Getting back on boat after a replacement hip

[soffy]

Help ! just been advised I am to have a hip replacement - has anyone out there had one - and how did you get on -

getting on and off the boat - etc....

[soffy]

Help ! Has anyone had a hip replacement and how did you get on with getting on and off boat.

How did you get on with your recovery.......

[Jerra]

Hi

 

I haven't actually had my replacement yet but I spent getting on for 3hours yesterday with the nurse and Occupational Therapist at my pre op assessment. Basically according to the OT providing I am a good boy and do my exercises and take care in about 8 weeks I will be better than I have been for a good number of years. The surgeon was a little more cautious he said take it easy for the first 12 weeks.

 

If you want more details of what they said PM me.

[bizzard]

You have to do the ( Hippy hippy shake).

[cereal tiller]

You have to do the ( Hippy hippy shake).

For goodness sake !

[Catrin]

It might help people answer this if you let them know a bit more about you. Age, gender, current level of fitness (because this affects how quickly you recover and start to get about again), type of boat you have, etc.

[Guest]

NHS choices is always a good source of info. though of course it's not specific to boating.

 

http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Hip-replacement/Pages/Recovery.aspx

 

12 weeks before resuming your 'normal' activity which it says on there ties in with what Jerra's surgeon said.

 

Do you live on your boat?

[junior]

I locked down into London this week with a couple on a boat who I'd take a guess were both over 65. The wife was working the locks and in conversation told me she'd had a hip replacement earlier this year.

[Arphamoe]

Provided you obey all the medical rules and do the necessary exercises - no problem. Had mine done 5 years ago and can do just about anything a near-70yr-old can expect to be able to do. I was doing stairs within 36 hours and only had one stick after a week! Don't worry too much - leave jumping on and off for a couple of weeks at least, take it steady for a while then forget you had the op.

[Arthur Marshall]

Bloke who moors next to me had his done a while ago and his other hip is pretty rough. He went singlehanding down from Macclesfield to the Ashby this year. I think as long as you take it easy you'll be fine - the trick is not be be rushed by imapatient people behind you or in front of at locks. If they are in a hurry they can come and help and if not they can wait - I made the mistake a few years ago of trying to do stuff too quickly because someone was waiting and glaring at me and re-knackered a couple of slipped discs.

[Puddlejumper]

Just listen to your body and not your brain as you might think you can do it all till summat goes wrong

[Pluto]

I had my first hip replaced when I was 32, over 33 years ago, and continued working full-time on the restoration of historic industrial machinery for some years after, only stopping when I had a severe attack of Reynauds Phenomena - loss of circulation in the fingers - and my doctor said no more working with cold metal. I did borrow a full length narrow boat on occasion in the 1990s, and was easily able to work it single handed. However, after having my second hip replaced in 1999, then a triple fracture of the pelvis, and a severe case of inflammatory arthritis, I have now given up boating and concentrate on researching canal history.

[Jerra]

I had my first hip replaced when I was 32, over 33 years ago, and continued working full-time on the restoration of historic industrial machinery for some years after, only stopping when I had a severe attack of Reynauds Phenomena - loss of circulation in the fingers - and my doctor said no more working with cold metal. I did borrow a full length narrow boat on occasion in the 1990s, and was easily able to work it single handed. However, after having my second hip replaced in 1999, then a triple fracture of the pelvis, and a severe case of inflammatory arthritis, I have now given up boating and concentrate on researching canal history.

Can I be a bit impertinent and ask if the 1999 hip op was the other leg or to replace the first artificial joint?

[patty-ann]

Initially biggest problem is dislocation of new hip joint so avoid rotation of leg, also will probably find one leg could be slightly shorter than the other so watch with balance. Ensure use sticks, I would think getting on and off boat could be problematic. Recuperate on side of caution time wise. Everyone different and we all heal at different rates but good luck.

[ditchcrawler]

May be the OP lives on their boat and will be returning to it as soon as they leave hospital.

