+-

Advertisement

Author Topic: 2 week Post Op  (Read 6428 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Sailor Bill

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 6
2 week Post Op
« on: October 01, 2012, 08:48:33 PM »
I have just hit my 2 week post op and comparing how I am recovering to my peers.  I am 43 male in good shape as I am in the Army and just trying to get a good feel of what to expect.  The posts on here very, and I understand we all have different baggage and so forth prior to getting the BHR.  I left the hospital on crutches (only used the walker on the day after surgery) and stopped the pain meds right away.  Home therapy was scheduled and I was able to perform all their exercises without much trouble and therapist said "there is nothing more I can do for you" and recommended outpatient therapy (then they give me the run around as I can do that until the home nurse stops coming out to draw blood).  Anyways I do the exercises and I walk around the block on crutches min of twice a day without any fatigue or soreness.  Basically, I feel that I am not doing nearly enough and I kind of feel frustrated (and family and friends tell me that I am doing great). 

One of my concerns with regards to my recovery period is my surgeon recommended that I be away from work until mid-Jan (had surgery Sept 18th) and the Army said NO we will give you 30 days and back to work (light duty) until I am fully recovered (how ever long that may take!).  I am not trying to rush things but on the other hand I feel like I am malingering not putting maximum effort in either!  Ultimately if my recovery takes too long the Army can find me unfit for duty and look at medical separation so that weighs on my mind as well.

I am seeking some feedback from those who have recently went 4-6 weeks post op as well as those about 6 months out.

Thanks

Bill

Pat Walter

  • Patricia Walter
  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3931
  • Owner/Webmaster of Surface Hippy
    • Surface Hippy about Hip Resurfacing
Re: 2 week Post Op
« Reply #1 on: October 01, 2012, 09:10:09 PM »
Bill

Glad things are going well for you.  There is something you need to understand - you can't force your body to heal.  No matter what PT or exercises you want to force on your healing body - it could actually harm the surgery.  You body has it's own timeline and you can't change that.  Please take it easy.  You will heal without pushing it.  If you push too hard, you can also cause swelling which once it starts is diffiuclt to keep from happening.

You were in good shape and it won't take long to get back if you give your body time.  Your body takes at least 6 months to heal mostly, and a full year for complete healing.  No way to short cut it.  That doesn't mean you can't be active.  Most patients are cut lose at 6 months to do about anothing but heavy running etc. 

Some patients just walk, walk and walk.  Be careful not to over do it.  Please just take it easy for awhile.  Hopefully in a month, you will be able to do light duty.  If you force things, you could end up with a revision to a THR which would end your career.  Take it easy and hopefully things will work out well for you. 

Everyone is different.  There actually have been a few that have run marathons at 6 months or sooner, and there are some that lost their BHRs due to excessive running too quickly.  There are a few stories about people wising they had taken it easy so they did not end upo with a revision.

Please try to be patient for awhile and just let your body do it's own thing without pushing.  It may not be the army way - but you simply can't command a body to heal.

Good Luck.

Pat
Webmaster/Owner of Surface Hippy
3/15/06 LBHR De Smet

hernanu

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3907
Re: 2 week Post Op
« Reply #2 on: October 01, 2012, 09:27:49 PM »
Hey Bill, welcome to the site and congrats on getting your hip done. I'm sure a lot of our current hippies will report in, to let you know what they're facing and what you can expect.

One piece of advice I can give you is to be patient. What you are dealing with is a recovery of bone, nerves and muscles; while the muscular development is important, allowing the bones and nerves to heal is crucial early on.

I understand feeling like you want to do more - being able to do the muscular exercises with ease is a blessing and helps your recovery greatly. Remember that the bone has to heal, otherwise no amount of muscle will keep your device intact. We have stories here of returning too early to activities that compromised the surgery.

I returned to work at a desk job by five weeks. If that's the type of light duty you're talking about, then given that you're making a good recovery, I would think that 30 days would be ok. My surgeon restricted running until one year had gone by, some others allow it earlier. You're probably talking full recovery by that time, but you will be fully functional for a lot of other activities long before.

I work with the military. I know the pressures put on you and the expectations - friends on mine have trained with me to pass the fitness tests. I guess it comes down to what light duty is defined as in your job.

One thing I wanted to address here is that you feel like you're malingering. The effort you're putting in is appropriate, given that you need to support the bone and structural healing that's happening.

Given your good attitude, when it's the proper time for hard muscular work I have no doubt you'll put in the hard effort, but in the case of early healing a hard muscular effort could compromise you. Get that hip healed correctly and you'll be running just as hard as some of our hippies - but let it heal. Not an easy thing to do, to be patient but it is, I believe necessary.
Hernan, LHR 8/24/2010, RHR 11/29/2010 - Cormet, Dr. Snyder

Spanielsal

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 313
Re: 2 week Post Op
« Reply #3 on: October 02, 2012, 02:22:27 AM »
Hi Bill, welcome!

Hern is absolutly right.

The information  I have digested whilst being on this site is that muscular healing takes some time but bone healing takes much much longer, hence the no running restrictions.  The Army is a funny organisation, my husband was in the UK military and I assume you are in the US. You must protect your new implant they won't necessarily make it easy for you but you will be left to deal with the consequences if you acquiesce with their pushing and overstrain your new hip. Protect it in the first year and you will be as strong as before but just a little bit bionic! If you don't you could risk damage to it and shorten its life. I'm sure if you present the evidence to your medical officer they will give you appropriate duties.  The Army is a huge organisation which demands ultimate commitment and loyalty but never forget it is a massive steamroller and will carry on without you, the organisation does not have loyalty to individuals nor committment for doing the right thing by each case although it is the presumption to do the right thing generally.  Step back, Bill, it is your body if you can fight to give it the right conditions now it will be back serving you and your country 100%. Push too hard too soon, you will be in a pickle and will have to pick up the pieces alone.

