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Author Topic: Achilles rehab vs hip resurfacing (Wes's Hip Story w/ Dr. Gross)  (Read 3265 times)

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wesinator

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What up fellow surface hippies,

Make sure you thoroughly stretch out your calves and Achilles before any running activities.

Wanted to share good news as well as bad, to keep the knowledge sharing alive and help others learn.  This time I have bad news.  At about 11 months post op, ruptured my Achilles tendon last week playing basketball.  This is the same leg with the new hip.  Have been playing at a very high level since about 8 months, pretty much full speed with no problems.  We even won the Y rec league.  Then three weeks ago while cutting I had a twinge in my Achilles.  Was able to finish that game, then quit for the night.  It hurt pretty bad so I took a week off, then played once again a week later with a little pain, not too bad.  Then last week, it was feeling better, so sort of went back to full speed playing.  Towards the end of the 1st game, I planted and went to sprint, and BAM!  Felt like somebody kicked the crap out of my ankle.  But nobody did.  Had surgery Saturday morning to repair it, local doc said it was completely torn.  Crutches for 6 weeks followed by rehab.  I understand the rehab will suck compared to the easy rehab I experienced with the hip. 

Hip resurfacing rehab = Immediately walk on your own without pain.  Progress from crutches to cane to nothing relatively fast as you build your muscles back.  Rehab sort of takes care of itself by just walking, then jogging, then running.   At 8 months have complete confidence.

versus

Achilles rehab = Wear a M-Fing non-weight-bearing cast for 6 weeks while your leg muscles atrophy away. Go to a PT many times a week.  Stretch all the time.  Hurt.  Suffer.  Have slow progress.  Perpetually wonder if it or the other will blow out again.

Can you tell I am sort of bummed at the moment?

Want to emphasize that I believe this has nothing to do with my new hip.  It is still good. The fact that it so good allowed me to push the rest of my aging body farther than it needed to go at the time.  Once I felt that first Achilles twinge I should have rested it for a longer while (sure wish I would have now).  Also my stretching had been minimal.  I have only been stretching before exercising and it is only for 3-5 minutes max.  I now believe 3-4 minutes on the Achilles alone is appropriate and maybe 10 minutes as a minimum is appropriate, 15 would be better.  From what I have been reading, “weekend warriors” (non-pro basketball players), especially those over 30, are particularly susceptible to Achilles injury.

If Dr Gross did Achilles, I would have gone to him for this.  Heck I would go to him for a cold if he did that.  He is a hero of mine and the gold standard against which I will forever measure all other docs.  However, in contrast to hip replacement, where you have time to research and choose a doctor, a busted Achilles is something you don’t want to let set while you mull over your options for weeks or months.  It is trauma that needs fixed.

In my case, the doc that did the Achilles repair is the same first doc that I first visited with hip trouble.  He is the doc that wanted to and would have done a total hip replacement.  At this visit he was still advising, “don’t play basketball on an artificial hip, even resurfacing, they’re not made for it.  They will wear out faster.  You want 20-25 years, not 6”.  I am certain that he means well and wants the best for his patients.  But we do not see eye to eye.  But I needed a fixed Achilles and he was once again well recommended. 

Dr Gross does not have such restrictions on “impact activities”.  We will see who is right.  Time will tell how long our resurfaced hips will last under the acknowledged additional wear and tear of bball.  Life is short and I have been and will continue to be a willing test subject.  Just want this damn cast off.

Best of luck to all!
Wes
RH/Biomet U/C Dr. Gross/Lee Webb
7-13-09

Pat Walter

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Re: Achilles rehab vs hip resurfacing (Wes's Hip Story w/ Dr. Gross)
« Reply #1 on: June 02, 2010, 09:10:35 PM »
Wesinator

Sorry to hear about your achilles accident.  Doesn't sound like any fun at all.  I wish you the best during your rehab.

I gave you your own topic because it is interesting.  It is always good to learn as much as we can about as many things as we can when it comes to using our bodies.

I hope you will get over this, get rid of the cast and get back to using that leg full out by fall.

Keep in touch.  We will keep you in our thoughts and prayers until you get ride of that cast!  They are no fun!

Good Luck.

