Range of Motion Questions

[toroqu]

Hello everyone. I had a RBHR done on November 3. My recovery is going well but I have some questions regarding range of motion. For you surface hippys out there how long did it take before you were able to put your socks on without the sock aid?  How long before you were able to tie your shoe? How long before you were able to pull you knee to your chest while lying down?  I had terrible range of motion before my surgery and am wondering when I might see some improvement.  Does the surgery usually resolve the ROM issues or or will I require extensive stretching? I realize that individual results will vary but I just want to get a feel for other hippys experiences  Thanks to all for the great information on this website.

[hawaiieric]

I too am a Nov 3 RBHR.  I still can not fully put on a sock with out a struggle, but I don't get much practice out here in Hawaii.  Prior to the operation, I had to sit down, pull my foot in with my hands as close as possible to put on my socks and tie my shoes at work.  In other words, I couldn't just bend over or squat to tie them.  I have not tried to break the 90% rule at the hip yet and was told not to bend that direction for 3 months, but I can squat down pretty easy and I am actually walking perhaps better then pre op, but its a different walk, due to the muscle loss and incision healing.  I have been doing PT streching, and getting more every day.  Pre op I hardly stretched and walked very bad even slightly hunched over forward.  I am only 43 but my friends said that I looked older from my walk and that it looked like I was in pain, now they say I look pain free and I am walking effortlessly in comparison.  I look forward to the other replies, for we both have the same born on dates to our new hips.

Eric

[Pat Walter]

It takes everyone a differnt time span to be able to regain all their ROM.  Some can do it in weeks and others in months.  If you did not have good ROM before surgery, it will take you much longer to regain it after surgery since your muscles have to be retrained.

Just be patient and don't push your recovery.  Accept what your body does for you.  Don't ever try to force your knees to your chest - even months post op.  That is one of the dislocations I once read about.  A guy was basically recovered, but gave his knee a good yank toward his chest during his exercises - guess what - that yank dislocated his hip.  Never force your body.  Be gentle and use common sense. If you are not sure how much to push - ask the PT or your doctor.  Your doctor is your best source of information.

Pat

[John C]

I can share my own experience at 5 1/2 months, which seems to fit with what I was told to expect. I am not a naturally flexible person, but did do a lot of stretching as part of martial arts training when I was younger (interestingly, Dr. Gross suggested a possible link between the years of trying to push my range of motion beyond its "natural" limits, and my later joint problems). Due to back surgery, and the hip problems, I have become very tight over the past 10-20 years.
After the surgery, I see my flexibility changes as being in two definite categories. It has been many years since I have been able to stand up straight, or walk without a noticeable limp. By the time that I was six-eight weeks out, this had totally changed, and I can now easily stand up straight, and after a 50 yard "warm-up", I can hike at a strong pace for hours with no limp. I also notice that the impingement from the former bone spurs around the joint is gone, allowing much less pain when trying to stretch into flexion. All good news.
On the other side, because of my age (57), and the number of years that the joint stiffened up, their has not been much change in my overall hip flexibility. I could struggle to put on socks before, and the struggle at this point is about the same. I hold hope that because of no longer having the bone spurs causing mechanical impingement, or the inflammation causing the chronic contracture, there is now the possibility of increasing my range of motion, but this will be through returning to a long term more intense stretching program, rather than as a direct result of the surgery.
As I was told before the surgery; the surgery can get rid of mechanical impingement, but the longer the soft tissue has had to stiffen up, the less direct change it will see after the surgery in terms of ROM.

