Simon’s hip resurfacing with Dr. Blackley New Zealand 2011
I’m 43 & booked in for LBHR on 2nd Nov. Can’t wait to get on with it & get back to an active, drug & pain free life. I am anxious, apprehensive & all those expected emotions. Some people look at me surprised when I tell them I’m having a hip replacement… “But you’re too young” bla bla. I have 3 young children who I currently feel more like a granddad than a father to. I used to be very active playing squash, tennis, trail biking etc so I feel fortunate there’s an option like resurfacing available. Nov 23, 2011 Day 1 I was first up yesterday morning and the BHR op went well. VERY relieved to be on the other side of that anxiety. So after years of researching & build up I’m an official hippy. Physio had me walking around the bed twice with crutches about 5 hours post op. She seemed happy with that as she didn’t think I’d be able to as I was dizzy& pale initially. I’ve also spent time on my unoperated side in my bed. So nil restrictions there. Just pillow been legs. No usual hip pain! just ranging from 2 – 5 on pain scale of 10 around incision which seems to refer al around upper leg. Ice & drugs goodo relief though. Eager to get moving with rehab but as my lovely wife said “don’t over do it” – she also warned my surgeon what I’m like so better behave! All in all I couldn’t be happier waking this morning on day two. SimonNov 25, 2011 Yesterday was another progressive day. Walked with crutches down Corridor 3 times including stairs session which is great I have stairs at home and I’m flying home today. Can get in and out of bed without assistance and slept on my side for most of last night again. Today wil be a long day of travel so will no doubt need a good rest when I get home…. If my kids let me! Surgeon visited and confirmed everything went really well, that I had good strong bone structure and he installed a pretty large device in me which was also meant to be good. 56 mm Head…. I think it’s currently the 2nd largest available. So far could not be happier with progress. Nov 28, 2011 I am 5th day post op & have no 90 degree restrictions. I managed to get one sock on my unoperated side this morning (with no assistance) and half on (up to heel) with my sock puller on operated side. My 6 year old had to complete that one as sock puller was slipping. Will be slipping on my shoes with elastic pull up laces today to go for my daily walk. Day 5 update: Less than a week since my op & I managed to get my socks & shoes on by myself this morning. admitedly I used a sock puller for my operated side & I have long arms which I think is an advantage – but did it by myself all the same. I also went for about a 400 metre walk – which I’m increasing daily. I felt really good & reckon I could have walked much longer but trying to take it easy as it’s still only week one. I can get around house on one crutch easily and stand quite confidentally without any crutches for small amounts of time. I hope I’m not over doing it. Most of the time use two crutches… until I have no pain, no limp etc as per physio’s advice. It’s just easier using one at home when you need your hands. I have been getting really tired in the afternoons which I think is common this early on. My incision was very sore last night too & I was a bit wiped out. I’m not sure how much I should be pushing myself in the first few weeks. I don’t really have that many exercises apart from the walking & a few sets of leg swinging ones, so I’m just doing those whilst trying to listen to my body.Dec. 3, 2011 Day 11: Earthquake rumbled shaking our house around 7.30pm, without a second thought, ran through lounge, dining room, kitchen, down hallway to get my children out of their bedrooms (they are screaming), ran into 1 year olds room and picked her up out of her cot – we all got under dining room table. Shake had then stopped. It was a decent rumble (5.7). Wife came in from outside where she had been in the garden planting, saw me holding our youngest and said where are your crutches? Looked over and they were leaning against the chair where I had been sitting watching cricket on TV. As some of you will know, we’ve had our share of major earthquakes in NZ lately – in Christchurch, but the whole country’s a bit on edge when these occur. We live in Wellington which is where they have been talking about ‘the big one’ since I was a young fella. Family is all okay – that’s the main thing. No damage done there. Iced up the rest of the night, had few strong drinks. All I hope for now is that I’ve done no serious damage to my cup (i.e. moved it a mil or two). How would I know? My muscles are a bit sore this morning that’s all.Dec. 8, 2011 Two weeks – things have been going well.. maybe too well. I have been walking with one crutch a lot and feeling fine. I ‘could’ confidently walk without crutches for small periods but still some pain. Today – out of the blue, I get pain all around my (23cm!) incision & can literally feel the swelling. I’m also clunking now as well. This has taken me by surprise as I’ve hardly had any swelling since my op & my bruising has virtually gone. I’m icing right now which is helping ease the pain. Has anyone else experienced this suddenly coming on – clunking, swelling & pain? I will add that I did go out last night to our local bar for a couple of quiet beers with mates I wanted to catch up with. I walked there & back – it’s only 400m each way. This on top of an earlier walk of similar distance. Also sitting on a hard bar stool may not have helped. Just