Water Therapy

[Mudpro]

Well after a week or more of really strong improvement (walking up to 2 miles a day) I joined in a water arobics class at the local gym.

My first time back in any deep water and I noticed some pain, the "good" kinda hurt, in my groin and upper thigh as I kicked my legs in a normal free-style swimming manuver.  Nothing I couldn't handle, but it did hurt a little more than I expected.  I rolled over on my back and that seemed to be just a tad easier on the groin.

I participated in the class, even using the float shoes to add resistance to my legs.  I couldn't keep up with some of the "regulars" but i was doing my best and not embarressing myself.  Afterwards as I was walking back to my truck, I noticed I was in some significant discomfort.  Not terrible, but very noticeable and I decided I would "tough it out" and went on with the rest of my day.

When I got home that evening I was hurting, and spent 15 minutes on the stationary bike trying to work out the aches and pain, it helped some.  The real difficulty came when i tried to go to sleep, it was like i rolled back the clock 4 weeks or so.  Lots of achiness and even some cramping.  I tossed and turned and nothing helped, so about 1 AM I broke down and took a pain pill.  That didn't help, so about 3 AM I took another.  Finally I got some sleep, but hit the alarm at 6:300 and fell back to sleep and missed my PT appt.  In fact I only woke when the office PT office called to make sure ai hadn't died or something (I'm usually early).  They udnerstood and found a slot to fit me in later in the morning.

PT advice:

1.  Water therapy is great, but it comes with a lot of resistance that at first you are not use to, so take it easy and listen to your body.

2.  Don't be so macho not to take some pain medication when you need it; I should have popped a couple of tylenold when I felt sore, if I had then maybe the inflamation would have been lessened and my night wouldn't have been so miserable.

He stretched me out reallygood, as I was really tight and sore this morning.  and right now, mid-day, I am feeling much better.  Hope to get a much needed good nights sleep tonight.  then its back to the pool tomorrow, armed with some tylenol and moderation...

[hipshot]

Mudpro

I also can't wait to hit the pool.
I was advised to wait to 6th week also and my first day only to wade around and do slow leg swings etc.
Sounds like you were hitting it pretty good.

I went back and resd some old of posts and found your surgery date and also read you had staples.
I had no stiches or staples just some tape that held the ski together.
I am trying to find out how and why doctors use stitches and staples and some use none.
I am 22 days post surgery and having trouble resisting the temptation to do more than what is on my PT chart. I have never needed any ice pacs and the only problem now is my scar itches.
Does your hip hurt when you don't excersise? and do you have swelling when you walk 2 miles?
Just wondering

Hipshot

[Mudpro]

Mudpro

I also can't wait to hit the pool.
I was advised to wait to 6th week also and my first day only to wade around and do slow leg swings etc.
Sounds like you were hitting it pretty good.

I went back and resd some old of posts and found your surgery date and also read you had staples.
I had no stiches or staples just some tape that held the ski together.
I am trying to find out how and why doctors use stitches and staples and some use none.
I am 22 days post surgery and having trouble resisting the temptation to do more than what is on my PT chart. I have never needed any ice pacs and the only problem now is my scar itches.
Does your hip hurt when you don't excersise? and do you have swelling when you walk 2 miles?
Just wondering

Hipshot

Hipshot,

I've no clue why the surgeon chooses staples over stitches, and this is the first time I've ever heard of anyone having this type of procedure with only "tape" to seal the incision - WOW.

Staying out of a pool or tub until after week 6 makes a lot of sense to prevent bacterial infection!

My hip hurts most when I sit in a straight backed chair for a long time and then get up.  I have no swelling now at week 9, even after walking 2 miles.

I head back to the pool tomorrow, but this time with a Tylenol handy and with a little more moderation on my mind.

[hawaiieric]

Hipshot,

I was in the water at around your time frame, when my tape was peeling off.  Doc and PT said I had a good closed wound.  I found water really good, did lots of kicks, stretches and moves that on land would of been maybe painful, never felt like I over did it. Was at the ocean doing my thing every day and looked forward to just being out of the house and working on what felt good.  Good luck on it for you..I gained alot from it. 