Someone somewhere on here will have a link to a medical paper about bone healing post resurfacing, I'm sure I've seen one. That would be a good thing to take to the medics.

Oh, and Bill, I'm 8 weeks post op and I'm a new woman. Your life is just around the corner coming back. Congratulations on your new hip, patience, patience and a whole lot more patience is key to your good recovery. The alternative isn't worth thinking of. But enjoy it, OA is gone, you are oreads better off than pre op. happy hippy healing!

Sal
I'm a Hippy Hybrid!  L HR Cormet 2000 - Mr Villar, 12th June 2003 and R Corin mini hip - Mr Villar 7th August 2012

Sailor Bill

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 6
Re: 2 week Post Op
« Reply #4 on: October 02, 2012, 03:49:31 PM »
I want to thank you guys/gals for the advice and reinforcement as I have no "real" gage to compare my progress, pretty much what therapists have said while I was in the hospital (I became skeptic of them by the way I was treated and some of their comments of me being so "young").  My light duty is working in front of a computer terminal sitting down or standing so I don't see that as a problem.  My concern focused around my physical fitness test (Jan/Feb or ???) which I have 2min of push-ups, 2min of sit-ups and I will have a 2.5mile brisk walk.  Again I may not have to take it until May but eventually I will be required to pass as the Army doesn't play around with that stuff! 

I really enjoy reading some of the posts on here as it has provided a lot of information on personal experiences and things to look forward to.

By the Way Sal, I am in the US Army and have been for many years, less than 2 years to retirement and looking forward to it! 

hernanu

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3907
Re: 2 week Post Op
« Reply #5 on: October 02, 2012, 04:10:37 PM »
So if I've got this right, you need to do:

  • 31+ pushups to pass in 2 minutes
  • 33+ situps to pass in 2 minutes
  • 2 miles below 18min 30 sec

By Jan/Feb at the earliest or May. By then, you'll be at 4 months (Jan/Feb) or 7 months (May).

Hmm... The pushups should not be a problem, I was doing 30 (untimed) but under a minute by 4 months, the situps - are they crunches or old style legs flat situps? - I was doing about 90 crunches in about two minutes.

The question mark is the walking. By May, a brisk walk is not only possible, but advised; not sure I've got the time down right for the 2 miles above. I think you should be fine by May, the only question mark is the time you need to hit for the 2 or 2.5 miles.

If I'm not wrong (correct if so, please), there is also the concept of a medical profile that may let you either push this out a bit or lower the requirements. You can also take it over after three months, which will let you get more fit for running (or speed walking).

« Last Edit: October 02, 2012, 04:14:25 PM by hernanu »
Hernan, LHR 8/24/2010, RHR 11/29/2010 - Cormet, Dr. Snyder

Sailor Bill

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 6
Re: 2 week Post Op
« Reply #6 on: October 03, 2012, 12:10:01 PM »
Hernanu,

You are pretty close on the fitness test, push-ups (I don't see a problem as I usually do about 40 in a minute and get up).  The sit-ups are old school (thigh and lower leg must be 90 degrees and you must come up to where the base of your neck is vertical with your tailbone) that one of my concerns.  As I have a permanent profile to do the 2.5 mile walk I have 36 minutes (last time I did it in 31 minutes). 

Once my doctor clears me I will have an additional 45 days to get myself into shape (I don't see that as an issue).  Two problems can arise; one being if you fail the test you can retake in 90 days or sooner but if you fail, here comes a general discharge.  The second problem is if your command deems that you are unfit for duty and are non-deployable you are then sent for a fit for duty exam possibly followed by a medical board (yeah I did both this year and BEAT the Medical Board).

I have had a couple of my peers hit this road and both were medically retired which financially is okay, but psychology says I am broke and no longer useful.  My objective is just to do my job to my best abilities and retire in 2014. 

I appreciate all the advice on this site and look forward to passing my experiences on to those that follow.

Bill

Spanielsal

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 313
Re: 2 week Post Op
« Reply #7 on: October 03, 2012, 06:00:26 PM »
Hi Bill, I hear you, I really do, your life in the army is your life. But.... ( you knew there was a but coming, didn't you?  :D). You can only do what you can do.

You have a great new hip, you have lost the OA pain and you are no longer deteriorating. You've come a long way already and that is to be celebrated.  I reckon you'll be able to pass that test, if you work steadily WITH your body, not beasting it.  If you force it, you'll do damage, lasting damage.  Working carefully and steadily you might very well pass, you might not but it won't be for lack of trying and more importantly you'll still have a fit and able body to live with. Without the op, you probably wouldn't have passed. It's all a bonus everything from here. Try and see the sunshine with that, you are in a good place, we are all here for your support along the way. I know it all seems a long way off but I'm going on my first dog walk tomorrow since the op, it's 8 weeks ago now and almost feels a lifetime away. By 4 months you'll be strong, particularly with good pt support. Hang in there, concentrate on recovering well. You're a hippy now!   8)
I'm a Hippy Hybrid!  L HR Cormet 2000 - Mr Villar, 12th June 2003 and R Corin mini hip - Mr Villar 7th August 2012

 

Advertisements

Recent Posts

Donate Thru Pay Pal

Surface Hippy Gear

Owner/Webmaster

Patricia Walter- Piano Player Pat

Powered by EzPortal