2 weeks post-op

Pietro

hi everyone, just joined this club, reading all posts with interest.
I am a 51 year old sardinian-born kiwi, played basketball since before I could read and write, also played recreationally other sports – ice hockey, rugby and soccer. My left hip started with intermittent pain 12 years ago. I took up running 9 years ago when the hip stopped me from performing the turns/rotations that other sports require and, well, caught the bug. Additionally, running allowed me to shed 17Kg and stop antihypertensive+statin that I had been for a few years (creeping up BP and lipids). I am now 71.5 Kg at 6’2″ tall.  I coped well with pain and movement limitation whilst improving my running. Finished 8 marathons and many more shorter races. I ran my PBs (3:43 for marathon and 1:39 for half) only last year. Then my right hip started off and within a few months progressed to more pain than the left. I kept running but not sleeping well at night, problems with high steps/reaching the floor/putting socks convinced me to go for bilateral THR. Conventional, ceramic, lateral approach as advised by OS I trust. Right hip done on May the 30th. Tough first few days to be frank, but now improving 2 weeks out. Still on crutches, no heavy painkillers, only paracetamol and ibuprofen (I think tramadol made me sick and moody the first few days). My recovery is not as smooth as others I read about on this forum – still achy at night, and stepping normally is not possible yet as there is a very painful “catch” if I do that without crutches, but remaining positive. I intend to restart running -it has been too good for me to give up -but won’t rush it. Ideally I would start slowly 4 months after surgery, but the left side procedure will probably come before that. Will post with follow-up on progress, but any comments/suggestions welcome.

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    • June 14, 2019 at 4:55 pm #15284
      Pietro
      Participant

      hi everyone, just joined this club, reading and appreciating all contributions. I am a 51 year old sardinian-born kiwi, played basketball since before
      [See the full post at: 2 weeks post-op]

    • June 14, 2019 at 8:39 pm #15287
      Wizzzard
      Participant

      Hello, i did my first hip 3 years ago,and The second two years ago, my rehab was walking walking walking, now i do at least two marathons a month 13 this year and still counting?. Let your body take The time it needs, you will soon be running again/best regards Anders from Sweden.

    • June 15, 2019 at 12:04 am #15289
      Pietro
      Participant

      HI Anders
      whoa! Respect. I am trying to figure out your total mileage per year. I often speak with a few ortho surgeons (I am a doctor in the same hospital where I am being treated) and their concern is potential early wear of the mechanical joint. Data is scant and old, as they admit. Joints implanted over 20 years ago seem to last about 20 years in non-active subjects, and possibly only a few years less in subjects who do “high impact activities” including running. But my OS colleagues seem to tone down their concerns when I point out to them one factor: heart disease and stroke prevention is important in someone with my family history, and I would happily trade off a few years of joint use before revision surgery in exchange for a healthy BMI and fitness level.
      Back to your case: in a purely hypothetical way, if you run 2 marathons/month for 2 years, and I aim at one marathon/year, in theory you have already tested your hips for more than the mileage that I plan to run over the following 20 years… that’s very encouraging for me! 🙂
      Keep it up,
      Pietro

    • June 15, 2019 at 12:03 pm #15293
      Dave Whiteside
      Participant

      Hi Pietro, yes start slowly and slow down whenever you feel pain. Over time you’ll get to know when you can push through it, but initially air on the side of safety. I do 10 minutes of stretching, flexibility, strength exercises 4 days a week and that really helps. I also do foam rolling on my leg muscles and I also believe that helps, but the exercises will strengthen your hips more. You will be able to run marathons and more if you give it time and have patience. I’ve been running just over 2,000 miles a year for the last 4 years and had my replacement 10 years ago. This year I ran a 100 mile race, so anything is possible. I wasn’t even a runner before my hip replacement.

      Anders, that’s pretty impressive, I was beginning to think I was the only crazy one in this group.

    • December 22, 2019 at 12:19 am #17159
      Odie
      Participant

      Hi there
      I had a Full hip replacement for my right hip. I have always been extremely active. I boxed internationally, did loads of running and compete horses. I have never had problems with my joints until I had my second child at the age of 41. It was down hill from there. As soon as I had my baby my knee was very sore, was painful to step up. Then painful in the groin. I tried too do everything too help it. The doctors sent me too a OS and I had MRI & x-rays. The joint had no cartilage. It was bone on bone. It was so weird, one day I was running 22km, then I was pregnant then 9 months later after pregnancy my hip was deteriorated.
      I was due to have the surgery a year after diagnosis, while in hospital before procedure I ended up with a infection in the hip joint. They would not operate on me for a year. I had a baby and a toddler too carry around. Was a painful time. I was told by everyone that I would not be able too run again. But I am so determined too run a 100km and keep running. I have been told not too fall off my horses when jumping. That’s a joke. Because at some point it will happen. But that is life.
      My running recovery is very slow. I jog up hill and walk. My yoga and flexibility is really good working on strengthening legs, hips and glutes. Do Pilates twice a week, swim. But cannot run far on flat ground. I jog for 30 sec etc then walk. Knee gets sore but the next day I feel amazing. Don’t know why knee is sore. But just really trying too take it slowly.
      I felt very alone until I discovered this blog. I felt like I was the only person who would dare run after frill hip replacement. People frown at me when I tell them I am off for a jog walk.
      So be it.
      Look forward too questions and information sharing.
      By the way I have learnt – if you go too hard early on it sets you back. It’s not worth it.

    • July 27, 2020 at 1:11 am #18797
      Pietro
      Participant

      I agree Odie, running should be a lifetime enjoyment, or nearly, and being in a hurry doesn’t help. Interesting the horse riding thing. I think the old advice given by many OS “cycling, no impact on hip – good, running, high impact – bad” is not reality base. Even the most tame cyclists, like me (I did a few timid short triathlons, but mostly I cycled to work) will fall and land heavily on their hips every now and then. Surely that is more risky than the hypothetical wear from running…

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