Approaching 12 weeks post op - How much can I push?

[Mr.Box]

So here I am, almost 12 weeks post op. If you look at the topics I've posted from prior, around, and after the surgery. You would see a huge progression from then to now. I'm beginning to have days where I don't think much at all about the implants. Last week I was rushing around to finish Thanksgiving planning and cleaning and I caught myself jogging from the rear of the house to the front. ( I paid for it this past weekend... TIRED! )

I'm now almost 4-5 weeks in my out patient physical therapy. I'm pushing the weight limits on the machines lately to the chagrin of my PT's. I was told today that my note to the Surgeon would say: Patient is constantly pushing his limits and needs a baby sitter. What's worse is two of my PT's live on my block, and they pass my house all the time. " Sean, how did that large amount of wood get to the front of your house ? " Reply: " Magic garden gnomes. "  They didn't believe that answer.

My point is: I'm feeling cabin fever with the limits on my hips at the moment. I know I can do certain things.. but I'm at the point where I want to go out and do things I shouldn't. Patience is wearing thin with the progress that has already come. Has anyone else hit this point ? Should I reign myself in from doing too much ? Yes, I do pay for it dearly sometimes. Heck, my wife doesn't even believe that I have restrictions anymore. She gives me a look when I tell her I'm exhausted ( As if I didn't just have major surgery two and a half months ago )

 I see Dr. Su on the 17th for my 3 month checkup. I'm going to ask to be cleared to start ice skating again during the checkup. Dr. Su had mentioned that it might be possible prior to that time period, but I've been patient. That however didn't stop me from purchasing a new pair of ice skates on Black Friday! 50% off.. what can I say. I'm weak.

When did that feeling of cabin fever hit for you ? Did you try and push too hard and what were the complications ? What were your guilty pleasures ?

[Dannywayoflife]

I struggled with patience early on too mate but it don't pay in the long run to do too much too soon. Try and wait a full year before pushing.

[Dan L]

I absolutely got cabin fever and wanted to expedite being back to normal, but I learned here, and from minor setbacks to resist the temptation to do too much, too soon.  You should follow your physicians restrictions to the "T" to avoid bad, or very bad (a total hip revision) repurcussions.

The paradox for many very active hippies is that patience is the most difficult, and most important aspect of the recovery from this major surgery.  You have a long life ahead of you, the few months of restrictions are really, really minor in the long view.

The time will fly by.

Dan

[Jason0411]

I really did myself some major damage through thinking I was capable of doing too much too soon. Be patient don't do what I did, you are in it for the long term not the short.

[Dannywayoflife]

The thing I found help pass the time was tv series! I did all the criminal minds and all the sons of anarchy

[hernanu]

I think the most common and most difficult thing for all of us, since we all heal differently is patience.

We seem to have a population of extreme type A's, the progress is usually rapid and the feeling of being released from that crushing OA pain brings on a well deserved euphoria. Each of us hits definite walls at different times, because we push the limits (I hit several, they hurt  and I was shocked each time ).

I think what you're hitting we've all hit. You need to consider what you noted, though - you've been through major surgery and need to let your bones heal. The muscles may be back and doing well (although they will kick your behind now and then), but the bone healing can't be rushed by powering through things.

You want to let the bone and device come together in a strong connection that will last you forever (or as close to it as we can know). Another issue that comes up as a major source of failure at this time (0-6 months) is neck fracture. The way I've heard it, there is loss of blood flow to the neck area of the bone which needs time to replenish and strengthen that area.

Once you get past that span of 0-6 months, the risk of neck fracture goes down dramatically and you've cleared an important hurdle.

[imgetinold]

Listen to Hernan.  Most femoral neck fractures happen in the 3-6 month range....no doubt due to people "pushing the limits".

Dr. Gross' literature states that the risk of fractures is essentially zero after six months.  Yes, from now to then seems like torture, but it will go faster if you just do more sanctioned exercises.  Bike.....elliptical...swimming, upper-body weightlifting (on machines so you don't load the hip).  You can stay pretty busy with those.

Why risk it?

