10 Weeks Out and I Couldn't Help it

[hipnhop]

I ran two miles at a 11.33 min/mile pace and could have gone faster. All I kept thinking about was how you guys are gonna jam on me. Little soreness, knees felt weird (haven't run) for 1.5 years.  Doc said I was clear to do run - just to listen to my body.  Going to keep walking more, continue water running, elliptical and add a mile a month. Sprint Tri in June and plan to walk/run course.  I may be pushing a little more than most but I want to share that wherever you are in the recovery process - you are here to get your active life back. No matter at what level.

[einreb]

All I kept thinking about was how you guys are gonna jam on me.

I'll bite...

What does running at 10 weeks get you?  You know the drill... neck is at its absolute weakest at that point, cup in-growth hasn't fully happened, etc...

[Dannywayoflife]

I'd love to know why doc's in the US differ so much in there advice to that here in the UK.

[Boomer]

Hip,

I'm speechless. What are you thinking?

Boomer

[Dannywayoflife]

I dont think it's hip's fault or anyone else's as the doc has cleared it but like I've said before I wonder why these docs are giving the all clear so soon. What is the thinking behind allowing impact so soon?

[Dan L]

Think bone saw, top of femur sawed off, 6 inch spike jammed down through the center of your remaining femur, and radically changed biomechanics of your hip and leg, and no more running, ever, with a total hip, if your resurfacing fails.

That's what helps me from doing crazy things I shouldn't be doing yet.

[ScubaDuck]

Couldn't have said it better myself, Dan L.

I waited until 6 months and then ran 10 minutes easy.  After 2.5 months I am up to 27 minutes at slow pace.

[obxpelican]

It's not his fault, BUT, he does not have to follow it.

Hopefully everything works out, the worst thing to read on here is revision stories, it's just very sad.


Chuck

I dont think it's hip's fault or anyone else's as the doc has cleared it but like I've said before I wonder why these docs are giving the all clear so soon. What is the thinking behind allowing impact so soon?

[KirkM]

I am going to march right over there and kick your arse.   

[KirkM]

... when you break it, you can change your tag from hipnhop to totalhipnhobble...

(I'm just warming up folks.  I am going to open a big can of whupass on him.)

[lori.36]

Run on your bike or the eleptical.  No need for impact now.  I skipped around the track yesterday, my first high impact and I am 11 months out.  Be kind to your hip.

[hernanu]

Hip....

[Woodstock Hippy]

What are you kidding me!  You're willing to risk everything for 11 minute miles?  11 minute miles?  I can almost walk that!

Don't you remember how hard you had to fight to get this done?  It's up to you, man, but if you mess it up there is no returning to running.

Wait it out and I know that you'll be able to do better than 11 minutes!

[KirkM]

OK, one last one before I WALK away:

I think it is best summed up by a quote that is supposedly attributed to John Wayne (but is hotly refuted by many).  Regardless who actually said it, I believe it is apropos:

"Life is tough.  It's even tougher when you're stupid."

Sorry hip, but it is only because we care.

[midiowa]

Hip,  really! with all the good advice you have given me and many others.  due what ya gotta do brother.  but i cant believe  with the risks involved  to run NOW is worth the benefits .  there will be plenty time. right?

[Sarplummer]

Sounds like everyone is giving good advice.  I am three weeks post op and counting down the day til I can run!!  I have been on the bike for two weeks (not outside!). I was wondering when I can add more resistance and come out of the saddle.  I teach spin and would love to start teaching asap.  Any thought?  I don't plan on trying to run til the six month mark. I registered myself for a two mile ocean swim at four months post op.  Does that sound reasonable??  Just trying to find something to fulfill my competitive soul. So far I have had no pain issues. 

[KirkM]

I was on the lifecycle in the outpatient rehab on day 4 for 10 minutes and was fine.  ZERO RESISTANCE.  I did the spin bikes and lifecycle at the gym a few days a week along with tons of walking outside for months.  I only increased the resistance a tiny bit at a time and NEVER to the point of having to put any kind of pressure on my hip or legs.  It was only to get to a point where I could spin comfortably for an hour with very light resistance to make my muscles fire and not have the pedals freewheeling away.  I did try getting out of the saddle on the spin bike about 3 months in,VERY GINGERLY.  I could tell it was not the best thing to do at that time, so I punted on that idea.