Pat
Webmaster/Owner of Surface Hippy
3/15/06 LBHR De Smet

John C

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Re: Achilles rehab vs hip resurfacing (Wes's Hip Story w/ Dr. Gross)
« Reply #2 on: June 03, 2010, 12:43:33 AM »
I don't know if we have a trend here, but I had a somewhat similar, but much less traumatic experience. My bad hip had forced me to give up tennis about 15 years ago. At a little over a year after my resurfacing, I was doing so well with skiing and windsurfing, and had gotten largely rid of my limp, that I decided to try getting back into tennis. It went very well, and I was delighted to be out hitting balls again. After a few weeks, my achilles tendon on the same side as the resurfacing was really sore after tennis one day. I had to stop tennis for the season, and was limping pretty badly for a few weeks. It took about nine months to heal, though skiing hard on it every day during the winter probably didn't help. This summer I am back on the tennis courts a few days a week, and no problems at all so far; in fact I am convinced that tennis is good for my hip, since it always feels great afterwards. My guess is that I had been favoring that leg for 15+ years, and the tendon, along with the muscles, had gotten weak. When I first got back on the tennis court, the tendon was not up to the level of stress that the rest of the hip and leg were up for.
Bottom line; achilles tendons are a weak link in the aging athlete (I have had four friends rupture an achilles tendon in the last two years), so make sure that you put some time into strengthening them if your new hips are asking to go out and play hard.
John/ Left uncemented Biomet/ Dr Gross/ 6-16-08
Right uncemented Biomet/Dr Gross/ 4/25/18

wesinator

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Re: Achilles rehab vs hip resurfacing (Wes's Hip Story w/ Dr. Gross)
« Reply #3 on: October 01, 2010, 02:19:04 PM »
Hello fellow hippies,

Time has past and my Achilles is healing up nicely.  It’s been 4 months.  Feel like I could go back to playing basketball now, but am going to stay conservative.  Plus it’s not bball season yet  :)

With the experience of more time and hindsight, I offer up more contrasts between my Achilles rehab this summer and my hip resurfacing rehab last summer:

WORK
Hip resurfacing:
Off work for 6 weeks (could have gone back in 3-4 weeks or possibly even 2)
Achilles:
Surgery Saturday morning, back to work Monday (albeit on crutches)

CRUTCHES
Hip resurfacing:
1->4 days - walking with crutches
5->20 days – walking with a cane or one crutch.  Towards the end of that period, walked with a limp when not using the cane.
+20 days walking with no assistance
Achilles:
0-4 weeks cast and crutches (supposed to be 6 weeks, but long story, I cut off my cast and got a walking boot)
4-7 weeks – (removable) walking boot
+7 weeks - shoes

PT
Hip resurfacing:
No formal PT, instead self PT of walking, then elliptical trainer machine, followed by return to golf by 6 weeks and sports (playing basketball) by 5 months.
Achilles:
Once a week PT visit, self workouts 2-3 times a week, return to golf at about 8-9 weeks, and (anticipated) sports by 6 months.

PAIN
Hip resurfacing:
Before surgery - excruciating bone on bone pain just walking to the bathroom.  After surgery - none
Achilles:
Before surgery - explosion in Achilles area during the injury, not much pain after that
After surgery - none

OVERALL EXPERIENCE
Hip resurfacing:
Start in a non-functional, handicapped, painful existence – get the surgery and slowly progress towards no pain and complete functionality.  Thorough research and careful choosing of a doctor that is an expert.  Complete satisfaction with the medical experience.
Achilles:
In very good athletic shape – BAM! Crippling injury, no time to choose the right doctor (this was my incorrect perception and a mistake), end up with the wrong (for me, anyways) doctor.  Surgery went well.  Complete disagreement with doctor on rehab.  Miserable month in cast and on crutches.  Steady, slow progression towards full recovery.

That’s all I’ve got today.  As always, good luck to you and your hip story!

Wes
Wes
RH/Biomet U/C Dr. Gross/Lee Webb
7-13-09

Glenn Urban

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Re: Achilles rehab vs hip resurfacing (Wes's Hip Story w/ Dr. Gross)
« Reply #4 on: February 26, 2018, 06:25:39 AM »
Searched for this topic specifically, and low and behold...here it is. I have had both hips resurfaced and am at 11 months on my left hiip and 6 months on my right...have been working up slowly to getting back to jogging on the school track for about a month..very slowly...also started playing basketball - but just shooting around and chasing shots down by myself. My Achilles, on both sides, are showing signs of stress and I am a little alarmed.


