November 21st is too long

[rag33]

Hi all,
I'm scheduled for resurfacing with Dr. De Smet in 2 weeks and I'm a little nervous. But I'm mostly nervous about the recovery. How long will it be before I can go out for a walk? How long before I can exercise again? Can I do abs/arms while I'm recovering? I was a runner and since my hip issues got bad a year ago, well  I can only imagine what lying around for 6 weeks of recovering is going to do to me. Any suggestions would be great !

Thanks

[hernanu]

Hi all,
I'm scheduled for resurfacing with Dr. De Smet in 2 weeks and I'm a little nervous. But I'm mostly nervous about the recovery. How long will it be before I can go out for a walk? How long before I can exercise again? Can I do abs/arms while I'm recovering? I was a runner and since my hip issues got bad a year ago, well  I can only imagine what lying around for 6 weeks of recovering is going to do to me. Any suggestions would be great !

Thanks

I don't think you'll be lying around a lot. I started walking the day of the surgery, and kept busy with recovery exercises from that point on.

Having said that, I would advise tempering your expectations. This is major surgery and will need to be treated as such.  You'll need to give your body the right kind of time and patience.

I was walking every day, at first just a short distance on crutches, but fairly soon (about a couple of weeks), I took longer walks outfoors about three times a day, about 1/2 half mile each.  I was able to drive after about two or three weeks and was pretty active.

Using crutches, of course. I went down to one crutch in about three weeks and was walking without crutches about six weeks in.

In parallel with that, I started physical therapy with a nurse when I was released from the hospital. I did therapy three times per week, then when that stopped, went to a physical therapy place for about two months that specialized in people with hip surgeries.

Active, but did not lift weights, etc. I was limited to less than 50 lbs until six months had gone by. I could lift if no stress was put on the hips (no dead lifts), and when the PT stopped, I went to the gym to continue my PT exercises and to resume (SLOWLY) my regular exercises.

I didn't get back to my full unregulated workouts until a year had gone by. I know others have gone back fully earlier, but I'd plan on at least six months of recuperation being your main focus.

It will require focus and patience, but getting that joint strong so you can return to everything is the key. The last thing you want to do is to imperil that.

The recuperation time goes by slowly until it's just gone and then it seem like it flew by. Patience is the key. I've been back to good workouts for almost seven years now, and the hips are not my worry.

[Asalisbu]

I’m exactly 10 and 8 days out from bilateral surgery.   

I was not a runner but very active in both career choice and exercise even maintaining many activities gritting through the bone on bone.   

The inactivity was a big concern for me.   I don’t know if it helps but to be honest in the very early game that I am in, almost everything feels like exercise.   Just getting out of bed, which isn’t pretty but I’m already doing unassisted, getting to the bathroom,  taking my lap around the house is good to put me down for ice and a nap, or some really bad daytime television. 

I see improvements daily and definitely know when I have pushed enough for the day.   Yesterday was the first day of my walking rehab (on crutches).  By 9 at night I was physically exhausted  and slept very good until 7 this morning. 

Point being, like many on here I never missed a training day, never and shared your same concerns.  I can promise you every movement to this point has felt like I’m training and while I am not very active, I certainly feel like I have been, so I have not been anxious about the inactivity. 

Per surgeon As far as planned activities I have some workout bands at two weeks I can do lying on the bed and sitting for upper body, if I have the energy but now I don’t.  Swimming at four weeks.   Then the moderate exercise, bike, elliptical, body weight exercises that are allowed at six.   

I will say for whatever it’s worth due to the injuries I had a twisted pelvis and a john wayne hitch when I would walk.   The pelvis is even and untwisted like I haven’t seen in years.  When I overdo it my soft tissues flare up and I lose the smooth even gait that now only exists because I did this.   So instead of diminishing my training as I kept getting worse,  I do see what others mean when I can already see myself getting better everyday instead of going backward everyday. 

Good luck.

[rag33]

It's so helpful to have first hand input. Thanks so much!

Dr. De Smet does not do PT as far as I know. But I'm scared to be let lose without follow-up. What if I do too much (or not enough)? So it's good to know that I will be in significant pain  . I saw that Dr. Su gives pretty clear guidelines about returning to activity and my PT said he'd see me after if I feel I need (if for nothing else, getting on the stationary bike after a couple weeks).

[tohandley]

Hi,
I’m 4 weeks out this week.  I too was a runner, basketball and obstacle course racing.  I actually a triathlon the weekend before my surgery.  I probably could have delayed the surgery for 6-12 months but the doctor confirmed the cartilage was “flat” in at least two places and it wasn’t going to get better so I decided to just get it done with.

The first week for me was a roller coaster for me.  Felt good right after the surgery and could have gone home that night but I opted to stay for one night which turned out to be smart since I fainted the next morning when the PT  took me for a walk 🙂

Day 3 and my first shower invigorated me but I probably overdid it a bit and paid the price for the next few days. 

Along with the exercises they give you I did upper body from pretty early on.  I also got to the gym a couple of times to get on the bike.  The first  time I did 30 minutes with no resistance.  The second time I did another 30 and then upper body and pushups but realized after inagain pushed it a bit much . 

So for this past week i shut it down. 

I guess the lesson here is to take it slow and as everyone says listen to what your body tells you. 
I could get my sock on at three weeks but even now it’s not pretty! Lol

I go back to the doctor on Monday and am really looking forward to finding out what I can or can’t too and how far to push it.  I think I’ve made some good progress but I’m still on one crutch which is a little disappointing base on some of the stories I’ve read on this site but as they say it’s a marathon not a sprint.

If you have any questions that you think I could help you with since I’m a few weeks ahead of you feel free to reach out to me.

Wishing you the best of luck!
Tim

[Asalisbu]

Rag 33,

I apologize if I misstated it.   I had both done  and never really experienced significant pain. I was actually surprised about that lack of major pain.  I never took a prescribed oxy and was off the other pain pill five days post op, and believe me I am not trying to be a tough guy through this.   

I feel incredibly achy, sore, weak, and tight but nothing what I would call significant. 

I was more trying to convey that with muscles they cut through alone and the weakness that ensues, the amount of energy required to do simple things can get exhausting fast.  Standing in front of the fridge I can feel the strain in glutes, hamstring l, and lower back just told me upright for a few minutes before I start hunching on crutches.   It’s down right tiring and eventually becomes to much that you need to sit down, but not overly painful.

Handley’s post sounds like his surgeon clears more activity early on.   All the surgeons are different depending on approach etc. so you may want to confirm DeSmet’s activity protocols to help you prepare.  I went to Dr. Gross who said no bike or things like push ups for six weeks. 

 

[catfriend]

Oh, yeah, it's rough at first. When I first started taking walks outside after my HR just walking to the top of the block and back felt like I had run a marathon. This distance is nothing. I went from having a ton of stamina before the surgery to being exhausted from small amounts of activity. I didn't really expect this, but it's all a part of recovering from major surgery. It doesn't last long. You will gain back your energy over the next few weeks.