Physical Therapist

[blitz373]

I am 4 weeks after surgery.   Have been doing about 10 exercises at home twice a day.  Coming along ok..  Do you think I should go to a Professional PT a few times per week ?   and Will this help me ??  Do they have more and (or) better exercises for me to do ??    thank you ....  (I want to be sure I get all , and the best available)

[Todd]

I'm 4 weeks post op, and have found PT extremely helpful.  More exercises and stretching, strengthening, and such.  I go 3X/week and would recommend at least going a few times to see if there are some things that can help you. good luck!

[sroberts]

It might be worth it just to get an idea what you may be missing and what you can do on your own as well as what to expect as time progresses. There are also a lot of folks who didn't do it and turned out fine. In my opinion, it's beneficial.


take care,

spencer

[hawaiieric]

Went 2X the first week 10 days after surgery, found the second one in that same week a weak lesson, so I personally cut mine down to once a week.  I took things in my own hand for I am very active and know my body.  I was even directing my PT person on my needs, and asked what was best, then for that week I improved myself...so take it as how comfortable are you in knowing what is best for you body. Do you know what you feel is week?  Do you strive to get it back and do you need someone to tell you when to move yourself to improve what is weak?  I am the guy who won't go others to tell me how to fix things...but I did go to find my ROM and some tips on how to excersize myself, but I did most all of it on my own, and once a week let the PT do their thing, and I always wanted to show off and prove that I was improving at my pace.  (I did at home PT every day for around 8 weeks with only a day or 2 of off days and just rested, but my PT was focused and I knew what I wanted to achive, so I think I was ahead of the scale)
I stopped PT because I felt too good and my life was asking too much from me and in my life,(plus, who has time to schedule that when life is calling) its like PT anyways, and at my job I did PT when time let permits, so to me, I feel 90% right now, 80% at 10 weeks, and the reason for the 10% growth-I got back to life.. I am only 14 weeks out today.

I might not be the average, but for me I grew faster then them(the PT people, I think I was one of the first in that clinic with a resurface)
Eric

[Mudpro]

I strongly support using a professional physical therapist.  at week 8+ I am still going three times a week.

In addition to customizing and monitoring your exercises, my therapist also manipulates my leg, pushing the ROM just a tad bit more every time I go in.  I certainly could push the ROM myself (and do), but not as precisely and not with the knowledge of ligiments and muscles that he has.

As of right now I do PT with a therapist 3 days a week and water arobics 3 days a week, and I rest of the sabbath - not because I'm religious, but because I'm tired... ;-)

[nwugrad]

Mudpro,

Did you do anything special in the water aerobics class?  How long post op were you before you began the water aerobics?

[gcloss]

I am 5 weeks since my right hip resurfacing. I go to a professional PT 3xs per week. It's worth every penny that I pay.

You need to find a PT that has experience with hip resurfacing/replacement. My PT currently is treating 4 hip resurfacing/replacement patients. He was trained at the Rusk Rehabilitation Institute in New York City, one of the best in the Northeast.

Without my PT, at 5 weeks I wouldn't have any ROM. I can squat all the way down with my heels touching my butt without any problems or pain. He was able to get me off of all walking devices at 4 weeks and I have a near perfect gait.

I owe a lot of course to my surgeon, the entire staff at NYU Hosptial for Joint Diseases and my personal PT on Long Island. Without the entire team my resurfacing would not have been so successful.

[kwarendorf]

I am lucky. My insurance is paying for 10 in home PT visits. I figure using them will force me to do my exercises, cuz he'll lnow if I've been bad or good :-) It will also serve as a check to ensure that I am doing my exercises properly.

[Bionic]

I am a "Gross Hippy," and Dr. Gross does not recommend any PT aside from the four easy exercises you learn in the hospital and can do in bed.  The are:

• Heel pumps--flex and extend your feet 20 or so times.
• Knee raises--with foot on the bed, slowly raise your knee until your hip is about 90-degrees.
• Butt crunches--pull down with your butt so that your knee is driven is flat against the bed.  Flex quads and glutes.
• Quad extensions--put a pillow under your knee, and do leg extensions.

This all seems very minimal to me.  The most important thing I'm supposed to do is walk--up to 1 mile unassisted at 6 weeks.  Until 6 weeks, I'm not allowed to break any of the usual hip restrictions (can't exceed 90-degrees, cross legs, or cross midline).

I'm not allowed to get on the stationary bike until 6 weeks.  It all seems very strict, but it's been working for me so far so I think I'll just follow the doctor's orders.  Six weeks will come soon enough, and then I'll be able to step things up considerably.

[gcloss]

I had 2 visits at home by a PT in my 2nd week post-op. My doctor lifted most restrictions right at 2 weeks post-op, no 90 degree restrictions, etc. The only restrictions were no running, jumping or any activity where there would be an impact to my hip.

During my 3rd week post-op, I was going to a PT office 3xs per week. On a stationary bike, treadmill and 2 different leg strengthening machines as part of PT 3xs per week

I was back to driving in 3 weeks and back to work in 4 weeks. Just getting to work was a challenge using mass transit to get to NYC and then using the NYC Subway system, but after a couple of days it got pretty easy.

I had an outstanding surgeon and PT. I would never be this far along without PT.

[kwarendorf]

Just getting to work was a challenge using mass transit to get to NYC and then using the NYC Subway system, but after a couple of days it got pretty easy.

That's the adventure I get to pursue 3 1/2 weeks from now The 4/5 train at rush hour and a reverse commute to Jersey Ciy on the PATH trains!

Bionic said "but it's been working for me so far so I think I'll just follow the doctor's orders". I think this is the most important advice shared here. Our bodies, doctors and circumstances are all different. What I like about this site is the minimal amount of "My way is the best way".

[Bionic]

Bionic said "but it's been working for me so far so I think I'll just follow the doctor's orders". I think this is the most important advice shared here. Our bodies, doctors and circumstances are all different. What I like about this site is the minimal amount of "My way is the best way".

It's likely that doctors tailor their post-op PT recommendations to their particular surgical procedures.  Different docs cut different structures.  I think it's important not to cherry pick one doc for his procedure (like Dr. Gross's minimally invasive one) and abandon that doc's PT recommendation in favor of that of another doc, who may perform a very different surgery.  I think one should keep the surgery and the PT recommendation together, or risk problems.

This goes for post-op medication protocols, as well.  Don't mix and match.

[kwarendorf]

I could not agree more! If I thought Dr. Mayman was the smart enough to open me up and install my new hardware, why would I think he was not smart enough to dictate my post surgical routine? 

[stevel]

I agree about following your doctor's post-op protocol to the letter and not cherry picking.  My doctor restricts lifting up to 20 lbs for the first three months and 50 lbs from 3 to 6 months.  After 6 months, I can lift over 50 lbs.  I haven't seen this weight restriction for any other doctors post-op protocol, but I'm following it nonetheless.  I had no bending restrictions immediately post-op because Dr. Su uses the NCP approach, which is a more liberal regimen.