[Tin Soldier]

Exactly, thats what I was going to point out.  Box - you're in the femoral neck fracture stage.  Sounds like you've got some bone density and you're a tough dude, but I still wouldn't risk it.  Like Imget says, wear yourself way down on the bike, or the treadmill, or walking up hills, swimming, somtheing soft.  I was exactly in the same spot and I waited til 5 months to ski one day, probabaly should have waiting longer.  Waited 6 months to run, should have waited longer, waited one year to get back to soccer.   I know how hard it is to wait.

What about long walks on the beach, listening to ocean and birds?  Maybe you just want to play hockey, I can understand.  Your'e not alone, we've all been there.   

[Spanielsal]

Mr Box you are very naughty! The word PUSH should not even be in your vocab until at least 6 months! 

I know you are a typical type A but you owe it to your future self AND your wife and baby girl to take it easy, heal patiently and well. 

Sorry to tick you off but think about it.... If you are going crazy now imagine how you would feel if you lost your future mobility through being a bit gungho now?  If you take it easy and do it by the book you have a great chance of being a goalie again, running around after your child and any future ones too. Ignoring the yard work now means you'll be fit enough to do it for the next few years.

Here endeth the lesson........... Tut tut *sigh* with head shake.... "crazy type A!"

[lyn]

I agree with what everybody else said, better to be safe than sorry. I'm  just at 12 weeks post op and just keeping to phase 2 excersizes from Dr. Gross, counting down to my 6 months. Lyn

[John C]

Your soft tissue is starting to heal, so happily you are feeling better. However, your big concern should be that studies have shown that the femoral neck often weakens over the first few months, before it gets stronger again. By this belief, your femoral neck is weaker now than it was the day after surgery, and will continue that trend up to three months out. If you fall on the ice during the next few months when that neck is at its weakest, you could be back in the operating room for a revision. My surgeons belief is that femoral neck fractures or failure of bone ingrowth to secure the cup, are not always due to single events, but can be caused my numerous micro trauma from pushing things too early. I am used to doing impact sports every day, but I followed my doctors orders and waited six months.
As others have mentioned, there are lots of ways to get the endorphins going and happily exhaust ourselves using low impact and low weight activities. Be proud of what you can do a year from now, not in breaking the rules now and risking revision surgery and what you can do later.

[Mr.Box]

Wow.. I feel like I was just caught stealing the cookies out the jar lol. I follow my PT's advice as much as possible. I'm truthful with them about how much I change my weights and how I feel with the current limits.

I think the original question got skewed a bit.

WHAT WAS YOUR guilty pleasure ? To fight the cases of cabin fever ?

The only time I feel that I pushed myself WAY too much with a possibility of bone problems was lifting a 200lb generator. My wife helped as much as possible but I know I took most of the weight. Hurricane Sandy left little choices on being a weak surface hippy or just getting it done.

John's last post kind of concerns me, I didn't realize that the femoral neck weakens after surgery. I guessed because of the surgery it would be weak afterwards, but you'd regain that gradually towards 6 months.

I do engage with my Pt's on how much I can push weight wise, I'm only up to 175lbs on the leg push / squat machine. The wood I moved was cut into good 3 foot lengths before I picked them up and moved them over. I'd say 60-80lbs was the most per piece. Again, this was only just cleanup from Hurricane Sandy... not my normal routine.

I have an appointment with Dr. Su on the 17th, probably with X-rays and the such. I did mention that I would be seeking approval for ice skating. I've rehabbed from a hip scope before and it was something I enjoyed and really got my muscles back into shape. I do understand the concern about falling and I would probably wear my hockey pants during the first skate just to put my mind to ease with falling. Though if I was told this was out of the question, I would have no hesitation to leave it off till Jan, Feb, or even March without a problem. I ordered the skates as a great black friday deal. I can bare to sit and look at them for a few months.

[Dannywayoflife]

Hay buddy I was put on non impact stuff fairly early on which helped I found the pool the biggest help if I'm honest. But I passed alot of my time with tv series and films. I'd still be nervous about skating even with padding on mate.

[Arrojo]

WHAT WAS YOUR guilty pleasure ? To fight the cases of cabin fever ?

