Jill’s Hip Resurfacing with Dr. Schemitsch 2009

October 6, 2010

I had my right hip resurfaced in June 2009. I have scuba dived for many years, and enjoyed my first post-surgical dive last month. I had no problems while diving, (though some struggle to get back into the boat!) I happened to mention the dive while chatting with a group of friends, which included a doctor, who is also a diver. He was horrified that I had dived at nine months post op. and said that air pockets behind the implant could have expanded as I came back up, loosening the implant.

He suggested I delay any further dives until at least 18 months, by which time, hopefully, the bone will have grown into the spaces. Would be very interested to hear other people’s experiences.

I was certainly capable of physically sitting at the computer soon after surgery, (though I was more comfortable with my leg up in a recliner or similar.) My problem was that my head seemed to be somewhere else for at least the first four weeks or so. I’m a university prof, so I was trying to write academic material, plus I had graduate students sending me theses to review etc. Frankly my brain didn’t work in its usual way – at first I thought it was just the pain killers, but I was able to stop those within a week or two, yet the diminished brain power effects continued.

My surgeon puts all his resurf patients on a touch only weight bearing status for six weeks, as he believes this gives the capsule the best chance to heal. It was somewhat frustrating to be shuffling on a walker for such a long time while reading accounts of others who were walking much earlier, but once I was given weight bearing permission at six weeks, I found that walking was pain free right away, though a little wobbly for a day or two. It just needed a few days to discard the cane entirely indoors, though I would carry it with me outside for a few weeks as a way to fend off other pedestrians who might jostle me.
I’m at ten months now, and am thrilled with my pain free, pill free hip.

I had a numb area about a half inch deep all along the rear side of my incision. It took about six months to go away, but the sensation did return, presumably as the cut nerves regrew.