My Hip Replacement Recovery - week 5

I had a total hip replacement on the left side on June 3. I came home from the hospital on June 6, just 5 weeks ago.

My recovery has been much easier than I expected. I was up and walking in the hospital (with a walker of course) just 2 hours after waking from the operation.

The day after getting home, just 4 days after the operation, I was able to walk 1/2 mile with a rollator (a walker with 4 wheels) accompanied by my visiting physical therapist (the insurance paid for the PT to visit me once a day every other day for 2 weeks because I live alone and it was way cheaper than sending me to a rehab.)

By week 4 after the operation my longest single walk was 2.5 miles (before getting sidelined by arthritis I used to hike 10 miles on weekends and walk 1 to 3 miles every week day.)

I also incorporated my recumbent trike into my rehab (with the OK from my doctor and PT), starting with short 1 mile rides and working up to ridding from 3 to 5 miles every other day this past week.

At my 2-week post-op doctor's appointment I was told to continue to the follow the traditional restrictions until week six even though I had the minimally invasive anterior approach surgery. However, my doctor also said that there was no need for a scheduled follow up appointment - just call for an appointment if I have any issues. But I am getting the right hip done in September so I can bring up any issues with the left at the 2-week post op appointment for the right hip replacment. So far there haven't been any issues.

I had put on 60 lbs of middle age fat by the time I was 58. Three years ago I started an exercise and diet program with the goal of losing 2 lbs per month over a period of 30 months. Everything was going great until about month 20 into the program when the arthritis in my hips became too painful and restricting to continue my hiking and walking exercise routine.

Luckily I discovered recumbent trikes at that point and bought a used one off Craig's list. That allowed me to continue my outdoor exercise without all the pain.

I met my 30 month goal and a few months later I had the left hip replaced.

I attribute my easy recovery to my post-op preparation, the skill of my surgeon, hospital staff, and physical therapists, and the use of a cold therapy machine to control swelling and pain.

My doctor did two things some others do not do that I think helped a lot in my recovery.

First he coated the new joint with a numbing medication so that I felt no pain the first 48 hours after the operation. That allowed me to get up and start moving immediately after the operation, and to go to two full rehab sessions the next day. By the time the pain kicked in on the day three I was already well into doing my rehab exercises, and although the pain could not be completely eliminated it was easily managed with medication.

Second, my doctor prescribes a cold therapy machine for all his hip and knee replacement patients. I woke up with the cold therapy pad strapped to my hip and the machine pumping a continues supply of 40 degree water through it. The cold therapy was on my hip most of the time I was in the hospital. At home I have used it for 20 to 30 minutes after each exercise session, after sitting for long periods at my desk, and after returning from running errands and shopping. It is much more convenient and effective than ice packs, and I think it has been an important factor in my rehab.

I kept using the rollator for my walks, even taking it when I walked my dog in a dog park near my home. It allows me to concentrate on my gait and posture. A cane seem to encourage leaning, weight bearing on the cane, and limping, so I've stuck with the rollator rather than switch with a cane. Except for my rehab exercises I now walk without any assist devices.

If my right hip goes as well as my left, I should back to snowshoeing this winter and backpacking my next spring.

I had a horrific never ending pain on the outside of my knee that defied all attempts by my os to eliminate it. He concluded that it was referral pain from the hip joint. Sure enough, it was gone when I woke from the operation and has not been back since.

I'm sorry to hear that you had the opposite experience, i.e. pain ion the knee arising after surgery. Hope you get it resolved soon.

I'm now using the iceman machine more for my knees now than the hip. I have very little swelling in the hip but my knees have been swell bombs for several decades due to 4 surgeries on them for sports injuries.

As for limping I used a rollator (a walker with four large wheels designed for outdoor use) up until the 6-week mark because it helped me to concentrate on form and posture while walking even though I didn't use it to bear weight. My habit limp was in my other leg because my ACL was removed in 1974 and was never restructured. The rollator helped me to keep it from becoming worse while rehabbing the hip.