I have enjoyed reading the posts on surface hippy and figured it was time to post.
I am 38 and fractured and dislocated my femur and tore up my knee at 25 during an unlucky day in the mountains. Healed up and went right back to arduous days of ski mountaineering, cycling, climbing, surfing, and never ending games of pick up soccer. Two and half years ago I began to go down hill and it happened rapidly. I tried a scope and micro fracture with a widely recognized specialist but it was a poor decision based on my condition. I found about 6 months of relief and regained enough ROM to ride a bike. By the time I was making my arrangements for the resurfacing, I was using a cane in an attempt to preserve my back and knee from my horrific limp. Right up to my surgery date I swam, lifted, and practiced modified yoga.
Dr. Giordani performed my surgery, BHR L hip. I have nothing but good things to say about his professionalism and his patient care. I do have restrictions of 90 degrees and 4 weeks non-weight bearing and 4 weeks of 50 percent. These are very challenging to follow but I will do my best while testing the water conservatively.
Okay, the most important note about my recovery is that both MY WIFE AND MOTHER ARE PT'S. Therefore my floor exercises have been very aggressive since day 3 post surgery. We moved quickly to core straitening principles, rooted in pilates. I entered the pool at day 21 and began doing the dynamic warm up in 5 feet of water (excellent group of exercises that can be googled) and swimming some light laps. I also began lifting with my upper body 10 days post surgery with assistance. The key to my recovery in addition to my PT connections is that kicked all drugs two days after surgery, total body wrecking garbage.
Work... in a perfect world I would train myself back into the person I used to be with a singular focus but that does not pay the bills. I worked from home for three weeks and will return to week full time tomorrow after a dry run last week. My job tends to involve quite a bit of driving to job sites and project management, I will be exhausted this coming week!
In conclusion, even though I am not walking yet, I know the surgery has been successful. My pain pre- surgery was intense, my surgeon was very blunt about the horrific condition of the joint. The pain experienced during even the most timid movements is history.
I feel confident that I could ditch the crutches earlier but why risk living with woulda, shoulda, coulda. I have quite a bit of life ahead of me and do not feel the need to puff up my chest with a short term story of physical conquest. I am very confident, that in due time, I will be climbing 5000 feet, sitting on top of a beautiful peak, and then ski it like the cameras are rolling!
FYI... core strength exercises not straightening...ipad limitations!
Topic: 24 days post op w/ Dr. Giordani (Read 1432 times)
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