Hip Replacements

A snowHead

I am about to have a double hip replacement. Im a keen cross country skier Any Advive or detail of recovery and return to skiing welcome

A snowHead

Listen to the docs, do exactly what they and the physics say.
Once 6 weeks are up ramp up the physio. Look for exercises to do.

Not sure what double replacement advice to give but sure the medics will know.

It's the most liberating operation.

If all goes well you should make a return to XC next season

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@Bowmart, I hadn't skied for 6 yrs because of my hip and 12 months later was loving it

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

@Bowmart,
Make sure your surgeon knows that you need to ski after the op.

There are different sizes of femoral heads, apparently the larger heads are less likely to dislocate tan the smaller ones.

To quote my wife's surgeon "the small ones pop out quite easily"

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Not double but a colleague of mine was ski instructing 3 months after replacement.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

@Bowmart, no advice from personal experience, but hope it goes well. I have a lot of friends who have had hip replacements, some double, and their recovery following the operations have varied enormously. The ones who have done all the recommended recovery physio, and kept their weight sensible, have all done really well. I suspect you are fit from your XC skiing and will soon be moving better than you have for years.

After all it is free

@Bowmart, I won’t repeat my experience again as it is recorded in a number of threads here - most recently on the recovery thread. However, I would in addition suggest investing in a pair of impact shorts. They not only (in theory) protect the hips, but also are good for your state of mind. I’ve found Dainese particularly good.

Good luck with it all.

Thank you all for the advice and positive comments Its made me feel lot more positive about get the hips done and getting back to the sport I love

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

I had a hip replacement about 10 years ago, I didn't ski before but have learned since. My recovery was good, I was only 40 and quite fit but my activity level had become really restricted. Since then I'm back to weight classes, vinyasa yoga, swimming, HIIT classes (though I limit too much impact on hard surfaces) and even a bit of running. Strength conditioning and physio exercises are really important.

The main issue for me is mental, I guess because of my replacement, but also due to being a late learner and quite cautious due to previous hip issues and surgery I'm a nervous skiier on the mountain and get the fear quite often! Hopefully as you are already confident in your sport that won't happen.

Good luck and like others have said it can and should be such a relief to have it done!

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The comments that you are all providing food for thought and I have started to generate a plan from them. Have not put any time scales on it. I do think that the mental side of it is going to be a challenge even though I have been skiing some time

snow reports

@Deveron53, I had a hip resurfacing 11 years ago in my mid 40s on the rhs.

I have had walking pain for some months now on the lhs and visited my surgeon to have a look. It has also started to degenerate and will require surgery at some point. He has advised to wait as long as I can before surgery (he knows I ski, hillwalk and cycle) but its now starting to bother me on even short walks - so the time is coming soon, I think.

I dont have private health care any more Crying or Very sad

, so will be self funding it - but frankly I am not waiting 2 years for the NHS op (in Edinburgh you might even wait 6 months just to get the surgeon to look at the X-Ray before joining that queue).

What I would say is that choice of surgeon is really important - I did a lot of homework before my left and used one of the top guys in Scotland. Longevity and lack of revision surgery are both fairly closely related to surgeon skill (imv).

On the replacement v resurfacing, it was appropriate for me at the time (younger, fit, active etc etc) but there was a fair bit of adverse publicity on some of the resurfacing implants, so over time there have been fewer and fewer being requested.

My surgeon felt that once his replacement / resurfacing ratio fell to a certain level, it wasnt appropriate to continue with the resurfacing (because repetition breeds excellence).

He now only does replacements - he did say there was an excellent surgeon in Glasgow who is now the only guy doing resurfacing in Scotland, not sure where you are based.

I will choose the replacement, as I trust my guy.

As has been mentioned above, treat the rehab and physio like a job/project, and dont stint on it - your long term outcome will be predicated on how much work you put in over the first 3 months.

You know it makes sense.

I've just spent 6 weeks with a parent after their second hip replacement. Having seen the recovery first hand, twice now, I would absolutely not hesitate to get it done myself.

My mum was very anxious prior to the first one, but as soon as she woke up and did a short walk post-op, her first question was "how soon can I get the other done?"! Immediate reduction in pain to almost nothing in the joint itself.

Recovery from the second has been slightly slower, but still very good. She's not a skier, but very keen walker, open water swimmer, and dancer - and she'll soon be back doing all 3 after her latest op.

The only regret she has ever mentioned is not doing them sooner, so she could have more quality of life back quicker.

As mentioned above, she really put the effort in on physio too.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

A snowHead

Hady left hip replaced privately just over 2 years ago, off crutches in 4 weeks, signed off 3 months later and surgeon said "forget about it and get on with life as normal".Skied 8 months later.

Most important imo:

Do the PREhab, more if you can. I found the prehab too easy as I had not stopped going to the gym twice a week so I continued with my gym routine with some slight modifications.

The do the rehab religiously as instructed.

If you can, go to a rehab centre where you get physio/hydro therapy twice a day, for at least 6 days.

I can recommend The Clavadel in Guildford Surrey if you are in the SE.

A snowHead

thanks for the information and advice. All is going well I`m gradually building up and have now booked to ski in February
. Still working with a Physio in Berkshire and a couple of PTs with extensive rehab experience

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There will be good private physio near you if you aren't satisfied with the NHS one. It is you that has to put in the graft.

I've recently had my shoulder rebuilt after trauma. The NHS surgeon has done a brilliant job, and the NHS physio was terrific. She could only see me every 4 weeks so I paid for an interim Private appointment so i was being seen every 2 weeks. Regular and quality is what you need, but no need to break the bank.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

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Several of us shared our experiences of skiing after hip replacement in response to the post 'Post Hip op do's and dont's' by @SHAP. I contributed because I had found it hard to find first hand accounts of skiing after THR and wanted to help others in similar situations. The thread contains several thoughtful posts that are worth a read, if you haven't already.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

@Deveron53, your comment about reassurance is exactly where I was in early 2019. My own experience has been that very good outcomes are possible. With hindsight I should probably have done it a year or two earlier.

After all it is free

@Bowmart,
Lose weight before surgery to reduce complication risk.
Get trunk/hip/ legs as strong as you can before surgery.
In early phase ( first few weeks) let things settle. Don’t push too aggressively and follow physio advice.
Aim to have a lot of physio input - pay for it if you have to.
After a couple of months really start to progress the strength work as it’s a slow burn.
Prior to skiing make sure you are strong enough - ask your physio , the surgeon won’t know.
Ask your surgeon when you can ski- I happily let my knee replacements come in my return to ski day at six months but I always get them checked by a physio first.
Go easy when you start back skiing.
Jonathan Bell

Many thanks
I now have permission from Physio and surgeon to Ski next winter
I have booed in to our regular ski coached how has advised us to go to him a week when he is not doing race prep for anyone
We have already had several three way conversations between Coach physio and myself
and will start easy as it is well under a year since the op

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@Bowmart,
My 80 year old dad has had both hips replaced in the last four years. He still goes alpine skiing (on piste only) and is still enjoying it. He bought impact shorts after the first replacement, as recommended above by @Ski lots.

He simply followed all the advice he was given by his surgeon and physiotherapists and did the exercises he was told to do. He is not overweight and does basic bodyweight exercises every morning, as well as some cardio work.

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

Thanks for the information

Help!!

Hip Replacements

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