[Grace and Favour]

I enjoyed a complete hi replacement two years ago.

 

Like the OP - I was unsure of the prognosis, and likely effect upon my boating - despite asking questions of the surgeon.

 

Before I say more - let me confirm that the outcome was fantastic . . I am now without discomfort, and substantially more agile (!)

 

The operation was painless (I was anaesthetised)

The hospital team were great - (they may well have you take your first few steps within a day of your op.)

Initial movement was rather painful - I kept up with my painkillers - they really do enable one to do the exercises that would otherwise be rather uncomfortable.

Over the following weeks, make a point of doing every single exercise (and some) . . I found it helped me if I treated every single exercise repeat as a challenge - and always did one more repetition than the previous time.

Within a few weeks I was walking well over a mile a day, and feeling so much better for it.

 

You will always need to be aware that you must not over-rotate your leg (but your surgeon or physio will cover that off with you)

 

 

Having a replacement hip was the best thing I've ever done

(along with marrying my current wife, having kids, buying a boat, flying, road racing, baking - - er, well, it's definitely amongst the best things!)

Edited December 19, 2013 by Grace & Favour

[Jerra]

The hospital team were great - (they may well have you take your first few steps within a day of your op.)

My team are telling me I will be on my feet about 2 hours after the op.

[Grace and Favour]

My team are telling me I will be on my feet about 2 hours after the op.

Aye - different hospitals have (very) slightly different routines, but they all like to get the walking wounded up as soon as possible - they provide one with crutches/sticks (you will use them!)

 

Go for it - - treat every step as a challenge - and rise to them - it's incredibly motivational (pun intended!)

[Pluto]

No, the original is still working after a fashion. It was designed as a trial for younger people and has a much larger head than the conventional Charnley replacements, so there is less chance of it wearing through the pelvis, as can happen with well-used Charnley hip replacements. However, the cut end of that hip bone is resting on the pelvis, which restricts movement somewhat. Whenever I go for a check-up, the surgeon (at Wrightington, the first hospital to do replacement hips) always brings all his younger colleagues to look at the X-rays as my type of replacement is now very rare.

 

Hip replacements have not stopped me from researching waterways, having, amongst many European visits, travelled down the river Onega in the north of Russia in inflatables with a dozen Russians, looking for remains of the old navigation about ten years ago, and I have been to China several times recently.

[Jerra]

Thanks for that Pluto! I was wondering as they never quote the life of a replacement hip as being so long.

 

Well done on the active life you have lead since.

[Grace and Favour]

I've merged both threads - -

[alvicchas1]

Hi,

 

Had a full hip replacement last May. Was on my boat four weeks later. The operation is no problem and you will be up walking a few hours later. The anaesthetic does'nt fully wear off for about 16 hours - then you will feel discomfort but it can be handled effectively with pain killers. A piece of advice - stay in hospital for a few days. My consultant wanted to discharge me the day after the op but a ward sister said stay in another night. In hospital they can give you stronger pain killers than they can send you home with.

 

For the first 3 months you can't cross your legs, have to sleep on your back and can't raise your knees higher than your hips. Take it slowly, think about what you are doing and you'll be fine.

 

After the three month period it's a case of getting the muscle strength back around the hip. Go for it - you will have no regrets.

 

Best wishes

[Arthur Brown]

Sort out a chair for the first few weeks that meets the physio's instructions for height and support, do all the exercises that they give you -you will feel the benefit.

[johnmck]

Looking forward ( I think!) to a knee replacemt in the new year.....

[Jerra]

Sort out a chair for the first few weeks that meets the physio's instructions for height and support, do all the exercises that they give you -you will feel the benefit.

If they are anything like the team I saw the other day they will sort out any chair raisers, toilet heighteners, aids for getting into the bath, tool for helping pull up socks etc at one of the pre-op appointments. Mine are to be collected from our local cottage hospital before the op.