Hip ops

[Ditchfinder]

*Not a typo

I've been struggling with Osteo in both hips for about 18 months now, diagnosed about 6 months ago by xray.

Been doing physio and taking neproxen and most of the time doing day to day stuff it's not too bad but get cramps that wake me up and it a bit of general stiffness now and then.

The problem I have is my range of movement. I find it impossible to swing my leg over a bike or motorbike without high pain levels in mypelvic area. To get on the motorbike I have to stand on the footpeg, ease my right leg over and sit down slowly. Once down I'm ok for an hour or so before I get pains in thehip itself. To get on the mtb I have to lay it down step over so I'm astride it and lift the bike up, makes gates a royal PITA. In fact any motion that involves me spreading my legs wider than shoulder width is very unpleasant.

Next stage is a referral to orthapaedics to talk about replacement as they don't think steroid injection will work in my case as it's bony growths at the joint causing the range of movement limitation.

Now as I'm only just coming up to 50 they are a bit reluctant to do a replacement this early as they are only supposed to last 15 years and I would have to have another one later. I was wondering if any of you lot had had a replacement done and how long recovery took and what the pain and movement situation was afterwards.

I don't fancy another 10 years of the status quo but if it's a big recovery without getting a lot more pain free movement I might try and hang on for a bit.

[weeksy]

Mates missus had both done this year... worked perfectly.

Mrs Weeksy has been 'hanging on' for 2 years now and TBH it's been shite for her, she should have gone under the knife ASAP. She has times where she's getting up the stairs on her hands and knees... She's now booked for the first week of Jan for a replacement. It won't be great for a few weeks, but we expect it'll resolve a lot of issues pretty quickly.

[Buckaroo]

My wife's had both replaced. First one became an emergency but paid for job as the NHS couldn't organise a piss up in a brewery. She could barely stand or walk. Almost wore through her hip bone. £14000 well spent. Massive improvement within weeks. Second time she got lucky and had a more advanced technology operation. Hardly any scar and same outcome and we didn't have to pay!
Just waiting for complex spine surgery. She's inherited some crap genes and is suffering bad with osteoarthritis. This has been expensive again. Thanks NHS.

Go for it and you'll not regret it.

We were told that because my wife's less than 9 stone wringing wet the replaced hips should last beyond the usual time expected. Keep trim and it'll pay.

Good luck.

[Noggin]

One of my best mates in the uk had a hip done last year (maybe the year before) - she's just turned 50 last month.

There is a time limit on replacement joints, but ask about that to check as they are more to put people off I think. When they did my shoulder in Bristol, they kept saying I was "far too young" to have a replacement shoulder ( I was only 47 ), so for the stem that went into my humerus, they used a system that mean they didn't have to remove all the metal when the ball on the top wore out. So, when the surgeon here did the op to make it an USD system, she didn't have to take the stem out of the humerus, she just had to take the ball off the top and swap it for a 'socket'. We are both hoping that the stem lasts a lot longer than the paperwork would suggest so that only the socket part needs replacing first. Sadly the ball part is screwed into the actual socket of my shoulder, so that might have to be replaced sooner if it wears out


There are many many people who do have replacements early, just have a look at options, talk with medical folks about the options of the type of replacement etc (I'm sure there will be a similar type of system for hips - it's just unlikely it will be the first thing they offer you. I think I got mine simply because he didn't think the first op would actually work and knew it would all need changing sooner rather than later).

Also, for hips, have a chat with a good physio - yes I know that the bones are causing the pain so preventing movement, but sometimes the restricted movement then causes issues with the ligaments etc (shortening due to lack of use) and so the muscles. Anyway, it's vaguely possible that some physio pre-op could help recovery - and believe me, the fitter you can make everything pre-op, the fast the recovery


Good luck, the relief when it's fixed will be incredible

[Taipan]

Not hips, but knees but might help with your decision? I had advanced osteoarthritis in my right knee with no meniscus left and bone-on-bone articulation. Pain management was my only resort and even a steroid injection into the joint did f-all. I was in my mid 50s and considered myself too young for surgery. But, discussing things with my family and most thought why suffer increasing debility now, when an operation would cure it and mobility is more use and important when you're younger.

So, I spoke with a surgeon and said what happens when the artificial joint wears out? He said we take it out and fit another. That made my decision for me. Why suffer pain and immobility when I could get it fixed? So, I did and to be honest I wished I'd done it earlier rather than suffered the pain and disability I went through. When my other knee went the same way I had it done asap.

[Skub]

If it's already impacting on your quality of life,get it done. Theres no point in suffering on until you are old enough.

I've known various folk in my circle of acquaintances to have the op and from what I see,success rate is largely down to the individual. A friend of Mrs.Skub's has had a couple of bionic hips,but has never been the active sort,so the only difference she notices is the lack of pain,which is fair enough,but she still tooshes about on a mobility cart and generally doesn't make an effort.
Other more active folk get their life back.

From what I see of your posts,you'll do your part to get back your quality of life. I'd get it done pronto and if it needs done again in 15 years,then get it fucking done again. No one knows how many years they have anyway,take the now.

[Ditchfinder]

Anyone know what kind of recovery time is typical before I can:

a: Walk
b: Drive
c: Ride the motorbike
d: Ride the E-mtb
e: Huck massive gaps at BPW (*never been able to do this even when I wasn't scared of spannering myself )

[gremlin]

Why have I got a mental image of all you lot sat in a circle in a nursing home discussing your aches and pains...?

[Skub]

Using a friend as an example (may or may not be typical) he was on his feet the next day and out for a walk/on his pushbike the same week. He was active before the op and hadn't gone too far down the road of disability,so his recovery may have been faster than someone who had already lost their mobility.
He said he was advised to get moving as soon as possible,but play with the head regarding too much too soon.

