Expectations

Hi Scott and congratulations on getting ‘r’ done! Here’s to a smooth recovery. I can’t speak to your particular hardware or doctor, but my doc said running would be fine after 4 months (some say OK, some don’t). I had anterior THR when I was 50, in 2016. I started to ease back into running, slowly, about 6 months after surgery. Some folks in this group have started even sooner, but it’s a personal decision, and one wants to be sure healing has progressed enough to not cause future problems.

Personally, I now run 20-35 miles a week, on trails – some easy, some difficult. I have done distances from 5K to marathon. Others here run MUCH more (lookin’ at you, Dave Whiteside!). It’s hard, though, when your doc says No. Did they say why? Are they concerned about the hardware wearing out too soon?

There was a comment here, on another post a while back, where someone explained more about that “don’t run” protocol, and discussed various aspects of it, and why running can be just fine. I don’t remember the commenter, but she was very articulate and provided what I thought was some good information about making the choice. Does anyone here recall that comment?

Anyway, hope this is kinda helpful. Congrats again on this major surgery, and all the best for your healing and recovery!

Hi Scott. I started running 3 months but I took it really slow. Let your hip be your guide. I didn’t feel like the hip was really ready until about 16-18 months. You might find this link in the “things to know” section provides helpful advice.

Steve – information/opinion for new or potential members

Welcome to the club and keep us posted on your progress.
Hip Brother Tom

Hi Scott,

Congratulations on your new hip. We’re about the same age, and your running resume sounds very much like mine. I just got my new hip (similar to yours) on March 21st of this year. I’ve been a distance runner since high school track and CC. I never stopped. However, I began bicycling and swimming way back in my early 20s (1980s) as I wanted to take up the new sport of triathlon. Over the decades, when injury or medical issues have deemed me unable to do one of the three triathlon disciplines…I was always thankful that I had the other two to fall back on so that I could maintain a level of fitness until I was again able to return to whichever one I had been unable to do. And of course it’s the same now with the new hip, and running. I think that some of us with THRs will recover faster, and be able to return to running earlier, with an ability to do longer and more frequent distance. As you’ve experienced…many surgeons will tell you that your running days are over (mine did). Others will tell you to be cautious, etc. But in my opinion they are telling us that because the mechanical device that they implanted has a limited lifespan. It’s “mechanical” not “bio-mechanics” like the original equipment mother nature gave us. In other words…it will wear out. Running on it hastens that wear. So the doctors, thinking that you’d rather not have to go through a THR again, tell you to not run so that it lasts longer…hopefully until you die. Me…I’ve returned to running, but like you…only 3-4 miles a few times per week. That’s really all I want to do. My days of half/marathon running are over. But that’s my personal decision to try to prolong the life of the new hip. I know that others are running the longer runs. More power to them! I wouldn’t try to convince them otherwise. But personally I just want to prolong the lifespan of my hip. I’m never going to break any records again anyway. And I don’t want to have the surgery again…if possible.

Dan

Get a second opinion, preferably from a surgeon who runs. There might be something your first surgeon knows that lay people wouldn’t understand. My guess is you’ll be fine running moderate distances after 4 months, like most of us.