Left hip resurfaced for osteoarthritis by Jeremy Latham in Southampton U.K.

[Lopsided]

I was strongly advised against breast stroke although I don't like it anyway. Getting in and out of the pool without breaking restriction would be rather ungainly I think as it doesn't have steps. It's a pity I'll be back at work by the time the restrictions end, early evening the baths are too busy to get anything serious done.

I have also read somewhere on forums that you should not do breaststroke soon after hip surgery. But I do. And I think it helps. You are not crossing your legs over, extending passed ninety degrees or breaking any other post-op limitations.

D.

[toby]

Gary,
Like lopsided said, I too read some postings from patients about avoiding Breastroke-but I checked it with my surgeon, heard of others who were doing after a month and also saw that Ronan Treacy recommended it in his booklet. Obviously the concern is dislocation caused by extreme movement (but dislocation's pretty rare with an HR)and as I said I started without full leg kicks. Tell you what though buddy, I swim every Saturday (2.3km in the hour-alternating crawl/breast) and now I'm swimming faster than ever cos I can breastroke kick fully and without any pain. Also, not all surgeons/patients have the 90 degree protocol (my surgeon's physio said don't be too anxious about it). As you're able to drive-is there a nearby hospital which has a hydro pool that you can book in for before returning to work? As Pat has mentioned (Dr De-smet has a strong pool exercise regime as does my surgeon)and I can't agree more that in the early weeks this is so beneficial.
Before surgery I had a significant limp, severe groin pain, back pain and my (right) unoperated hip was becoming increasingly painful and stiff. Since my HR and developing perfectly aligned walking-all these issues have disappeared and furthermore my right hip which has the freedom to be itself, feels brilliant. This is why I'm so convinced and try emphasise the importance of working at the gait.
Move Well
Toby

[gary2010]

T+ 4 weeks, 2 days. My operated leg will support my weight comfortably for 10 seconds or so. Balance exercises, lateral stepping and walking backwards added to the rehab programme. I might as well just train the Kali footwork matrix! I had a Malaysian Kung Fu instructor once who said one step backwards is worth a thousand steps forwards - ever tried using the eliptical trainer in reverse?

I think the breast stroke advice came from a P.T. at the hospital, but they do err on the side of caution. I am still not supposed to lie on the other side, though I have been doing this by gripping a cushion between the knees and putting the feet together. I simply cannot lie on my back for long, if I don't turn over I just have to get up and walk around.

As a matter of interest, I absent-mindedly crossed centreline on one occasion; it's an old habit of mine to stretch the hip by placing the foot on the opposite side and leaning over it, I must have been doing this for a minute or so before it dawned on me - I experienced no ill effects whatsoever.

I'm going back to work on wednesday, at T+ 4 weeks 5 days, I shall continue to use a stick, observe the protocol and walk twice a day.

[gary2010]

T+ 5 weeks 1 day; I can now walk for an hour at a cracking pace without wanting to rest. The limp is almost gone, I've swapped the hospital stick for my old curly handled cane, it rolls nicely in the hand and I can hit every other left step if I want.

I'm doing fine back at work and fit my exercises into my breaks 40 minutes driving is enough, I split longer journeys.

Taught Kali & Panantukan for 2 hours on friday no problem, lots of footwork drills. The only thing I can't do yet is turn on the ball of the foot; the gym has soft mats and the friction puts the torque through the hip. When this fades to a mild discomfort I'll use it to improve my mechanics, really looking forward to hitting things again!

[gary2010]

T+ 6 weeks 4 days: Started hitting things again, just a little pad work with a mate in the back yard. No problem with the hip/legs but I feel it in the rib cage 2 days later, hurts to laugh! So that’s what it’s like when you stop for 6 weeks! Never stopped before.

This week’s progress is I now get in and out of the car normally, and sitting for long periods is no longer onerous, just a slight dull ache. I’m up and down out of the chair all day without thinking about it.

If I hadn’t done so much reading on the subject I would say it’s all over and business as usual; I can walk for miles, the stick is virtually superfluous but I’ll keep it handy for a while longer, I’ve got attached to it. I’m doing balance exercises on the operated side and a short one legged squat, I feel a slight lack of proprioception.