[Taipan]

Why have I got a mental image of all you lot sat in a circle in a nursing home discussing your aches and pains...?

And all wearing Skechers slip ins!

[Ditchfinder]

Might as well buy a GS and a bottle of eau d'urine

[Count Steer]

Why have I got a mental image of all you lot sat in a circle in a nursing home discussing your aches and pains...?

And all wearing Skechers slip ins!

If you click the heels together 3 times and say 'There's no place like home' they transport you to Dignitas.

[crust]

Late August 2022 I tumbled down a slope whilst still sitting on my KTM and landed in a heap at the bottom successfully snapping the ball off the top of my femur.
Taken to hospital, MRI etc, blah, blah can't be repaired, new hip on the Monday.

HIP was done in the morning, that afternoon the student physio asked if I wanted to try walking, I said no, it's sore. Next morning bollocking for her and me, get up and walk - you're going home tomorrow and you have to be able to go up and down stairs!

It wasn't my most pleasant stroll but down the corridor, up and down the steps in the physio dept and that's it, you're out. I've heard of people being released same day of their op. Mine was slightly different as I smashed a good joint where as people normally replace a knackered one.

Once home it was gentle walks for a few weeks, little bit further each day.
19th September I was back in work with one stick
End of Sept I drove down from Reading to Dorset
4th October I was signed off by the surgeon, he said wait six weeks before mountain biking outside.
7th October I started doing Zwift rides building up mileage and difficulty, overdid it a bit and made the joint ache, so eased back.
3rd December I did an 11 mile outdoor ride along towpath.
14th January out on the Emtb in Forest of Dean.

I took a while to get back on a motorbike as I was doing was trail riding on the KTM and its a struggle to get my leg over it - that's because I'm a short arse and it's ludicrously tall. Got out once this year with the lads, loved it but am being cautious as it would be easy to twist the leg and apparently it's easier to dislocate a replacement hip than a normal one, apparently its very painful and a hospital job to relocate it. I will get the bike lowered and ride it more next summer, if we have one.

If I was road riding I'd have been out roughly sme time as I was back on the Emtb.

The hospital will lend you a thing to go over your toilet as you can't go low enough for a normal one, you'll need a thing to get socks on (bit of half pipe and some rope) and an extended shoe horn (I bought slip-on trainers and crocs < medical reasons, honest).

Everyone I've talked to about it raves that the pain is gone and they are mobile again, my physio said to do as much walking as I could do without pain as soon as I could after the op, that more os a lot better then less.

[Buckaroo]

Anyone know what kind of recovery time is typical before I can:

a: Walk
b: Drive
c: Ride the motorbike
d: Ride the E-mtb
e: Huck massive gaps at BPW (*never been able to do this even when I wasn't scared of spannering myself )

As per @crust
Up and about in a day or two, longer walks in a matter of weeks. Riding? No idea as the wife doesn't. But, as mentioned, they dislocate easier, hence she no longer pillions.
What I failed to mention was that the second, high tech replacement, meant none of the raised toilet seat or careful about over flexing. She just got on with it. Don't ask what the difference is, all I know was they do look very different in the X-Ray.

[Yorick]

Penny had both hers done in her late 40s. My works BUPA paid for it.
Changed her life.

After 2nd one, she was pillion on the GSXR1000 within a week

[Cousin Jack]

I am aghast at the average level of crockdom on here!

Knees, hips, even a shoulder (OK, that was the FUF). Are you lot now bionic, or just geriatric?

[crust]

I am aghast at the average level of crockdom on here!

Knees, hips, even a shoulder (OK, that was the FUF). Are you lot now bionic, or just geriatric?

A shoulder, a? Surely you mean, shoulders, the young lady was late to the party and is, tbh, a bit amateur. Here we go, I give you, ta daa, a broken collarbone on an already replaced shoulder. Yup, I've run out of limbs so am now on my second lap.

20240818_103813 by crust, on Flickr

crust, a bionic, geriatric

[Noggin]

I am aghast at the average level of crockdom on here!

Knees, hips, even a shoulder (OK, that was the FUF). Are you lot now bionic, or just geriatric?

Oi, I absolutely refuse to be geriatric!!! I may be bionic, but I'll never be either 'old' or geriatric

I am aghast at the average level of crockdom on here!

Knees, hips, even a shoulder (OK, that was the FUF). Are you lot now bionic, or just geriatric?

A shoulder, a? Surely you mean, shoulders, the young lady was late to the party and is, tbh, a bit amateur. Here we go, I give you, ta daa, a broken collarbone on an already replaced shoulder. Yup, I've run out of limbs so am now on my second lap.

20240818_103813 by crust, on Flickr

crust, a bionic, geriatric

Awesome!! I'm working quite hard to keep at least one good shoulder!! Also hoping not to damage the one that is metal! LOL So far my hips are ok

[Nordboy]

I was looking forward to a rhs hip op at some stage. It was causing me a fair bit of pain and the main reason why I stopped doing most of my job motorcycling.

But, nearly two years of riding my Peloton a couple of times a week seems to have strengthened the muscles in my lower body and reduced the pain considerably. Still get some but not nearly as bad as I was.

I don't think I've cured it, but I've definitely pushed the replacement further down the road for the time being.

I've even been looking at bikes again to potentially go alongside my scooter.

[MrLongbeard]

I was looking over at my pill dispenser earlier this week and thinking 'by christ when did I get old'?

So thank you all for making me feel relatively young again thinking back over the family history there only been one knee replacement so hopefully my genetics aren't predisposed to dodgy bones, and with luck my rowing should keep my joints strong enough to stave off any work for many years to come.