6 week follow-up with Dr.Brooks

[patm]

Had my right hip re-surfacing July 16th with Dr.Brooks , 2 week follow-up went very well, have been 75% weight bearing for 6 weeks per his protocol. Did very well with 6 week follow-up - x-rays beautiful (if x-rays can be beautiful) I realize that I must have been a little more nervous than I thought because I felt so relieved once the x-rays were done and everything looked good. Phil (P.A.) had me walk without my crutches ("walk with purpose - swing those arms!") So, I am now full-weight bearing with some limitations of what kind of exercises to do.  No leg presses or squats or anything that causes that type of pressure with weight - also no SLR's with weights - anything that happens "naturally" is OK, but not as an exercise for one year - then anything goes. I kept asking about this or that exercise for my legs and many I wasn't supposed to do. I am disappointed, but realize that I don't exercises that much anyways! I am to walk as much as possible, bike, treadmill, elliptical,  - hate the treadmill, but like walking, would be able to bike at work (work in physical therapy of all things), but can't make a full revolution because of a bad left knee. Anyways - I know things are going well, but funny thing - the first 6 weeks I was fine - "recovering patient doing well" and all, but now I feel like I should be all better and I'm not. I have a significant limp yet, due to weak abductors - am working on my sidelying right hip abductions - difficult, but doable. So I am walking with a cane, or even one of my crutches because limping makes everything hurt on me, and with just a little pressure on my cane I can walk OK.I really don't have that much pain, none at rest or at night (yeah!). My sleep cycle is all screwed up, but I am working on that. Not really taking a nap during the day anymore, just a "45 minute sit down rest" I have 3 more weeks to get ready to go back to work - I know I will be ready, but right now am feeling just a little down, but overall doing very well :)

[hernanu]

All normal, including the 'down' feeling. You've come a ways, at six weeks you're still early on.

Just let it flow naturally, you have a real long term goal of full function in the long term. There's no rush, right now you are in good straits, keep it up.