I would even sit in the shallow end of a tide pool sandy bottom and just kick as hard as I could in every direction,  not once would I feel pain from it, but my recovery has been great...and as they say, you don't remember your pain as you do your gain. 

Eric
11-3-08 rbhr

[nwugrad]

I am 16 days post op.  I am a 54 y.o. male and had a bi lat hip resurfacing by Dr. Su.=at the Hospital for Special Surgery in NYC. My staples were removed 7 days post op.  I still have steri strips but all other bandages have been removed.  There is no noticeable drainage. I began a 3 hr per day outpatient rehab program at Bryn Mawr Rehab beginning 7 days post op.  I attended for 6 days.  I am now going to rehab  1hr. per day 3 days per week. 

  At rehab I am doing 20 - 30 minutes on a bicycle at a low level resistance, i.e., L3.  I also did standard table exercises, i.e., sitting or supine position leg extensions, glute squeezes, heel slides, sliding one leg abductions, leg lifts ( one leg per time), and seated or supine hamstring stretches, as well as  bar exercises.  The bar exercises, knee lifts, hip extensions, side raises, toe raises and squats, are done alternating legs after each repetition since they do not want to keep weight on just one leg for any length of time.  I also stand b/t the bars so I can put weight on my arms while doing the bar exercises.   At first, I tried doing 10 reps per leg on the bar exercises before shifting legs and became sore so I switched to alternating b/t repetitions. The last two days I did the bar exercises with a yellow PT band.

I was told that it would be good to do these exercises and others in a pool.  When can I begin exercising in a pool?  What exercises do you do in the pool?  Do you swim? If so what strokes and for what time and/or distance?

[obxpelican]

You sound like you're doing really well.  I would follow the advice of your doctor, my doctor did not allow me into a pool until 4 weeks post-op and I had to be scab free.  Up until 6 months I was not allowed to do a frog kick, now I can.

By all means, follow your doctors directions.... don't tell my doctor, but I swam in my own pool and still had a small scab, I know what I put in my pool and we keep the chlorine level high so I was not at all concerned.

Swimming is fantastic for us surface hippies. 


Keep up the great rehabbing.


Chuck

I am 16 days post op.  I am a 54 y.o. male and had a bi lat hip resurfacing by Dr. Su.=at the Hospital for Special Surgery in NYC.  I began a 3 hr per day outpatient rehab program at Bryn Mawr Rehab beginning 7 days post op.  I attended for 6 days.  I am now going to rehab  1hr. per day 3 days per week. 

My staples were removed 7 days post op.  I still have steri strips but all other bandages have been removed.  There is no noticeable drainage.  At rehab I am doing 20 - 30 minutes on a bicycle at a low level resistance, i.e., L3.  I also did standard table exercises, i.e., sitting or supine position leg extensions, glute squeezes, heel slides, sliding one leg abductions, leg lifts ( one leg per time), and seated or supine hamstring stretches, as well as  bar exercises.  The bar exercises, knee lifts, hip extensions, side raises, toe raises and squats, are done alternating legs after each repetition since they do not want to keep weight on just one leg for any length of time.  The last two days I did the bar exercises with a yellow PT band.  At first, I tried doing 10 reps per leg on the bar exercises before shifting legs and became sore so I switched to alternating b/t repetitions. I also not stand b/t the bars so I can put weight on my arms while doing the bar exercises.

I was told that it would be good to do these exercises and others in a pool.  When can I begin exercising in a pool?  What exercises do you do in the pool?  Do you swim? If so what strokes and for what time and/or distance?

[Mudpro]

Dispite some soreness and a possible flareup of bursitis as sited in another thread, I went back to the pool today, but this time with a much different agenda...

I only spent about 15 minutes in the pool just walking wasily, stretching, floating doing abduction exercises.  Afterwards I slid in the hot whirlpool and put the jets on my side hip wher ethe bursitis issue has been bothering me; I spent a good 12 - 15 minutes in the hot water.

Result; I'm feeling MUCH better!  I could even put on my sock for the first time without the gizmo.  The easy stretching and warm water loosened me up and now a few hours alter I'm still feeling great.

Lesson; as with most things in life, take the water work with moderation and it can be your friend.  If you go at it too hard at first, as I did, you'll be paying a price.

Hope to get a good nights sleep tonight!