👯‍♀️ Hips and Knees part 7

I had a few sessions with the physio at the private hospital where I had my (NHS funded) hip replaced.

One thing that he did emphasise was to try to weight bear on the operated leg as much as possible (within reason, of course) He said that if I didn't I would have problems when I was 'old' (ha ha ). So try not to favour your sound leg when, say getting out of a chair, getting up from the floor (Pilates!) or going upstairs.

Nannytopsy, hope it doesn’t take too long to get a date.

Good to hear teabagwoman, wrap up and keep walking, or else walk around in a shopping centre or even indoors. Try to use stairs too,

MaizieD thats very good news. I remember your aim was to ride again.
I have been asked to change consultant for my hip to one with a shorter list. I suspect it will be a temporary contract like the guy who did my knee. A month on I am still waiting for an appointment with whoever.

I’m only 2 months post THR but I feel as though I’ve got my life back. My knees still complain if I stand too long and the swelling is a bit of a problem but compared to life before the op things are wonderful. I can walk for 20 minutes now without a problem and I should do more walking but the weather has not been on my side.

Grammargran, it’s great your pain has gone but you do need to move more. If you start with 10 minutes , 5 out 5 back and increase that time slowly? It will help, or can you self refer for physiotherapy in your area?
You have an appointment soon, so talk to them and good luck. 🤞

That is really good to hear Maizie. I also had a couple of potentially serious falls less than 18 months post operation but was ok too.
Both happened in Cyprus the same week. The least dramatic was a bad fall in the street , I couldn’t get up, even with dh helping, needed a passer-by to assist, it was embarrassing.

The worst was at the end of a paragliding/ sailing trip high in the s ky. At the end instead of being brought back into the boat slowly and gently, with a little dip in the sea as I had seen so many others land, we were suddenly dropped from quite a height straight onto the boat deck. I landed with legs twisted under me and I was very lucky I didn’t do any serious damage. It was daft at my age but wanted to do something brave, but I will NEVER 👎 EVER repeat .

Well. As a contribution to keeping this thread near the top I'll report on my new hip, which is now 15months old. {grin]

I'm sorry to hear from grammargran that she doesn't feel quite 'bonded' to her new hip, but I am delighted with mine. Though I suspect that, in my mid 70s, I'm a bit younger than her).

I did have an ambition in mind, which was to be able to ride a horse again and I did work hard at getting my leg muscles back into accepting the right 'position' for riding and redeveloping the strength needed in the operated leg. Walking 'was' a great help and made more easy to accomplish by being part of a local Ramblers group (which, incidentally, has a fair quantity of artificial hips and knees among its membership).
Pilates helped too.

Before my op walking, even with two sticks, was really difficult and painful and, while driving wasn't too bad, getting in and out of the car was painful. Sleeping was hard, too because of the constant pain from the hip, which not only affected the hip but travelled around my leg, too. There was a particularly nasty pain in my shin, of all places, which I had to put ice packs on to relieve.

All that has gone now, I don't think thee is anything that I can't do now that I could do before the hip deteriorated.

For those who might be fearful of falling, my hip has survived a few minor falls and a quite serious accident in the summer.

This is just my experience of course and everyone is different, but for me it has been positively life changing.

Fallen to third already but I’ll try to drag us back up by saying I’m due my 12 month assessment of my new hip in a couple of weeks’ time. I’m not feeling too happy about it as I’m sure I’m going to be told I’m not walking enough (which is absolutely true). I don’t feel that I’ve totally bonded with it even after a year; I get very stiff after sitting for quite short times and my back protests if I stand for too long. The upside is the actual pain has completely gone. (I’ve just read this back to myself & it appears patently obvious I should still be doing my hip exercises as well as my once a week exercise class, but any extra help would be appreciated!). PS - I am pretty ancient ….

silverlining- not for long!

Result! We are no.1 on Active list

Morning all, thought I would check how things are on the hipster thread only to find us on our way down to thd bottom of the health forum so here I am hoping to give us a boost.

