Dr Ball - Post Op 11/22/19

[Matty S]

Posts: 32
   

Re: Scheduled for 11/22/19 with Dr Ball
« Reply #29 on: November 25, 2019, 05:51:21 PM »


OK …….…… I am now three days post OP and doing very well. Went in Friday at 7:30 am at UCSD with Dr Ball and his team.
Everything went smoothly and I spent one night in the hospital. PT tried getting up me on my feet  about 15 minutes after I woke up but the epidural had not warn off yet and I was a little wobbly. They set me up in my room and I was able to walk with a walker around the Nursing Station just 3 hour after the procedure with little pain. Walked again that evening with great success.
They ae not kidding on the pain meds stopping your natural digestive functions...Passed a couple of boulders and doing much better day three ;}

Over all it is easier than I expected so far. I can tell you that the new Birimingham Hip Bearing is smooth as silk compared to what was going on in there pre-op. I obviously don't have full range of motion yet but I can tell that it is smooooth.

I am really stoked I did this!! Cant tell you how much all of the info on this forum helped me make a great decision. I want to pay it forward to anyone searching for info as I was.

 I walked up my street and back today on crutches and feeling stronger every day.

I will keep posting my progress .. Cant wait to get back in the water and surf again.
Matty

[Matty S]

I am now 5 days post op. Feeling stronger everyday. I am able to get around the house on one crutch.
I even went down to the beach trail yesterday for about a 1/2 mile walk on crutches. It was nice to be outside breathing the ocean air.
I have to tell you ...I have not had that much post op pain. Most of the pain now in shrinking to the incision area and have some discomfort in the joint but not much.
Seems to be getting stronger each day.
Accentcare showed up at the house yesterday for a Post Op checkup. I passed all the test with flying colors. I can sign up for Physical Therapy as soon as I want.
I thought I would share....I know I was looking for any and all info prior to my procedure.
By the way..You never really know he severity of your OA because you cant see it. Dr Ball told me I had severe bone on bone OA.
I would highly recommend Dr Ball and his staff!!

[Matty S]

Day 7 post op.

Got a little swelling in lower leg day 5 and 6 but it seems to be going down today. Maybe related to me sitting or resting on the incision. Also was able to sleep on my side for the first time. I usually sleep on my side so this was a big deal to me.
I am about to go on a walk with one crutch today. might extend it a bit because I am feeling good. Getting stronger every day.
Thought I would share...…Making great progress.
Matty

[Matty S]

20 Days Post OP

Started out patient PT yesterday. A little sore today but I expected that.
Same PT i used before the procedure. He said he can already see better ROM even at this early stage

Rode the stationary bike with a below 90 deg angle very slowly as well as other basic exercises.

Going to visit Dr Ball this 12/17 for my 4 week out check up.

I have worked my way up to 2.5 miles per day walking on a flat surface with one crutch.

Doing as well as expected.

Thats my update....I hope this is helping some one....

Matt

[Matty S]

Went to my 4 week post op meeting with Dr Ball. X-Ray showed that the BHR is in perfect alignment. I had nightmares that I was going to move it.
Everything is going as planned. Released me to move above a 90 deg angle and to start riding the stationary bike and strengthening.
I have been walking 2-3 miles per day but the bike gives me a full rotation for more range of motion.
I can doing most anything now except anything with high impact. I still have a little pain when I first get up
in the morning but I am getting stronger every day. I am anxious to start strengthening so I can back to surfing.

The incision healed perfect and I am stoked I avoided any infection issues. The glue Dr Ball used is really cool and makes for a very
small/thin scar.
One thing though. I feel a little klunk some times when I move in certain directions...any one else experience this? Maybe when everything
strengthens more around it that will stop.
That's my update …… Hope this helps someone...… 

Matty

[Pat Walter]

Matty
Sounds like you are healing and becoming more active.  Don't get to crazy for awhile. Your body is still healing. Sometimes people hear a clunk since the muscles and ligaments were stretched during surgery.  It should all tighten up and you will have less clunking.
Scars take time to heal and are often tender for awhile.
I look forward to reading more as you progress.
I wish you the best.
Pat

[Mouse Potato]

Matty,

Clunking is normal.  It reduces with time as the muscles and tendons tighten.

