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Author Topic: 1 Month since surgery  (Read 2385 times)

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catfan

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1 Month since surgery
« on: August 04, 2013, 05:39:28 PM »
I am new to this site and am so glad I found it as I have be looking for others that have gone through a BMHR and found this wonderful site. 

I am 52, an avid runner and about 2 years ago started having pain in both hips.  I went to 4-5 doctors trying to figure out what was going on in my hips until the 4th doctor took an MRI and told me I had "Femoroacetabular impingement - CAM" in both hips, but unfortunately it was too late to fix as the cartilage was gone and I was bone-on-bone  in both hips .  I had done some preliminary research as I suspected I was heading towards a THR, when I found the BMHR option which sounded perfect for someone like me who wanted to stay active.   When I talked to my doctor he indicated he no longer performed the operation, and it took me several weeks to find a doctor who was covered by my insurance & would perform the surgery. 

I am just over 4 weeks from having BMHR on my left hip, and I am walking without a cane but with a little limp & pain.  I am able to ride a stationary bike for 1 - 1.5 hours, and just started last week on the Elliptical trainer for about 30-40 minutes.  I am doing my rehab daily so I feel like I am making good progress, but I do have a few concerns.  I have read a lot of posts on the clicking, which I am experiencing, and understand it will take some time to disappear so this site has helped me with this concern.  I guess I am a bit naïve as I thought by week four I would be able to walk normally (no pain\limp), just not be able to do any real heavy activity.  I have read a lot of people indicating how quickly their pain went away so I am a little concerned I am still having pain.  I will admit before the operation I was not in severe pain as I was just beginning to feel the pain, so maybe those who have gotten quick relief had extreme pain before the operation?  Also I have been told it will be months before I will be able to run again, so I am also curious how quickly other runners have been able to get back to running...

At any rate this site is a blessing as I know I am not alone, and really enjoy reading the posts as it has helped me mentally.

Pistol-Pete

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Re: 1 Month since surgery
« Reply #1 on: August 04, 2013, 10:12:32 PM »
Slow and steady wins the race.  Remember that.  I too thought the process would be much quicker than it actually was.  I'm about 20 months post-op and finally getting stronger and stronger.  The clicking will last a long time for sure.  I still get it at times and I actually went thru it really bad a few months back.  I thought there was a problem but I just started redoing all the rehab exercises over and the clicking just about went away.  Sometimes when you do certain things you will get the click and you'll know it's going to do it.

Be patient, but know that the end result is SOOOOOO much better than the pain Pre-op.

Pat Walter

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Re: 1 Month since surgery
« Reply #2 on: August 04, 2013, 10:57:44 PM »
Hi

Congratulations on the new hip.  What surgeon did your BHMR?

Everyone heals at a different rate.  You can't judge yourself by others.  We all tell our stories so it is helpful to others, but we can only know that each of us heal differently.

You are still early in your recovery.  Maybe the limp and small amount of pain could be from doing too much too soon.  It seems to me 1 to l 1/2 hours on the bike could be a lot of exercise early on. 30 to 40 minutes on the  Elliptical trainer seems like a lot.  What does your surgeon suggest?  Sometimes less is better early on.  Try backing off some and see how your pain level is.  You will have lots of time after you heal to start pushing harder.  Now is not really the time for most people to push very hard.

It takes 6 months for most healing and a full year for all healing and returning to running and high impact sports.   

4 months post op is really early in your recovery.

Hopefully, things will settle down for you and you will be able to do all the activity you want. Any time there is pain early in your recovery, you should listen to your body.  It knows best.  The mind can't make the body heal faster by pushing it harder after surgery.   It is not like training with a normal body.

Good Luck.

Pat

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

MikeF

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Re: 1 Month since surgery
« Reply #3 on: August 05, 2013, 08:15:33 AM »
Cat....I had my surgery three weeks ago today an I would say 'slow down'. Be careful now. I'm driving a little at this point but still 95% using one crutch. I may go to my health club this week to start light weight work on my upper body if I'm confident I can do that without straining the hip.

I'm not sure what is better at this point to get the muscles around the hip to tighten back up.....rest or light strengthening. That point isn't clear to me.

Does anyone care to comment on that?

Lauren Lee

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Re: 1 Month since surgery
« Reply #4 on: August 05, 2013, 07:48:13 PM »
I am seven weeks post op and I thought for sure (based on what I have seen here) that restrictions would be lifted at six weeks. Wrong. My doc probably will not lift hip precautions completely until my three month check. This seems to be his protocol. I had home PT right out of the hospital and continue with outpatient therapy. Altogether I will have 8 weeks of out patient PT and new exercises are added slowly.
I was full weight bearing the day of surgery and went from walker to cane within a few days but continue with the cane much of the time- I go back to it when I get tired and my limp seems to return. I think in my case slow and steady is the way I'm rolling. My docs PA said "Protect that hip" so for now that is my mantra.  I do about a mile walking and the PT exercises, along with upper body exercises  and that is  about all I'm doing right now and I seem to be improving every day...although my incision continues to be quite uncomfortable. I wish it would just go away already.  :)
RBHR on June 17, 2013

catfan

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Re: 1 Month since surgery
« Reply #5 on: August 05, 2013, 08:45:05 PM »
After reading the responses to my post I probably am doing to much and I will cut back to see if my hip feels better.  My doctor & PT basically said 'listen to your body and if it hurts reduce your activity'.  I must admit as a runner my mentality is to push, push, push, and I do not want to give into the pain.   