weird the way it’s come on half way through the following day & so suddenly. Nothing serious …I hope.Dec. 15, 2011 3 weeks – After good progress in first two weeks i feel like I’ve hit a snag. Apart from clunking I had a massive muscle spasm which literally floored me. Since then I’ve had bad swelling & pain. I phoned my physio & she said just rest & ice for next couple of days. This was 5 days ago now and swelling & pain has not improved. So I’ve not been able to exercise. I ice all day & go to bed with more ice, drinks loads of water & take my meds. every morning – ground hog day. Walking around is fine, sitting & lying is not good and VERY uncomfortable. I’m trying to get further advice from surgeon on what exercise I should do (if any) and any tips to reduce swelling, but he’s pretty busy & is likely to just say rest & ice. I’m considering buying some compression shorts as I was never given TEDs to wear. Probably the old patience thing again. I had mild pain & swelling for the first two weeks & was walking around very smoothly, now i feel I’m taking steps backwards. Probably over did it & spasm was a result, but 5 days – no improvement?? Frustrated.Dec. 13, 2011 3.5 Weeks – After a couple of snags (Clunking & large butt Spasm) things are going pretty well indeed. I still have pain resulting from my spasm but it’s slowly subsiding & I have resumed most exercises. My very long 23cm incision looks incredibly clean. Although still a lot of swelling, I think that it will still be okay to hit the pool in the next couple of days. I’m back driving now, but only our 4wd automatic, our sedan has bucket seats & sits very low, so staying clear of that vehicle for now. I’ve also started working again, but just from home. I’m fortunate to have a job (& an employer) which allows me to do my work remotely. Other positives; Have taken my wife out for dinner – a much needed break for her. We had a really enjoyable evening. I only took one crutch out, I had to bring in ice packs to sit on ;D. This morning I made I huge pile of pancakes for the family & stood pretty comfortably without crutches the whole time. I can walk without crutches around the house, but still use one crutch for my longer walks. Cheers SimonJan. 4, 2012 6 Week Post op update: Feeling really good. Ditched all walking aids on Xmas day (@ 4 weeks post op)….awesome Xmas gift. Gait has improved considerably and I am going longer periods without thinking about my operated hip at all – this is a good progress gauge for me. My PT is impressed with where I am at for 6 weeks. I’m her first ever BHR she’s worked with. She has had loads of THR & other hip op rehab experience. My exercises include the pool, walking hilly Wellington & targeting strengthening my glutes, hip flexor & my trunk stability in amongst standard exercises. I seem to be going up & down stairs swiftly (once I’ve loosened up after waking up) and are now more comfortable sitting since my PT gave my operated glut a good deep massage. I’m massaging my scar tissue using cross friction technique, this seems to helped my ROM & should help later in the year when I ramp things right up the activity scale. Feel confident moving into next “strengthening” phase. “Softly, softly, catchee Monkey”.My PT gave me these “easy” exercises to start with for the next two weeks. Note I’m only just 6 weeks post op. STRENGTHING PRONE HIP EXTENSION LYING ON STOMACH, TIGHTEN MUSCLE ON FRONT OF THIGH, THEN LIFT LEG 8-10 INCHES FROM FLOOR, KEEPING KNEE LOCKED. REPAEAT 10 TIMES X 2 SETS. BRIDGING LYING ON BACK WITH KNEES BENT, SLOWLY RAISE BUTTOCKS FROM FLOOR, KEEPING STOMACH TIGHT. REPEAT 10 TIMES, 2 SETS UNILATERAL ISOMETRIC HIP FLEXION LYING ON BACK WITH KNEES BENT, TIGHTEN STOMACH MUSCLES AND RAISE KNEE TO OUTSTRECTCHED ARM. GENTLY PUSH, KEEPING ARM STRAIGHT AND TRUNK RIGID. HOLD 3 SECONDS, REPEAT 10 TIMES ON EACH SIDE.Jan 12, 2012 I’m 7 weeks & still get stiffness – especially after sitting for long periods. I try to keep moving as much as possible which has it challenges with a desk job. I ensure don’t sit for more than 30 mins at a time without at least getting up and walking a bit or doing a few standing exercises. My team are already used to me talking with them whilst exercising! Movement is good, but I found I needed plenty of rest early post op, especially in the first 3-4 weeks. Easy to get excited when the meds are hiding the pain. That’s when over did my walks early on…! Easier to understand with pictures, so hope this makes sense. Just one session per day for these for the next two weeks which is we I see my PT again. I hope too have progressed a bit by then & she’ll no doubt give me [more] challenging exercises then. Cherz Kiwi Feb. 15, 2012 12 Weeks Post OP Time is flying by & things are going well. It turns out I had bursitis but a cortisone injection seems to have sorted that out. It wasn’t impacting my activity level at all. Still walking any where from 2 to 5 miles daily and current strengthening exercises include; trunk stability, bridging with straight leg raise, side lying hip abduction, wall slides, side lying & standing leg lifts & mid back stretches. Every 2-3 weeks my PT gives me harder exercises & expect next I’ll be doing some light weight work. It all seems to be building up nicely. My PT is quite conservative, but I’m in no hurry… well maybe just a bit. Last night I hit 60 balls at the driving range which was great. Didn’t hold back much on the follow through either & managed to get hold of a few. No adverse effects today & the hip feels great. |