Hip Joint Replacement

[kwonitoy]

Exercise

Lay on your good side and do a scissor leg lift with your operated on leg.

Do this when you watch TV, do it when standing. Do it all the time. The more you do the quicker your muscle will recover.

After you can do leg lifts easily, add some weight, I used my steel toed work boots.

As said, ditch the walker, go to crutches.

Once you can start walking, I used a walking staff I found a cane to be to unstable.

I was walking unaided in about 6 weeks, but carefully. 

Get out and walk, and while walking keep a even stance, it's easy to get into a limping kind of walk to favor your weak leg. Don't do that.

I would walk in the morning and evening with the sun behind me and watch my shadow to keep from limping.

Hope they got the leg close to the other one, mine was 1.5cm shorter.

If so your pelvic bone will adapt, takes about 2-3 years. I used shoe lifts on the short side for a while, but the doc said not to, but DON'T limp 

Been 10 years for me now, the only real PITA is airport screening

[DrJack54]

2 hours ago, Lorry said:

Try to get away from the walker asap,

Woooh....wasn't expecting that.

So sat night will be my 5th at home.

I was saying to Thai partner that I wouldn't be surprised if lot of folk don't fall over.

I actually cut right back yesterday and only did one up and back hallway. 

The day before did 4 times that but at night had bit similar to muscle spasms in calf's.

Having DVT couple of times and a pulmonary embolism, I was nervous as very similar feeling..

 

I take on board what you are saying. 

I have seen the forearm crutches that you mention.

Guessing you mean  3 weeks + or so post op.

Currently I'm 10 nights PO.

Thanks for your help.

Edited June 17, 2022 by DrJack54

[DrJack54]

1 hour ago, kwonitoy said:

I was walking unaided in about 6 weeks, but carefully. 

Thankyou. 

These couple of posts already giving me a push to try harder.

Did you mention how old you were when you had the replacement.

I guess like most you had a period of time before it became necessary.

[Lorry]

19 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

Guessing you mean  3 weeks + or so post op.

I got crutches 3 or 4 days post op. 10 days post op you shouldn't use a walker anymore. 

But you need professional help (physical therapist) to learn how to use crutches,  at least a week or so. 

About a month post op someone has to teach you how to climb stairs with crutches,  you cannot learn that by yourself. 

 

The physical therapists working in Bumrungrad were prepared to do home visits (and cutting out the hospital) but they wanted 1600/hour, no way would i pay that. 

I didn't ask at St Louis or other places, but I guess it would be 800 or less.

 

Kwonitoy's post is very good. 

[kwonitoy]

19 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

Thankyou. 

These couple of posts already giving me a push to try harder.

Did you mention how old you were when you had the replacement.

I guess like most you had a period of time before it became necessary.

I was relatively young 53 years old.

I used a walker once on the first day after the operation, it was flimsy and scared the heck out of me.

I asked for and got crutches being used to them.

I found the Thai doctors and therapists to be way too cautious, first therapy had me on my back waving my arms around with a 1 kg weight, at that point in my life and today I can bench press 60kg easily.

Doctor told me 3 months to walk unaided, I did it a lot faster.

Oh, are you doing you're exercises?

Scissor leg lifts, do foot pumps when you're sitting, the more you do the easier it becomes.

[scubascuba3]

4 hours ago, Lorry said:

I got crutches 3 or 4 days post op. 10 days post op you shouldn't use a walker anymore. 

But you need professional help (physical therapist) to learn how to use crutches,  at least a week or so. 

About a month post op someone has to teach you how to climb stairs with crutches,  you cannot learn that by yourself. 

 

The physical therapists working in Bumrungrad were prepared to do home visits (and cutting out the hospital) but they wanted 1600/hour, no way would i pay that. 

I didn't ask at St Louis or other places, but I guess it would be 800 or less.

 

Kwonitoy's post is very good. 

I'm sure there are plenty of YouTube videos on using crutches. Here's the first one that came up.

 

https://youtu.be/0IbsCT1IkEw

Edited June 18, 2022 by scubascuba3

[jerrymahoney]

Look up this one:

 

'Trendelenburg gait' or for me just the herky-jerk walk

 

I left the walker at the hospital and -- with phys therapist approval -- never used crutches just used this:

 

Edited June 18, 2022 by jerrymahoney

[DrJack54]

Thank you to the guys above.