For example today I rode the bike for 1 hour before going to work, at lunch I lifted weights about 20 mins, rode the Elliptical trainer for 30 minutes, did 30 minutes of rehab, and than tonight I coached soccer for my sons team for 1 1/2 hrs...  My hip feeling it right now...  Tomorrow is a REST DAY - PERIOD...

But I have too understand I had major surgery and need to learn that sometimes 'less is better' -Thanks Pat for excellent advise.

My wife is grateful to all of you for providing a great sounding board with some very reasonable counseling as she has ben telling me to 'slow down'...

curtieman1

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Re: 1 Month since surgery
« Reply #6 on: August 05, 2013, 10:40:25 PM »
Cat, surgery was one month ago, that you are feeling so good is great, but it was major surgery. To do al that you did is a lot even for someone that did not have surgery. Your doing good. Start back up slow, or doing half if what you do is a lot. Listen to your body push on some days when you are sore don't do you know you reached your limit for a couple of days. At least from what I found, good luck.
Curtis
LBHR Dr. Anseth July 20 2012
RBHR Dr. Scott Anseth July 24 2014

chuckm

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Re: 1 Month since surgery
« Reply #7 on: August 06, 2013, 08:32:14 AM »
Catfan, you can't "make" the tissues that need to heal speed up by exercising. Your body has its own pace and everyone's is different. But you can interfere with the healing process by constantly pushing to see how much you can do and aggravating those tissues that are trying to heal. Moderate exercises that surgeon recommends and stretching for range of motion is best course to heal early on. I waited three months before I started exercising to the point of fatigue. By then the tissue are less likely to be traumatized by extended use.

Chuckm
Left BHR 11/30/12
Hospital for Special Surgery
46 years old

podgornymd

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Re: 1 Month since surgery
« Reply #8 on: August 07, 2013, 10:48:10 PM »
My message is basically the same. Take it slow. I too thought i would be walking at 4 weeks and riding soon after but it didnt happen and actully i felt pressured to go at a quick pace to be back at work and had some setbacks early on. I am 3.5 months ago and still having setbacks by doing too much.

the limp was very frustrating for me too and i stated worrying about when i had it at 5 weeks but one day around 6 weeks it disappeared. Give it some TLC. Rest is your friend.

I am like you in i try to push it but with this surgery you need to recover first .

catfan

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Re: 1 Month since surgery
« Reply #9 on: August 08, 2013, 06:22:08 PM »
Although it was difficult for me to do, I took the advise from everyone to significantly reduce the amount of activity I have been doing, and today I was able to walk with just a slight limp and barely any pain.  This is as close to normal as I have been since my surgery.  Now I just have to stay focused on a slow and steady recovery and not get back to pushing, pushing, pushing for results by over doing it...

Big thanks to everyone as I am not sure why I would not listen to my wife, doctor or PT, but all of you got through to me (I think because you have experienced what I am going through so I trust you more)...

 

hernanu

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Re: 1 Month since surgery
« Reply #10 on: August 08, 2013, 07:27:38 PM »
Think of it this way, catfan - if you attach something that's broken using glue, and you immediately try to make it bear weight, it will simply come apart.

That's your stage right now, and pretty much remains so until about six months go by. You are structurally healing first, your muscles are really pretty much secondary now.

You need to give your hip and bones time to bond. No amount of muscular effort will help that, your body, nutrition and patience will do just fine.

I think you'll find a scad of type A personalities here, all of us pushed things and suffered setbacks. The toughest thing is to practice patience, not just when you feel bad like now, but when everything is great and you see no reason not to push the envelope.

Stay the course and you'll be able to get to the great spot that a lot of hippies are at. Back to your full life.
Hernan, LHR 8/24/2010, RHR 11/29/2010 - Cormet, Dr. Snyder

Lauren Lee

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Re: 1 Month since surgery
« Reply #11 on: August 08, 2013, 10:58:06 PM »
The day after my surgery, I was rarin' to go and my nurse said she was "afraid for me" because I was in such a hurry to get moving. She told me a story about a body builder who had BHR and as soon as he could he hit the gym and pushed and pushed and pushed. He didn't dislocate anything but what he did do was inflame every nerve in the lower part of his body. He showed up in the ER and no amount of pain meds could ease the pain from that mess. I don't know if she said that to scare me into compliance but it could happen. slow and steady. I no longer have a bad hip...or a good hip...I have a recovering hip.
RBHR on June 17, 2013

 

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