Saw the doc today about some really aggressive hip pain to include feeling as though I have a baseball under my left butt check. Doc it's not fixable with drugs and a hip replacement is what it is. A couple more years and I get to celebrate my 60th b-day.

So for those with the experience, what I'm looking at?

Doc says a couple days in the hospital, minimal pain with pain killers initially provided being enough. Then followed be six weeks of rehab. How true?

What about limitations after? Doc says pretty much anything except running and contact sports.

Individual results may vary. Are you in good physical shape? Get a second opinion. In fact most surgeons encourage that with elective procedures. Ask how many hips he does per year. Infection is the biggest risk. Good luck. People in their eighties have these procedures.

I saw the xray. Even a cavemen can see the difference.

Surgeon performs about 300 per year. 90-120 minute procedure. I'm in good shape, except for not being able to move that is.

A driver where I work had his done at 42 years old. Was back to work in three weeks.Also told him they should last 17 years if he does his part.And the parts are modular, so when they go bad, they can just replace the worn part

Friend of mine just had a new hip installed a couple of months ago as the result of motorcycle wreck a while back. She's 41 and in the medical field so knew more than most going into it. She wasn't worried one bit, under the knife for a couple of hours and was walking her neighborhood 4 days later. She got off the pain killers as quick as she could and lived with Advil for a few days to dull the residual pain. Within a couple of months she was back to full strength, couldn't tell a difference other than she was pain free.

Had my left hip done on 3/20.
I didn’t have “pain” like most candidates have. I had “lock ups” where I would walk and all of a sudden I couldn’t move front, back, left or right without severe pain. Those would last anywhere from five minutes to 25 minutes and I would be frozen in place.
I was riding a recumbent bike for an hour daily for six months prior to the surgery. I started that again about six weeks after the surgery....initially started at 15 minutes and built up to the hour in about two weeks.
I quit the pain meds at about 8 days and walked away from the walker about 10 days.
Six weeks post surgery I was told to go live my life, just don’t sky dive or bungee jump—-both two aren’t on my bucket list.
Infection is a big deal, I had surgery at a “surgical hospital” meaning their were no “sick’ people there. It was only a 60 bed hospital.
Thus, doctor, location and pre-surgery are are important.
All this said, I have a friend who had surgery six weeks after mine who and he is still using a cane two month after his surgery.
Good luck, contact me by email if you want additional information.
I give it ten thumbs up.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Hunthelp,

What all the above have stated. Both replaced in 2002. Be in the best shape you can get in & recovery will be faster.

Since walking hurts as much as it does, likely gong to take my chances and ride the snot out of my bike. Major problem though, petty much need to lay the bike down to get my leg over the frame.

Good as to number of procedures done. Specialty hospital better than a general hospital. If the doctors own it, even better because they hire competent help for the most part. Infection rate much lower. Do the PT and have some help at the house for a few days. Having a positive attitude helps as well.
Oh btw Saban was in his office two days later. He is 67.

A big difference is if they do a “traditional” posterior approach- which in simple terms requires cutting and repairing a lot of muscle and will leave you with some motion limits for life or the newer anterior approach which while technically complicated ( I have assisted on both) results in a quicker recovery and fewer long term activity limitations.

Maybe consider a new bike? 20" urban bikes are great for fun and exercise. I have one that has been with me for a decade or so. Stores well, great for kids and adults. Easy to get the leg over. Easy to get online from many sources.

Life changer, I never had pain after surgery like the pain before. My biggest piece of advice is to max out your therapy afterwards, give it all you got.

Therapist explained to me "Your hip is new, your therapy is to bring you muscles back to life. How well you recover is up to you"

The owner of my local bbq joint in her early 70s fell at work and shattered her hip. They put a new one in later that evening and she was on her feet the next day. 2 days in the hospital, less then a week at a rehab facility, and then home. She was back to work in under a month.

quote:

Originally posted by wreckdiver:
Life changer, I never had pain after surgery like the pain before. My biggest piece of advice is to max out your therapy afterwards, give it all you got.

Therapist explained to me "Your hip is new, your therapy is to bring you muscles back to life. How well you recover is up to you"

Thanks for that.

One thing I have always been is active. In high school and college it was swimming (was trying for the 1980 Olympics), water polo, hiking (two week treks through the Serrias), and biking.

As the body got older, and life more complicated, swimming, walking (4-6 hours through foreign countries courtesy of the US Navy, and biking were the thing.

For the last 6-8 months it's been whimpering like a whiner with a competitive wife telling me to suck it up (now she knows it wasn't a whine).

quote:

Originally posted by captain127:
A big difference is if they do a “traditional” posterior approach- which in simple terms requires cutting and repairing a lot of muscle and will leave you with some motion limits for life or the newer anterior approach which while technically complicated ( I have assisted on both) results in a quicker recovery and fewer long term activity limitations.

^^^This.

If your surgeon doesn't perform the newer anterior approach, talk to one who does before you commit.

quote:

Originally posted by captain127:
A big difference is if they do a “traditional” posterior approach- which in simple terms requires cutting and repairing a lot of muscle and will leave you with some motion limits for life or the newer anterior approach which while technically complicated ( I have assisted on both) results in a quicker recovery and fewer long term activity limitations.

This is very true. For example Nick Saban's not really Superman, he had the anterior approach done by one of the very best surgeons in the world. That's why he was so sassy after a few days. With a posterior you'd not have seen him for weeks.

quote:

Originally posted by Georgeair:

quote:

Originally posted by captain127:
A big difference is if they do a “traditional” posterior approach- which in simple terms requires cutting and repairing a lot of muscle and will leave you with some motion limits for life or the newer anterior approach which while technically complicated ( I have assisted on both) results in a quicker recovery and fewer long term activity limitations.

This is very true. For example Nick Saban's not really Superman, he had the anterior approach done by one of the very best surgeons in the world. That's why he was so sassy after a few days. With a posterior you'd not have seen him for weeks.

Thanks guys, this is starting to sink in where yesterday this post was [almost] lost in the blur of what was happening.

quote:

Originally posted by LS1 GTO:

quote:

Originally posted by Georgeair:

quote:

Originally posted by captain127:
A big difference is if they do a “traditional” posterior approach- which in simple terms requires cutting and repairing a lot of muscle and will leave you with some motion limits for life or the newer anterior approach which while technically complicated ( I have assisted on both) results in a quicker recovery and fewer long term activity limitations.

This is very true. For example Nick Saban's not really Superman, he had the anterior approach done by one of the very best surgeons in the world. That's why he was so sassy after a few days. With a posterior you'd not have seen him for weeks.

Thanks guys, this is starting to sink in where yesterday this post was [almost] lost in the blur of what was happening.

My mom is in her late 70s. She had the anterior approach and was up and ambulating with a walker the next day.

My dad is the same age. He had the posterior approach and it took him months to recover. He didn't feel fully fit until a year later.

Even my 87 year old mother in law came through hip replacement pretty well, and she is a whiner and a complainer. She also didn't work half hard enough at rehab. But it still didn't seem too bad.

^^^ And, somehow, we hear a story-behind-the-story....