I did ride outside on my tri bike about 4 months in (again, short, easy and very carefully).  The bottom line is that you have to do things a lot easier than you think you can do them.

You also have to beat this into your head:

Free motion is good.  It promotes circulation and healing.
ANYTHING that torques on the joint or the newly damaged soft tissue during the healing period is bad, VERY BAD.

Now is not the time to be an idiot athlete.  You can push and challenge yourself in a year.  Try it now and you will lose, big time.
You are healing, not training.  Let me say that again, YOU ARE HEALING, NOT TRAINING.

As I mentioned in a previous post, this procedure has a huge trap.  It is so good, it can be really bad.  If you felt like crap for the time you needed to fully heal, then the chances of you doing something moronic would be greatly reduced.  The trap is that you feel so good so quickly and actually feel completely healed at the three month mark (when you are at your most vulnerable), that the chances of you thinking it MUST be OK to push is exponentially increased.  Mix that with the fact that a great percentage of resurfacing patients are highly active, and you have a potentially disastrous mix of factors.

So, don't push it now, and at around 3 months, when you are sure you are the blessed one who truly is healed enough to do things too early, please post here first so we can all take turns whuppin' you upside the head.

Tough love, baby.

[Dannywayoflife]

Sarah,
         I think that the key to spinning is ROM. Its non impact so I think the main issue is waiting for your soft tissues to heal enough to cope with the movement. I was encouraged to get on an exercise bike very early to help with ROM and I can now do 30-45 mins of varying resistance on my spinning bike. I think the key is listen to your body and steer well clear of impact for as long as possible.

[hernanu]

Kurt and Danny are right on in this. It is a dangerous mix to have a procedure that takes the pain away like this one does, along with the typical high challenge, high bandwidth individuals we have here.

We are all used to pushing through pain to the result we want. Memory fades, so the pain and debilitation mist away, and the possibilities to do what we did before and more are so tempting. The only thing we need and yet the worst to face is patience. The thing I had to realize in this case is that pushing through the pain means we are putting the HR at risk until there's confidence that the device is well seated and impregnable.

Like Kurt points out, our bodies yearn for the challenge now that we're liberated, but the wait for that unseen healing to happen is necessary. Be good to yourself so in the long years you can do all of the things that you want to do now.

Danny is right in listening to your body, but I would also emphasize that your mind may work against you in pushing to do some things that are not advisable. Nothing wrong with pushing the boundaries a bit, but you don't want to completely bypass them and put this great thing in your life at risk too early.

At 17 months (and 14 months on the other hip), I'm getting back to some good weight lifting, impact on the punching bag, will rejoin my soccer team soon (two games per week) and have been getting invites to play hoops. I think all are possible for me because I waited and strengthened everything apace. It's my own recuperation, others are fine going faster and some slower. My surgeon, who is pretty aggressive didn't want impact sports until one year and recreational activities at 4-6 months or so.

Sara, I haven't taken a spin class, but I imagine it's like teaching martial arts, where you're doing a lot of the activities along with the students. Which means a lot of pressure on the hips. I'd downshift on that until the healing is at least well in place. Just my 2 cents, not a health pro.

[stephen1254]

Kurt made the following point: "Free motion is good.  It promotes circulation and healing. ANYTHING that torques on the joint or the newly damaged soft tissue during the healing period is bad, VERY BAD."

My question is what movements are going to torque the joint? An obvious one to me would be unclipping from clip-in bike pedals, not that I am riding my road bike 20 days post op.

I too am gradually increasing the resistance on the spin bike, just to the point where I am breathing a bit harder and just start to break a sweat. I know there have been debates on this forum as to whether riding a bike is putting strain on the joint or not. For me, I'm going to keep it in the lower range of resistance for the next week and a half - until I go to my follow-up with the Dr.

My short list of "avoid this" activities for now include the obvious ones like running, jumping, and skiing. To this I've added vertical shoulder presses, and any squatting or leg press. I'm also avoiding any standing dumbbell or barbell exercises. I've avoided any ab work to date because of stress on hip flexors. What else should be added to this list?

I've tamped down the competitive fires for now - I will not run until one year post op and I can avoid the "feels fine" temptation, but at the same time I would like to do any exercises or activities that will not put added stress on the joint and surrounding tissue. Yoga? Pilates? Stretching?