i walk well and have no pain is because of my surgeons skill, although im guessing he may have a been a bit aggressive with my soft tissues (or it may be just my body make up).. im sure you have realized that everyones experience with HR is different, and theres a good chance the common factor with the majority of us, is the docs skills, and a good PT regime post surgery, along with guts and shear determination to move our bodies somewhat like we did before........ ::)

ps. i achieved a forklift license today ...   ;D ;D ;)

cheers

Paul ...

[hipnhop]

I used a cane/crutch for the first three weeks.  I still have a little limp but it is mostly from the unoperated hip.