I feel like I could run if I wanted to, but I’m going to avoid impact for the next few months while I rebuild the muscle, if I catch the foot or slide on a wet surface it feels horrible, last time was about a week ago, but that’s the only reminder I get of the procedure.

[Pat Walter]

Hi Gary

Glad to hear things are going so well and you are being conservative.  Remember 6 weeks is not the point you are healed yet.  6 months is when most surgeons turn you lose and some want you to wait a year before running.  So enjoy the new hip, but take it easy a little while longer.  Six weeks is a time when many people are very stiff after sitting.  That's the point I did the water exercises to get rid of that stiffness.

Good Luck.

Pat

[toby]

Gary,
Amazing progress! What... feel like you can run-incredible!
Keep up the good work but follow Pat's wise words.
BW
Toby

[gary2010]

Thanks everyone, update at T+ 7weeks: I saw the surgeon on thursday and he was delighted with my progress; I put this down to 3 months of preparation when I maintained my strength with cycling, isometrics, squats and negative reps, plus I've devoted myself completely to the rehab since surgery. I now have full resistance on the bike but not quite full speed, eliptical trainer forward and reverse, and bodyweight squats against the wall with the swiss ball behind me feels really good. I've been told I wouldn't get much benefit from hydrotherapy.

His advice was to continue with bodyweight excercises and stretching but avoid heavy weight training until the new year and no impact for another 4 months, I intend to take it, as it's worked out spot on so far; the movement restrictions became irrelevant just after the 6 week point.

Just managed to tie shoelaces and put socks on, I can squat deep and get up unaided but hold something to steady myself just in case. My feet are blistered from walking so far yesterday but the hip feels fine, went to reggae concert in the evening and had a bit of a jig about.

[gary2010]

T+ 8 weeks 5 days: Can touch toes, use rowing machine, deep squat unaided, back to climbing stairs two at a time.

[gary2010]

T+ 10 1/2 weeks: Can walk forever, still take stick but often put it on the other side to work the left a bit harder, no problem with steep inclines in either direction.

I can now get a leg workout at long last! Static bike full speed and resistance as before, running pace on eliptical trainer - stilll avoiding impact. Bodyweight squats with swiss ball against the wall, going slowly down to 90 degrees and up again, sets of 100 reps, surgeon has advised against heavy loading until the new year.

The only thing I still struggle with is getting up off the floor without using my hands, but I'm working on it.

[gary2010]

T+12 weeks, the turning on the ball of foot is comfortable now, working on my boxing footwork which feels a little rusty. The only significant weakness I have left is with abduction with bent knee. I've been using one of these machines in the gym, seated abduction; it's on a 'ladies' setting and still quite hard work, easier if I lean forward. I intend to work on that with low resistance for a month before I give myself any new challenges.

[halfdone]

Fantastic progress! Nice job.  (But don't get carried away....) 

[Lopsided]

...before I give myself any new challenges.

You seem to be doing very well.

What new challenges Gary?

[gary2010]

Hi Dan,

well those abductors are also stabilisers so I'd want to get them strong before I start running. The weakness is in the range of motion for the round kick, if you can imagine that; I just go through the motion lying on the floor at the moment, again I shall have that sorted out before I actually attempt to kick anything.

Also there is the issue of flexibility on the ground, I used to be able to circle my legs underneath the body (windscreen wiper exercise) and get up from any position without using the hands. Even before the op I could do it but it was extremely painful - that's impossible right now.

I've started a programme of balance exercises on my home made rocker board this week.

[gary2010]

T+ 15 weeks 4 days,
rounded off the year with a vigorous sparring session with my colleagues at the Gladiator Academy. I opted for boxing only, no kicking or grappling at this stage but I was well pleased with my fitness and movement. Had a nice long walk afterwards to loosen off and I now feel absolutely fine. It's great to be able to play again. In the last week I am just able to raise myself off the floor with the operated leg. Still working on those abductors!