 

These type of posts imo show the good of AseanNow and receiving advice and encouragement.

 

Without sounding negative I suggest that age has a lot to do with it. 

One post mentions 53yrs old.

Perhaps it's just me but I can assure you that in some cases (certainly myself) the change in your body can be DRAMATIC say from 65 to 68.

Certainly was in my case. 

I'm just now getting in and out of bed unassisted.

 

Yesterday I measured out my hallway (counting the 600mm tiles).

So each hall run is 90m.

I'm managing 4 runs with a walker, per day.

 

I guess from above replies some are doing that without walker.

I'm so far off that it's light years.

[Sheryl]

6 hours ago, DrJack54 said:

Thank you to the guys above.

 

These type of posts imo show the good of AseanNow and receiving advice and encouragement.

 

Without sounding negative I suggest that age has a lot to do with it. 

One post mentions 53yrs old.

Perhaps it's just me but I can assure you that in some cases (certainly myself) the change in your body can be DRAMATIC say from 65 to 68.

Certainly was in my case. 

I'm just now getting in and out of bed unassisted.

 

Yesterday I measured out my hallway (counting the 600mm tiles).

So each hall run is 90m.

I'm managing 4 runs with a walker, per day.

 

I guess from above replies some are doing that without walker.

I'm so far off that it's light years.

 

Listen to your body.

 

You want to push yourself slightly each day but never to point of pain or risk of falling. As long as there is progress day to day -- even small progress - that is good enough. Do not think about equally anyone else's progress, everyone is different.

 

A fall could be very, very bad to put it mildly. Don't try to walk without a walker solo, make sure someone is with you who can catch you if you fall (even if not strong enough to catch you, they could at least break the fall and held ease you down to the floor gently). The thing with walkers is not just strength but also balance.

 

Is it possible to put railings in the hallway?

 

Did the hospital give you exercises to do? As you need to tone your hip muscles and legs. If they did not provide (they should have, and you should have had a consult with a physical therapist) then see here  https://www.allinahealth.org/health-conditions-and-treatments/health-library/patient-education/total-hip-replacement/after-surgery/home-exercise-program

 

 

[DrJack54]

1 minute ago, Sheryl said:

. As long as there is progress day to day -- even small progress - that is good enough. Do not think about equally anyone else's progress, everyone is different

Thanks. 

That's my current mantra. 

And happy to read that given your expertise.

 

I'm setting number of walks per day. 

So currently 4x 100m walks per day.

 

Prior to all this I had noticed old age creeping in.

Once tripped over slightly raised platform at home pro.

Recently same walking along street with slightly uneven path.

Yes I'm being very careful.

 

The rails would not be possible in hallway however I feel quite steady there. 

Taking it slowly. 

 

As mentioned in a previous post .. I can't stress enough for others going through this in future to organize your living space as much as possible to make moving about easy as possible.

 

Progress is incremental but you can feel the improvement in some very simple ways. 

 

[jerrymahoney]

So after about 2 months rehab following hip replacement, I went to Bangkok for a few days walking slowing with my 2-piece walking stick. On the return flight at Suvarnabhumi, the gate agent sheepishly walked up to me and said: "There is no Jetway on this flight but a bus and stairs up to the plane. Do you need a wheelchair?"

 

I said no I am slow but I can handle the steps. A total sigh of relief was on her (masked) face as, if I had said that I cannot do the stairs, she would have had to arrange for one of those scissors-type cargo loaders that they use for the food carts to get me on the plane.

 

... and that made her day (or night).

 

BTW as I have mentioned previously elsewhere, my surgery resulted from a fall and hip fracture and was not from a degenerative condition.

Edited June 19, 2022 by jerrymahoney

[DrJack54]

21 minutes ago, jerrymahoney said:

 

BTW as I have mentioned previously elsewhere, my surgery resulted from a fall and hip fracture and was not from a degenerative condition

Thanks Jerry.

Sounds like a horrible fall.

As I mentioned earlier....one reason I'm being very conservative is that avoiding a fall at these early stages.

Not doing the exercises and I need to address that as of course it's necessary.

I'm meant to be making trip to Oz late Aug so hoping that can go ahead. Without stairs! 