Of note to me, is that the Achilles on the right side, which is the six month hip, became extremely sore after a little basketball one day, and the left also became sore.  After about 5 days of laying off the treadmill or the court, I went to the local high school, and slowly started walking, then jogging, trying to get a workout in without getting pain in either ankle. No dice. Had to quit after about 10 minutes.


I have never had issues with my ankles or tendons other than twisting my ankles numerous times from basketball and lacrosse. I am also 54 now, not 24, and perhaps age is playing a part in this. Hard to say if there is a trend here, but, of interest to me is the fact that the right ankle/Achilles is the worst, compared to the left hip. Yet, the left leg is doing more work on the basketball court as I am right  handed and use it to elevate for jump shots and layups, though I am not trying to do layups...too afraid of messing up my device and am trying to take it super easy.


Based on this older thread, I am going to take heed. An Achilles tear sounds like hell. More walking is in my future for the time being. My plan to start jogging around the track and trying to get a mile in is on hold. Never thought that during my rehab, my ankle/Achilles on both sides would be the governor for more activity at six months, rather than pain in the hip.


On the 1=10 scale, this is really a 1 or 2 when compared to all I have been through with the 2 surgeries. Glad to see this is such an old thread, and that there are not 100's of posts here, otherwise, I would think it was a trend...




John C

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Re: Achilles rehab vs hip resurfacing (Wes's Hip Story w/ Dr. Gross)
« Reply #5 on: March 01, 2018, 09:39:18 AM »
As one of the original posters on this thread, I just wanted to share that after that first year, my achilles has never been a problem. As I approach my second resurfacing this April, I think that I will make note to include more specific achilles work during the first six months.
John/ Left uncemented Biomet/ Dr Gross/ 6-16-08
Right uncemented Biomet/Dr Gross/ 4/25/18

karlos.bell

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Re: Achilles rehab vs hip resurfacing (Wes's Hip Story w/ Dr. Gross)
« Reply #6 on: April 21, 2018, 04:13:21 AM »
 :) Yep stuff happens then you have to deal with it..........  Your hips now are not the weak link......
Good stuff take it easy within reason... 8) cheers K
2019-2020 THR Left & Right COC Revision Zim Continuum cup with Biolox Delta Cer Liner, Biolox Delta Cer Head 40mm 12/14 Taper, CPT Stem Cem.
2019-2020 removal of Hip Resurfacing due to Metal Toxicity Cobalt - Chromium.
2015 MOM Conserve plus
2011-2013 FAI hip surgery failure
2007-Injury wakeboarding

Glenn Urban

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Re: Achilles rehab vs hip resurfacing (Wes's Hip Story w/ Dr. Gross)
« Reply #7 on: May 09, 2018, 01:15:52 PM »
I thought I would post a follow-up on the Achilles situation for me.


After my post in late February, I did a lot of online research, and did no jogging until yesterday...roughly 10 weeks later. I did use the treadmill for walking during those 10 weeks, and never tried to jog on it. My soreness in the ankle area was really a 1 or 2 on a 10 scale. I never tore them or severely stressed them that I could tell based on what I have read. I work next door to an MD who is a general practitioner, and ran it by her as to how long it takes a mildly injured Achilles Tendon to heal.


On the internet, you see all sorts of estimates...and surely no one really knows to what degree they have injured themselves, but, she was extremely frank when she said "10 weeks". I thought she meant for a partial tear. She re-iterated that for it to properly heal, when you feel even mild pain, you need 10 weeks.


And now 10 weeks have passed, and I hit the high school football field, and trust me, I took my time warming up with a lot of walking, very very light stretching, and slowly, slowly started to jog 30 yards at a time, 40 yards jogging, then walking, 50 yards jogging, then walking...and I quit even though I wanted to go and go and go.


Woke up this morning expecting to feel some pain when I initially started walking.


Nothing.


So I will skip today probably and try again tomorrow. Slow and steady.


Thank you for the posts on this topic.




 

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