Hippy new year to you all! x

[hernanu]

T+ 15 weeks 4 days,
rounded off the year with a vigorous sparring session with my colleagues at the Gladiator Academy. I opted for boxing only, no kicking or grappling at this stage but I was well pleased with my fitness and movement. Had a nice long walk afterwards to loosen off and I now feel absolutely fine. It's great to be able to play again. In the last week I am just able to raise myself off the floor with the operated leg. Still working on those abductors!

Hippy new year to you all! x

Glad to hear about your return to sparring. I'm also thinking of the right way to return to it, thought that boxing only was the best way. How did your hips hold up on hooks? jabs? I imagine the straight punches were the least problematic.

[Lopsided]

T+ 15 weeks 4 days,
... with a vigorous sparring session ... Had a nice long walk afterwards to loosen off ...

Gary, I enjoy the juxtaposition of your description of your exercise.

Does all this cold weather (that I am thankfully missing) affect your hip, or is the metal impervious to it?

D.

[gary2010]

Hernanu, I've been doing heavy bag and focus pad work for a while now so I know I have sufficient range of motion. Before that I experimented with a slow, tai chi style movement of everything I wanted to do, which is a method I often return to when I'm injured. Sparring was a bit of a gamble, my friends are all MMA competitors and instructors so operating at quite a high level - but I just couldn't resist it!

The only problem I had was an occasional sideways stumble due to the weakness I still recognise in my abductors, I managed to keep my footing however. The turning motion is fine, there was quite a bit of clinching on and off the ropes going on; I wouldn't be happy about getting kicked in the thigh or having the foot swept just yet, I suggest getting reliable partner/s make them aware you're still in rehab and agree the format before you start - good luck!

Dan, the cold doesn't bother me at all, I've heard that it makes a difference to some people, it's been about -5 here at times and I go out marching in it every chance I get. I really don't feel as if there's anything in there, I only get the little 'twangs' occasionally which I imagine is a tendon moving over some scar tissue. By the way, my surgeon cleared me to have chiropractic in the new year, which I will do because my mid back is extremely tight.

Out of curiosity I enquired about the size of my implants, I have a 56mm cup and 50mm femoral component, I presume these are both measured on the outside surface. Cement was antibiotic Simplex.
Best wishes, G

[hernanu]

Sounds good, Gary - I'm probably going to start on heavy bag work after PT, after talking with the therapists. I want to get back to all the bag work and at least be confident of the footwork in the short term. It will be really nice to get back to full power on the heavy bag and the pads.

Kicks will have to wait a while, I figure.

[gary2010]

I agree, I think an effective round kick is going to be the last thing to master. For now I hand on to the wall, raise the knee and go through the motion slowly; Savate players do this, they have wall bars. Or you can lie on the floor and cycle the kick - I got this exercise from Guro Phil Norman who is a superb kicker. My abductors are still weak, Mr Latham "does not touch the gluteus medius" so I'm imagining it must be the retraction which is responsible, as of last week I still couldn't get up from the floor without using my hands.

Muay Thai is very important to me and I hope to return to it eventually. If you want a comparable power-based workout try hanging up a car tyre and get a pair of sticks, I use sledgehammer handles, remember the power comes from the body not the arms, or you'll hurt your shoulders, tether it top and bottom and it moves unpredictably, I've been doing this for years and still find it challenging. You can also punch and knife the thing for variety.

At 18 weeks I've added weighted squats, I started with 20 reps at 60 kilos then 12 at 70 and 80, that was enough (and I'd squatted 12x100 the night before I went into hospital). I'm still marching on the public golf course when I'm at home, the stick goes with the right leg to work the operated one a little harder. I confess I've started to break into a run from time to time on short steep inclines about 30 seconds at a time. I'd taken to swinging the stick in downward figure 8 on the uphill bits to get the lungs working and I couldn't resist a bit of a scramble.

I think this is safe because the incline a) reduces impact and b) causes the foot to fall directly beneath the body, the ground is very soft, it causes no pain whatsoever.

Having said all that I've found it helpful to take a step back every so often for a few days to consolidate the gains; next week I'm going to stick to bodyweight squats, static cycling and lunges.