[jerrymahoney]

39 minutes ago, DrJack54 said:

Thanks Jerry.

Sounds like a horrible fall.

Very short version: I fell at a swimming pool unnoticed wet floor from a busted water fountain.

[DrJack54]

My last post on the new hip.

 

So a brief recap: 

5 days in hospital. No pain really.

First day home to condo and used walker. 

May have tried bit hard first few days and actually cut back a bit on amount of walking up and down hallway.

 

So back to hospital 10 days later for check.

So at this time I started feeling much better in the leg and walked further each day.

 

Think a simple piece of advice from Sheryl was good for me.

"Listen to your body".

 

Yesterday purchased some sticks that also grip your arms.

Tried some stairs and that, while slow, was not too difficult.

So tomorrow is 3 weeks post operation.

 

We are off to the Bang Saen speed festival tomorrow and hopefully that works out ok.

I won't drive but think cab ok option.

 

I don't plan to rush too quickly from walker as they say with this operation......Rule #1 don't fall.

 

Sincere thanks to all the advice given in this thread. 

 

 

Edited June 29, 2022 by DrJack54

[Chris.B]

On 6/3/2022 at 6:45 AM, worgeordie said:

I have been suffering a pain in my hip for a few weeks now ,

trying to control it with Paracetamol , then my wife was recommended a tablet by a friend who had suffered hip pain, i's called Celebrex 400 grm , within a hour of taking the tablet the pain was gone.

they re not cheap 800 THB for 20 capsules, I suspect my problem is sciatic nerve  , good luck.

regards Worgeordie

Why did they take Celebrex off the market?

 

In January, Public Citizen petitioned to have Bextra and Celebrex, two COX-2 inhibitors, removed from the market because they increase the risk of heart attacks. Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has called on Pfizer to pull Bextra from the shelves and place a warning on Celebrex.Apr 7, 2548 BE

 

Edited June 29, 2022 by Chris.B

[worgeordie]

7 hours ago, Chris.B said:

Why did they take Celebrex off the market?

 

In January, Public Citizen petitioned to have Bextra and Celebrex, two COX-2 inhibitors, removed from the market because they increase the risk of heart attacks. Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has called on Pfizer to pull Bextra from the shelves and place a warning on Celebrex.Apr 7, 2548 BE

 

So they will take it off the market in US and ship it to other countries ,

I only took 16 caps ,too expensive and now found out must be dangerous

regards worgeordie

[Sheryl]

5 hours ago, worgeordie said:

So they will take it off the market in US and ship it to other countries ,

I only took 16 caps ,too expensive and now found out must be dangerous

regards worgeordie

They did not, and are not,  taking Celebrex off the market. It is still on the US market. (Note that this article is more than 15 years old. Bextra was then taken off the market, and is not used in Thailand, either). They just added a warning box.

 

The danger with Celebrex is mainly for the elderly and those with history of heart problems, and for extended use.

 

If you do not have a history if gastritis/ulcers or other contraindictaion etc no reason not to take regular NSAIDs like ibuprofen, diclofenac etc  (be sure to take with food). The only reason for using a selective COX-2 inhibitor instead of earlier NSAIDs is that the latter have fewer effects on the GI system - but at the price  of risk of cardiovascular effects

 

 US doctors are  very, very wary of prescribing selective COX-2 inhibitors to people over 65 and will often prescribe short courses of steroids instead if the patient can not tolerate non-selective NSAIDs.

 

Thai doctors seem to have never gotten the memo, are (most of them) terrified of using steroids, and still prescribe these like candy.

 

 

[Ebumbu]

On 6/4/2022 at 11:14 AM, cdemundo said:

Currently, this technique is widely utilized with a high percentage of success in the United States, Canada, and Europe. However in Thailand, with the exception of our team at the Bangkok Hip and Knee Center, this procedure is not as yet readily available. We expect the Direct Anterior Approach to become the standard for hip replacement surgery in the near future”.

If this is true, he's my man. I noticed his qualifications before on the website and he is one of the doctors I intended to consult and visit. Must have anterior approach! Dislocations are 10x more common with posterior approach. Enough said! Also, need robotic surgery for absolute accuracy of placement, which is key to long-term success. I also made notes about "3D computer imaging during surgery." Important for placement. Gathering good info!