[wayne-0]

I had bi-lat resurfacing surgery Nov 7th so I am 27 days post op today. I was so stiff and my gait was so bad I had to throw my hips around just to walk prior to surgery. Just to get thru the day I was compensating so much I wasn't using my hip flexors or aductors so they are as tight as a cable. It is hard for me to get my foot up a 7 inch step. One thing that I know for sure at this point is that I can do many things and motions with my legs that I have not been able to do for years . I met with my Doctor today for my 4 week follow up and he gave me the green light to do much more stretching positions then I have been doing so I intend to start pushing myself through the pain. Up until today I was being very cautious with my body movements out of fear of dislocating but he told me just not to cross my legs or bring my knee up to the opposite shoulder and I will be fine. So let the stretching begin.
                                              Wayne-0

[hawaiieric]

Wayne and others who feel like your ready to break out,

I too am there in the ready to take on the world but what is holding me back is the 90%rule, cross leg, and toes pointing in, AND the lack of certain muscles not working enough when your other leg works fine, or for the rest of the world they don't have to think of those movement that we rejoice when we start to redo them through PT.  I have discovered this week that if there is something that is not strong enough at this point "muscle wise" but you want to do the movement, work on it.  In a matter of a few stretches or a few extra tries, I am finding that what I can not do-suddenly I can because I want to and try,  just do it in other words.  I couldn't do a leg lift, now I can this week.  I have a hard time putting on my shorts or pants due to lifting my leg, while sitting doesn't give me much room to work, today I put a small weight on my leg and worked on it, today I am able to get more then inches of lift where this morning it was a barely.  I am ready to see my problem areas, and start to focus on them to get them working more then just it will come back.  (I am not a PT or Doctor, so I take no responsibitity on my own advise, but its working for me at just past 4 weeks, and my goal is to get back in shape ASAP)

Todays PT for me at home and outside, Did my typical leg work as in isometrics, leg lifts, bridges, used a band and did some abductor movements, forward lunges, stretches and a few more.  Took some time for lunch and R and R then I went to the beach but a pool would of worked, ( I don't have access to a pool) Did an hour of snorkel swim, used 3 different swim styles working me all around, most nice and slow, every now and then some at a fast pace.  A quick walk on the beach in the sand, then I call it good, but today I decieded to also paddle a surfboard for some upper body workout too.  Now not trying to brag or anything, but I think if you push to your level, your healing will come faster.  Again, I am not a PT or Doctor, but I do know what my body needs and craves.
Best wishes to everyone and take it at your pace, its a great feeling when it starts working.
Eric

[wayne-0]

Hey Eric,
Good to hear your progress is going well . I do feel like busting out at this point and I am gonna push myself a little harder. One thing is my doc never had me at the 90 degree rule,he put me at 120 degrees. He now has told me that is out the window and I can go as far as I can as long as I don't cross the legs or bring the knee up toward the opposite shoulder. So here is to loosening up those tight muscles and tendons so we can get back in the water. Good luck to all who are on this adventure.
                                               Wayne-0
P.S. I'm still jealous your in da islands and I'm not.

[jjiam]

Well, I can tell you one thing.  My experience is that range of motion is very slow.  I can't remember exactly but I am 1 year and 3 months post op.  I walk the treadmill, and elliptical.  I like bicycling the best.  On the treadmill, I do get some discomfort in my groin area on the side of my hip done.  But a day or so later, it goes away.  So this was do to the fact that my groin muscle was sooo tight from limping so bad.  The doctor said sometimes they will cut the muscle a bit for more motion.  But since I'm young (40) they didn't do that.  So YES I can say it's a bitch to get motion done, even after all this time, I can bend touch my toes, cross my legs, do almost everything, but actually if I sit on a bed and try to tie my shoe, its kinda discomforting, I can do it, but discomforting.  And I realized that is when I have the most discomfort, when Im bending and try to lift my leg up.  It doesn't hurt just discomforting.  So to sum it up, it might take a long time, since I was not that flexible before surgery, I don't think the surgery will work miracles, you got limits, so like everyone has said, just listen to your body.  I don't do treadmill if it hurts period.  In the spring back to bicycle where it never hurts.  But until them I can do the treadmill but after a few weeks, gets very sore, and have to rest a day or so.  So I hope this helps ya.