I went on a lot of long hikes with the dog, and at 3 or 4 months hiked up a mountain with a friend.  Dr. Su is amazing and certainly does not want you to baby it.  In fact I think people who are afraid to exercise their new hip are doing themselves a disservice, since getting the blood to circulate in there and get the muscles moving etc is crucial for good healing.  It's a fine line, though, you dont want to take undue risks of course.

I plan on returning to hockey in January, but that will be almost 9 months after surgery for me.  Keep doing your stretches every day.  DU Sr is very agreesive about that apparently.   If you can you should also be getting Actuive Release Technique, or deep tissue massages, to get in there and break up the scar tissue that is starting to form.  Most setbacks are not due to anything directly involved with the implant (especially if you used a top surgeon like Dr. Su), but rather the surrounding soft tissue.

[Jagcanes]

I am only 4 weeks out and I am already feeling your frustration.  I want to push the recovery because sometimes the basic exercises don't seem to challenge my muscles to my satisfaction.  One thing my doctor said that keeps me in line is that if I mess this up, the next surgery will be like a McGeyvor episode.

I plan to keep busy with lots of cardio and upper body exercises.  I couldn't do too much cardio before surgery so this will give me some new goals to work up to.

[Jason0411]

Please People don't overdo it. I had a miserable time of it because i pushed too hard too soon. Low impact is fine but don't overwork the bone that is trying to reform. Please read my story not sure where it is posted now but it is on here somewhere.
I think I have mended myself but still not sure and very careful.

Jas

[imgetinold]

Box,

I passed the time with weightlifting....upper body mostly.....and on machines where the hip was not loaded.

That, and craft beer. 

The first was probably better for me.....

- Andy

[Dan L]

My guilty pleasures

Dog walks everywhere
Hiking up the hills on the escarpment in the Lake Erie Grape Belt of western NY
Managing to trip over some grape vines during the above (and coming out unscathed)

Don't laugh....

Climbing ladder and walking on roof in cold (and some snow) to install and tweak an OTA antenna the week after I got off crutches after #1, then going back up and down for a couple weeks tweaking the damn thing (at least once in the dark during strong wids).. A dumb thing to do driven by cabin fever...

Moving a huge woodpile over a couple weekends the weekend I got off crutches after #2 (although no lifting more than the allowed weight) resulting in extended squeaking

Sitting out in the 30 degree weather after the above hoisting some frosty Molsons in front of a campfire and squeaking with every run to the fridge

Lol

Dan

[hernanu]

Guilty pleasures:

• Going to my daughter's pre-Winter Dance party at my ex wife's on my crutches, driving there at two weeks and standing on my crutches for the entire time. I couldn't stay longer than an hour, but it was priceless.
• Getting out to a jazz club at three weeks on one crutch after an ice storm and daintily negotiating massive ice floes in the streets of Cambridge.
• Dancing to my niece's latin DJ jams at a hole in the wall with my sister at five weeks.
• Unboxing a big stereo speaker that was delivered at four weeks - weighed 51 lbs (1 lb over the restriction). Connected it with help of my pick me up tool to get wires from the floor. Sounded awesome.
• Drove 5 hours to visit an old girlfriend in Bangor Maine at four weeks, sprinkled the drive liberally with ice and many stops along the way. Lots of walking in Bangor.

[Tin Soldier]

1st hip - fixed the stupid weather stripping on the back door that the dogs scratched up, did it on second day returning home from hospital and also pulled a wagon full of firewood across the back yard that same day.  I only used the good leg, still pretty stupid.  Did a fair amount of walking for real exercise until about 5/6 months.

2nd hip - drove several miles down the road at 1 week after right HR, using right leg for stomping on the brakes.  Water pump went out and fluids hosed the brakes and couldn't stop the truck no matter how hard I pushed.  It all worked out, but stupid.  at about 6 weeks - rebuilt a 7.3 liter diesel engine, the crankshaft just about busted both femoral necks. 

Box - you're not alone, we all push a little too hard at times.  I think the gentle reminders that your body gives you are good to listen to, as well as the folks here.  I think the best thing one can do in this period of waiting is maybe to fid a new hobby/sport that gets you some exercise and gets you something new and interesting to.  Maybe treat yourself to something you've always wanted to do, like tie flying, or arrow cresting, maybe quilting, cheese making, brewing,  or maybe something more exercisy like hiking, cycling, or swimming,....