What physical therapy exercises did you do after hip replacement?

To Novelnana: Thank you for your information! That’s encouraging to hear. Would you mind if I ask what age you were when you got your hip replacement? Also, when you say you are active, does that included mountain hiking or similar activity? (My son knows soccer, snowboarding, and skiing are out. His Dr. even said running is out.)

I was 54 and had to give up many activities including 40 years of running, which nearly broke my heart. But the said as a young implantee, if I ran they would wear out too soon.
Now at 70, I walk and hike, dance, bicycle, Chase grandchildren, climb ladders, garden, just about whatever I want except run and jump not to say I don't play tag or shag an errant ball, just no sport running.
Small tradeoff for everything I can do.
Sue

Sue, Thanks. That’s good to know. So, is climbing up and down stairs a lot is ok? My son lives in a 3rd floor apartment and there is no elevator.

Stair climbing is absolutely fine unless he has some other problem - it will help keep both thigh muscles and hip flexors strong and flexible, which will protect the hip joints.
Remember joint replacement implants were designed and made to be used, just not abused!
Sue

Thanks! Happy to hear that!

Question: After hip replacement, is it common to get sciatic nerve pain?

Yes - lots of things are disturbed in the surgery, so nerve pain is common.
But, there are 2 reasons which need to be considered separately.
- First, there is the "normal" after surgery pain, which can be treated with ice and stretching - lot of pics on line how to do it (carefully.)
- Second, if you limped before surgery, which most of us do, especially if you used a cane, or leg length changed with surgery, you were compensating for the hip, and throwing your normal gait off. As you heal from surgery, your body changes again, and the pain can result from that. If that is the case PT with a focus on getting you walking straight, evenly and upright, is called for (it may only take a few sessions.) This is a "permanent" correction, until your body changes again.
Good luck!
Sue

I had my first hip replacement at 52 at Mayo. I feel like I do pretty much anything I want except running outside or on a treadmill and that's not because I can't but because it can cause it to wear faster and I don't want that. I go to the YMCA 4 times/week and take aerobic classes. I also swim laps in the pool and in the lake when we are at our cabin. I swim for at least 30 minutes/per session without stopping and without any pain. I don't do mountain climbing where I climb up steep rocks but I do hike on trails that are fairly steep. When I first started shortly after the hip replacement I had to learn to look down to make sure my footing was stable because my footing felt slightly different and I wanted to make sure I didn't slip or fall but before too long I was used to the new feeling and now I pay attention but it feels more natural.

I have had some bouts with bursitis which I have heard is not uncommon for people with hip replacements. Some folks get steroid injections which helps but I opted to go with PT. Now, if I start feeling soreness/pain that I recognize as maybe the start of bursitis I do the exercises he showed me to do to nip it in the bud and I often take care of it myself but sometimes have to go in for a few sessions and that takes care of it. I mention this only because it took my a long time to get the bursitis diagnosed (not sure why) but once I knew what it was and how to treat it, it has not been a big factor for me.

I have 5 grandchildren and run around after them and can hold them and swing them around with no problem. I also Kayak on our lake and down rivers and I have no issues getting in and out...or should I say my "awkwardness" getting in and out have nothing to do with my hip replacement 🙂 I live in Minnesota and I remember the first time I fell on my hip on the ice. Scared me half to death and I fully expected to have "ruined" my hip but much to my delight, other than a sore bum my hip was fine.

I think it's really important to follow your doctor's directions carefully right after the surgery so that the hip heals well and then you will get more confident and you'll feel more like yourself as time goes by. Since this was a congenital hip problem, I experience some pain and discomfort all of my life but after the surgery and PT I don't have pain and I feel like my life is better than before the surgery.

Lastly, I want to tell you that my daughter had an accident and had to have her hip replaced when she was in her 40's. She is still skiing and even does Nastar slalom racing with her daughter all winter. She also does a lot of 4-wheeling and is always on the go with her teenage daughters.

I hope this information helps you and encourages you. Best of luck with your surgery and recovery!

Oh, yes! "I live in Minnesota and I remember the first time I fell on my hip on the ice. Scared me half to death and I fully expected to have "ruined" my hip but much to my delight, other than a sore bum my hip was fine." That happened to me too - only pride was hurt. This past winter I was even "butt sledding" with my grandson - that did set of a round of bursitis, also treated with stretches! And then I tripped on a tree root in Texas while looking up at birds! Again, just my pride was hurt.

Keep telling them to go for it! Life is short, and we got new hardware so we could keep going as long as possible.
My younger brother followed my example at 63, and is again waterskiing with his grandkids.

Sue

I had a hip replacement 4 yrs. ago, had a P/T come to my house briefly. I did the exercises faithfully and work out 3x wk. plus walk 4-5x wk. I have had tendinitis (originally diagnosed as bursitis) off and on for the past 2 years for which I went to P/T. I had a steroid shot which did not help but I find the exercise machines I use at my gym help the most. I continue to play golf 3x wk. and the tendinitis is no longer a problem.