Options for Post op/Post recovery work outs.

[tommyhip]

HELP TO REGAIN GOOD WIND/CARDIO HEALTH  - I am just over a year post op -single HRA with Dr. Gross. Pre-op, I played basketball, volleyball and softball 3x-4x a week till age 60. At 10 months post op I played a full season of recreational volleyball with no issues. But I am hesitant to resume basketball  because it is such a intense/pounding sport. As a result, my cardio/wind has suffered tremendously. Dr. Gross's post op instructions advise patients to be reasonable in activities to ensure longevity of the implant. So I've decided that basketball, running, flag football and softball are not good post recovery activities as they will likely shorten the longevity of the device. What are the best options to regain and retain good cardio/wind health without putting too much stress on the implant device. I can swim and walk miles buts its not the same. Any advise would be greatly appreciated. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR INPUT.

[John C]

Obviously everyone's decision about what level of strain to put on our new hips is very personal. Have you talked to Dr Gross about your options, and what he might advise as far as the sports you listed? After my first hip from Dr Gross 10 years ago, I went back to skiing hard every day all winter, and playing tennis and high-wind open ocean windsurfing every day all summer. He was supportive, with the usual caveat that there is not enough data to clearly define what these resurfaced hips can withstand without penalty.
There are a lot of runners and basketball players on this site, so I guess we will know a lot more in ten more years. Maybe Dr Gross can give you his experience with runners and basketball players over the past 15 years or so up to this point.
Having said all that, there are numerous variations of elliptical machines out there that provide a very good cardio workout with no impact stress whatsoever, so that might be what you are looking for. You did not mention biking, which is an obvious choice for avoiding impact while getting a great cardio workout. If you are looking for outdoor sports, and you have any large bodies of water in your area, there are many rowing and paddling sports that can be great cardio workouts if approached properly. One of my own cardio sports involves stand-up-paddling in rough open ocean conditions at an intense pace for 1 ½ hours over a 10 mile course. Rowing shells or surfskis are other great options for cardio workouts on the water.
There are a lot of options out there, so I am sure you will find something that will work for you.

[Saf57]

I have been playing basketball on my resurfaced hip for 16+ years, am now over 60 years old, and 3 years out from a resurfacing on the other hip. I'm sure there are many others who have continued to play basketball, and we know that there are many runners as well. To me, the whole point of getting a resurfacing(as compared to a THR) was to continue to be able to sustain the same level of sports activities as prior to surgery. However, if you are concerned about longevity, and given your love for basketball, perhaps limiting yourself to half court would be an option.

[moe]

I am a serious cyclist with almost 10 years on my resurfaced hips. Thousands of miles a year, road, gravel and mountain biking.  I am in my mid 60's, regularly get my heart rate into the 150-160+ range, max is 175. Cycling is great cardio and easy on the joints. Try not to crash.

[tommyhip]

Thank you all for your input. I recently went for a stress test - got my heart rate to 179 - had not felt that good in almost two years. Thank God I passed the test. But it is the lower body repetitive motion that I fear may affect longevity of the implant. I think of it as a reverse odometer in a car. You start with 200,000 miles and for each mile you drive it counts backwards until....  well you know. I hope to find an upper body exercise that can push the heart in ways that basketball, running etc. can. The intense rowing that was brought up in one of the posts intrigues me but I will keep looking. Thanks again. Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[John C]

Hi tommyhip. If rowing intrigues you, let me offer some additional information for you to consider. I think that there are a few options for you to consider:
1. Rowing shells. These are a great whole body workout, and also involves the legs which you may or may not want. The seat slides on a track powered by your legs, so each stroke with the oars involves legs, core, and arms. These are very fast through the water. Speed equals long and narrow, so these are often 20 to 24 feet long, which may be an issue for you. Mostly restricted to calm water due to the narrow tippiness.
2. OC1. Which stands for outrigger canoe, one person. We see these a lot in Hawaii, since the outrigger allows for use in very rough ocean conditions. Uses a single paddle instead of oars, so you must be sure to balance your paddling on both sides.
3. Surfski. Long and narrow, this uses a double bladed kayak paddle. One advantage is that your are facing forward, and the double bladed paddle is more efficient than a single paddle so that keeps your workout balanced on both sides. Typically 16 to 20 feet long. Requires some balancing skills.
4. Stand-up-paddle boards. Great upper body workout, especially core. Since you are standing, there is some workout for the legs, especially on the faster narrow boards which require substantial balancing. If you go this route, I think you would be best served on a narrow race style board, which would b 12 to 14 feet in length, and 24 to 28 inches wide, depending on your balance skills and weight. I would beware of buying the usual boards that you will see at Costco or other common sources. Most of these are for families to play around on, and are slow and cumbersome on the water. If you are going to spend any time for cardio workout, you want a sleek board that will be fast through the water, though it will not be as fast as any of the above craft; just a lot easier to store and transport. Some brands to checkout would be SIC (the brand I use), Bark, Infinity, Fanatic.
Personally, I find the water to be a wonderfully peaceful, quiet, and beautiful place to get into a cardio zone.