Russ.

[jimbone]

Mattty

Congratulations on the successful surgery.  As mentioned, clunking is not unusual and tends to fade with healing/strengthening.  I received the Synovo device [two actually] and found the smallest sensation of clunking in my right hip when I did the Tailor exercise in the morning- like a heel drag except you let the knew fall out to the side instead of straight up to the chest.  Even now 18 months later still get the slightest whiff of it but it causes no pain or any sensation of vulnerability/fragility and like is a tendon/ligament/muscle "adjusting" itself.  It's the only movement that makes this happen.  Some pain when first standing at your stage of healing is absolutely normal.  As talented and wonderful as these surgeons are, the procedure is still akin to getting seriously hit by a bus so recovery takes some time and patience.  One exceptional edge you have over most people is that as a surfer your hip/leg/core development had to have been better than most so you have a good base to support your recovery.  Sounds like you're doing well.  Enjoy your new found freedom from hip pain.  Best wishes.

[Matty S]

Thanks for the re-assurance! 5 weeks into a 6 month journey...staying on track and taking it slow.

I will update in a few weeks.

Matty

[Jlilly]

Hey Marty,

Thanks for info, I’m 1 week into my second resurfacing. My first was left hip 10 years ago. Right was done by dr ball 12/18 and recovery has been smooth.

You and I both know terry O’D. Get my number from him and give me a call. I would like your PT information.

Take it slow, Jlilly

[Matty S]

Mattty

Congratulations on the successful surgery.  As mentioned, clunking is not unusual and tends to fade with healing/strengthening.  I received the Synovo device [two actually] and found the smallest sensation of clunking in my right hip when I did the Tailor exercise in the morning- like a heel drag except you let the knew fall out to the side instead of straight up to the chest.  Even now 18 months later still get the slightest whiff of it but it causes no pain or any sensation of vulnerability/fragility and like is a tendon/ligament/muscle "adjusting" itself.  It's the only movement that makes this happen.  Some pain when first standing at your stage of healing is absolutely normal.  As talented and wonderful as these surgeons are, the procedure is still akin to getting seriously hit by a bus so recovery takes some time and patience.  One exceptional edge you have over most people is that as a surfer your hip/leg/core development had to have been better than most so you have a good base to support your recovery.  Sounds like you're doing well.  Enjoy your new found freedom from hip pain.  Best wishes.


how many months was when your clunking - clicking stop? I am two months in and it still clunks...some times when I am standing still
or when I do clam shells

[jimbone]

Matty-

I don't think I could say for sure when exactly it stopped.  As mentioned dit was always very minor clunking although still disquieting- who wants their body to act strangely?.  I would estimate there was still the smallest of echoes of the symptom for close to a year.  The second hip is now 16 months and was the hip with the clunking symptom and I can't remember it acting like that since last Nov. or so.  I'll tell you by then I had been using the bosu ball at the gym 3-5 times a week- doing a set of 20 squats, then a minute balancing on each leg, then shallow one legged dips with foot forward and behind.  This was always my finishing exercise after my work out.  I really think these exercises contributed to clearing up some remaining weakness/looseness in the rotators which are the muscles used in the Tailor exercise which is what caused my clunking.  Not a scientific analysis but subjectively makes sense.  In any case another member here had recommended it and I added it to the recovery program with good results.  S I am now 18/16 months out.  I was never really a runner but have tried to add some jogging to the treadmill sessions, which up until last week always caused me post exercise grief [the joint felt sore, impacted, resentful].  I always back off when it comes to bad pain- I trust my body too much to ignore what it's saying.  Retreat, wait and return which I did last week and to my great relief I was able to add a very small amount of slow 5mph jogging to the session.  Oddly it felt better when doing so on a slight incline.  There was no discomfort during the jogging and virtually none after [<.25 out of 5].  Last night's good news for me was in the pool.  For at least 2 years prior to surgery and until last night the only way I could swim laps was using fins.  Prior to surgery the pain of kicking was too much and after using the fins for so long my post surgical kick was non existent.  That seems to be turning the corner for me as well.  Getting in last night I gave it a shot and the legs seemed to have located their rhythm and strength enough to begin to propel my through the water again without using the fins.  It is a long process for some of us- I am not any kind of elite athlete just someone who tries to stay fit and enjoys using their body- my competition days are over.  I don't quite remember your goals for the surgery but just keep in mind every step forward without OA is a step in the right direction.  At 2 months I was only barely able to walk more than a mile without a cane.  Take your time.

