Does hip flexibility ever come back post op?

[PistolPete]

I'm 5 months post-op and mostly feeling good.  Some setbacks from overuse which seem to take a week or so to recover from.  My flexibility at this point is 100 times better than pre-op but nowhere near where it was years ago.  I'm curious if after 1-2 years if my hip flexibilty will return.  Keep in mind I haven't been doing really any stretching at all on the hip as I had some issues early on with clicking so I was told not to stretch much at all until closer to the 1 year mark when there is no longer any clicking.

Can I expect the flexibility I have now to be where I'll be forever or will it improve over time?  I know others (Bill Superfoot Wallace) is doing full splits after having both hips replaced but not thru resurfacing.

Thanks,
Pete

[David]

You have to work at it Pete.  If you have Dr. restrictions you have to adhere, but I'm sure there are some exercises you can do with no harm.  Don't know if the op side will ever be the same as the non-op side just because of the device restriction, but I'd say I'm at about 85% comparatively.  The old adage still holds true, "If you don't use it, you lose it".

[hernanu]

I'm stretching a fair amount, Pete. At 17 months, 14 months, I can say that I'm probably back to about 75%. I'm being very conservative, but I can do front kicks, roundhouse kicks to mid section. The real test will be full strength side kicks, axe kicks and wheel kicks.

The stretches I can do are sitting, legs split sideways, I can touch my chest to my thighs in both directions, can't touch my chest to the floor frontwards (used to do that easily pre OA), I can do the stretch where you squat over one leg while keeping the other straight. I also tuck one leg and lean forward. I lie on my back and used a band to support my leg, bring it up in front, then stretch it to the side. I can get a good ways very comfortably, and that has been a progressive thing, little by little and always stopped when it felt slightly tight, never mind pain.

Standing, I can touch palms to the floor with legs locked without warming up, my goal is my old touch head to knees.

One of the things that helped me early was using bands to hold my foot while stretching the leg in all directions while on the bed. By early, I mean at about where you are, I didn't do aggressive stretching really early.
 
One thing that killed me this weekend was going to my daughter's dance recital at Amherst College. She performed in several dances, and in one a partner of hers (male dancer) did one of my fancy completely impractical kicks as part of the dance: a jumping 360 degree crescent. You'd be mad to use it anywhere, but it sure looks purty. I looked at it and told my girlfriend that seven years ago, that was easy, and I promised myself I'd do it again.

[mslendzion]

Heranu, very impressive and inspiring.  I'm going to work harder to get my sock on!

[hernanu]

 

Believe me, it was an incremental thing. It took me forever to get that stoopid sock on.

[hipnhop]

Pete, I am with you. OA caused me to be so inflexible it was embarrassing. I couldn't even mount my bike like a normal person.  I am getting better but not as quick as I thought. I could spend more time stretching but it is no fun.  For example I can't hardly sit in the adductor machines at the gym.  I plan to add stretching to my workouts at least three times a week.  I hope to sity in butterfly position one day.

[Dannywayoflife]

Its my understanding that non of us will ever get back a full ROM of a normal person because the head/neck ratio is lowered in the surgery. However if you are like me and had FAI for a long time then you may well be more flexable than before but not as much as a person with good natural hips.

[hernanu]

Its my understanding that non of us will ever get back a full ROM of a normal person because the head/neck ratio is lowered in the surgery. However if you are like me and had FAI for a long time then you may well be more flexable than before but not as much as a person with good natural hips.

That's pretty interesting Danny, being a type A run through walls type, I'll take a lower percentage... 99.999% will do me fine 

[phillwad]

I have added stretching to my work out schedule, I have accepted that a 50 min stretch is as worthwhile as 50 mins on the bike.  Once I reached that point I have been making good progress.  I travel/fly with work and I have also accepted that doing a full 60 min of stretching at the airport and the floor is OK - it counts as part of the workout schedule - so i will often find a corner and stretch. 4 to 5 stretching sessions a week

Progress - I can sit with my legs crossed - never could before, I can not touch my toes but I am now close (maybe another couple of months), I put my socks on everyday and remember how painful and difficult that was.  I smile more.

[Mi Corazon]

In my case, yes, the flexibility does come back.  For me, it was gradual, but noticeable.  I'm at 1 year and 1 month on my left hip and that one is extremely flexible.  I can't notice anything that is limiting its range.  The other hip, which is approaching 6 months, is making gains, and no doubt, will catch up over time.  I'm tying shoes, putting on pants standing up, flipping the leg over the bike -- everything I used to do as a kid.

[Rob6297]

Can anyone tell me if my hip clicks/clunks can I continue my stretches that PT is giving me?  I DO NOT want to hurt something and am willing to go slow to recovery.  I have my follow up visit May 16 with my Dr. All my other exercises seem to be going fine and there is very minor pain (hard to call it pain it's more tightness).  Again, I don't want to screw something up.  Thanks for your opinions.
Joe
RBHR Dr. Su 4/20/12

[hernanu]

Hi Joe, I did some stretches early on with my home PT, but they were extremely gentle and I had to tone down my type A mentality when doing them. I had two or three:

• On the bed, slide both feet up until the knee is bent at 45 degrees. Slide one leg down flat, hold while comfortable.
• (Later at about three weeks) On the bed, slide both feet up until the knee is bent at 45 degrees. Put one hand behind  one knee, lift the knee until any resistance is felt. Hold for about five seconds.
• Standing, use a low bench at first, put one foot on it, then rock forward GENTLY - make sure you have support for your hands. Later (about three weeks), I graduated to a chair.
• Lying down on the bed, legs flat. Slide one hip down (sliding the leg) while sliding the other hip up; repeat with the other leg and so on. This was very comfortable but got my hips moving, I think it cut down on clunking, but what do I know. Also good practice if you want to start on latin dance. 

Again, like I told my martial arts students in the day - no stretch should hurt. If you feel resistance, you get much better results by holding the stretch at the first sign of it, release and then gently retry. Any pain is a sign that you are not doing things right.

Clunking means your muscles need to recuperate, but in all things now (at 10 days) patience - the ROM will come back, be gentle with your healing bones and muscles.

[Rob6297]

Thanks hernanu! Makes me feel better!  I WILL take it slow.
Thanks again
Joe