How long do folks do PT?

[Danlalane]

When did you stop PT? 3mo? 6mo? Year? 6-week?

[stevel]

6 months for the LBHR and 4 months for the RBHR.

[spartykus]

Same as Stevel, six months for my BHR. but most days involves some form of stretching even if its just marvelling at my new functioning left hip on the settee in the evening.

I still do the clam shells. It amuses me that I still don’t have the fine motor control I have for the non operated side; I can move the leg up and down in very fine, slow movements. No so with the operated side, it is more ‘jerky’ and in a series of separate movements… but I guess thats all part of the being cut open, deboned, and re sown up.

[catfriend]

Until the insurance maxed out for PT.

[Danlalane]

thank you all for thoughts, did you go 1x a week or 2x a week after 3mo? Also, would you say the benefits were more strength (from exercise advice/coaching) or more the stretching? Or both?

[stevel]

For my LBHR, 1x week after 4 months.  Both strengthening and stretching.  For my RBHR, 1 or 2 visits after 2 months up to 3 months.  Both strengthening and stretching.  I also followed the rehab videos through week 12 as provided on Dr Su’s website.

[catfriend]

Initially, twice per week. As time went on sessions were reduced to once per week. This was partly due to insurance only paying for 20 or 25 sessions, whatever is legally mandated under ADA. If more sessions were allowed I would have done more. After my first resurfacing (RH), I started PT about 3-4 weeks after surgery. In retrospect I felt that these early sessions were a waste of my limited sessions. I was still building up initial strength at this point that I would have been just fine continuing with the already recommended PT exercises recommended by my surgeon, and others. For an excellent example look at Dr. Gross' website and you will find his recommended post-surgery exercises. (Not my surgeon, but many of the exercises were identical, and probably are for many HR surgeons.) These exercises are very helpful in recovery, and you don't need to go to a PT to do them. As you recover more fully you will discover what deficits you have that a PT can help you with. As I recovered from that first HR and realized what I really needed help with it was pretty late in the game with the limited sessions. For my second HR (L) I took that lesson to heart, and just did the post surgery exercises, plus walking, for the first couple of months or so. I waited until I knew what I needed more specific PT help with. I felt this was a more efficient use of my insurance covered sessions. If you are limited in sessions by your insurance, which you probably are, I suggest on thinking about how you can best use those sessions to enhance your recovery. Of course, if you have no limit, or an unlimited budget, do what you want and consider yourself lucky.

[ScubaDuck]

I concur and echo Catfriend's comments. 

For my first hip I followed the twice a week as soon as I was released to physical thearapy.  I did as many as I could until insurance stopped paying which I believe was about six months.  This was far too early.

For the second hip I did the exercises I recalled from the first time on my own for the first several months.  Then I started going to the physical therapist once a week, then biweekly, and now at eight months I am going once a month.  It is a chance for me to do the strengthening and stretching with my PT giving me suggestions on increasing weight or modifying the exercise to challenge myself.  Then our sessions are a chance to assess and discuss what I am struggling with.

Best wishes.