[Matty S]

Jimbone,

Thanks so much for the come back. Its always good to hear from fellow Hippys. My goals are to get back in the water surfing, Mountain Biking and playing golf and simple things like puting on your pants and shoes and socks.
I was thinking that the clunking might stop by the eight week mark but it is still there. I do see some improvements lately as I begin the strengthening part of the re-hab. I spoke to another Hippy and had similar things to say. I do the one leg balances now in my routine but I am going to add the one leg squats. (with the permission of my PT guy)
I am at 9 weeks out and can walk a few miles UN-assisted with zero pain most of the time. I started riding my bicycle on flat surfaces last week. That seems to help strengthen a bunch. I was instructed by my Doc to do whatever I can but no high impact for at least six months.

I have a ways to go but I am making good progress...just getting concerned over this clunking/clicking sensation. Kind of like cracking your knuckle feeling. I am going to keep working hard and will update in a few weeks.
Thanks Man!! Mucho appreciated!

Matty

[jimbone]

Matty,

I'm no medical professional but the description/analogy to knuckle popping makes me think it could be a tendon/ligament sliding over the prosthesis producing a kind of snapping.  I believe I had a little bit of that or at least that's kind of what my clunking was like and I've read other folks here with the same thing.  Generally it resolves itself over time- like I mentioned mine took about a full year and was never pronounced.  You sound to be doing very well and doing it smart.  I think 6 months is a reasonable and realistic time frame before impact sports and even then it's wisest to renter very gently to test the waters.  As a surfer I'm thinking you'll have some strong advantages with pre surgical hip/rotator/balance strengths already established and ready to rebuild.  Bit envious.  Surfing has kind of been on my bucket list so I watched some videos an the pop up and tried a few times from the floor.  I'll be eating surf and sand before I'd make it standing.  Probably going to have to settle for a belly board.  Either way, warm blue water and some nice waves are in my future.  Keep at it. Btw- being able to put my socks on standing up with my foot balance on my knee took every bit of 6-9 months for me.  A red letter day it was.  Perseverance and patience.

[Matty S]

UPDATE 3/24/2020

Met with Dr Scott Ball this morning and had great meeting. The Birmingham hip is aligned perfect and the bone is growing into the implant as planned.  I am released to do more impact type

stuff like light jogging and surfing. Cant tell you haw stoked I am. Have to wait until the rain stops. Doc said avoid any type of infections in 2020. SO CAL rain run off is quite dirty.

Anyway ..thought I would update. I would highly recommend Dr Scott Ball and his staff. 

On the mend

I hope that everyone is coping with the COVID 19 out break OK

Matty

I will have a 1 year anniversary date check on my metal levels 10/25/2020

[Pat Walter]

Matty
Great to hear you are doing so great. Thanks so much for the update. Updates are so encouraging for perspective patients and fellow patients.  Enjoy the hip and stay well.
Pat

[stevel]

Hi Matty,

Congratulations on your progress!