Susie I had a similar experience with the physio at my surgery. I only found out that I could self refer to the OTs because I volunteer at a hospice and asked the OT there for advice about a perching stool. They don’t make these things easy.

I saw the physio in our GP surgery, not hugely helpful tbh . I can’t do any of the exercises he gave me but looked online and found some that are possible plus gentle aqua exercises once a week. A neighbour has put me up a sort of pulley to stretch my arm . Not sure if I can self refer to OT but may investigate. Ultrasound referral sent but told it could be 2 months so may ( against my principals) try and get a private appointment. I’m fortunate I have my son and family and very good friends here .

Surgery physio thinks I have the same shoulder injury susie. Not the first time. Exercises haven’t really settled it. Flipping painful isn't it? I’m waiting on an x-ray for confirmation then if I want to there will be a steroid injection. Onwards eh?

Oh Susie, what is it they say about no good deed going unpunished. It might be worth contacting your local Occupational Therapy department to see if they have any aids/hacks that will make your life a tad easier. In the old days this would have been done automatically but these days we have to be our own project managers.

I think there has been a thread about rotator cuff injuries but the search engine isn’t working. But you can find things via Google. Try googling gransnet rotator cuff injury, there might be some good advice for you. I think when our bodies start to let us down it doesn’t take much to overwhelm us ( at least, I know I’m like that).

Hello everyone- I haven’t been active on Gransnet for a while but saw the new hipster post and thought I would add something. silverlining we are both coming up to four years now ! I’m still hoping to get my left hip done , the last time I saw the consultant after the third injection she said she would review it in December 🤞. However a slight spanner in the works now. I managed to fall over whilst trying to catch my neighbours little dog ( don’t ask!!) and have torn my rotator cuff in my shoulder. I’ve been told it can take months to heal and as I can hardly lift it , I can’t cope with anything else at present . So frustrating, I live alone and even getting dressed is a nightmare!

Redcar

teabag both ankles and legs were very swollen after both hip replacements. It took about 5 months for them to go down after each operation.
grammargran unfortunately the fractures just seem to happen. I know this time I sat down in a very low chair without realising how low it was and actually felt my back “give”! I’m able to do more now, but have to pace myself!
I was told by a physiotherapist that I should do the hip exercises permanently, so I do them most days (unless I forget).

With my knee exercises I try to do them every day. But if I don’t like a certain exercise I’ll do less repetitions or I’ll put off doing them. And I keep a little book and write down each day what I’ve done. I’m like a little child getting gold stars for being good!

Thank you Redcar, I shall stop worrying and possess myself in patience.

teabag both ankles and legs were very swollen after both hip replacements. It took about 5 months for them to go down after each operation.
grammargran unfortunately the fractures just seem to happen. I know this time I sat down in a very low chair without realising how low it was and actually felt my back “give”! I’m able to do more now, but have to pace myself!
I was told by a physiotherapist that I should do the hip exercises permanently, so I do them most days (unless I forget).

Teabag my ankle was pretty swollen for a time after my THR but can’t remember for how long; however, it was for some weeks. I would ask again though, if the area is tender to the touch as it may be phlebitis. If it isn’t and it’s just swollen, it will go down - eventually!

Sorry but I’m on about my swollen ankle again. Everything else is going really well and I feel like a new woman but my ankle remains very swollen. I sort of expected the swelling to go down gradually and be gone at about 12 weeks. I’m now nearly at week 8 and it’s just as swollen as it was at the beginning, indeed some days it’s worse. Is this other people’s experience?

Redcar so very sorry to hear about your two fractures. How did you manage to do that, or do they just happen with any old movements? I do hope you get that sorted because that must make life quite limiting for you, especially having gone through your hip surgery. I must admit I’ve let my hip exercises slide but perhaps they might help my back which aches so much if I stand for too long? Any thoughts anyone?

Sorry to hear about the fractures Redcar, that’s a real bummer.

As you say, it’s wonderful to be without the hip pain. I’m only 8 weeks on from my THR and already I feel better than I have done for the last couple of years. I have so much more energy these days.