Surgery to sail

[comfortzone]

I've posted a discussion on dealing with handicaps while sailing before but now I am one month away from having both hips replaced. I luckily found a surgeon that uses the minimally invasive, anterior method which will hopefully cut down on my rehab/recovery time. I know some of you have had hips replaced and I'd like to hear your stories of recovery and how much improvement you've experienced. Like how long was it before you drove a car and can you now ride a bike and make your way to the bow without crawling? Everyone tells me that I will wished I'd done it sooner but then I hear horror stories about dislocating and minimal improvement.
Please tell me I'm doing the right thing! :neutral:

 

[Ross]

Had my right hip replaced in April and was doing very well until I had a complication with a hematoma and infection. That was resolved with no permanent injury and now I am able to walk most of the time without a cane. I can do stairs with just the hand rail going up and can do stairs down carrying a light load in both hands.
I replaced the facia board and painted it on the gable end of my house and I have been mowing the lawn with a non self propelled mower for about six weeks. I can sit or stand no hands assist from any chair, and can stand from a kneeling position on the floor without grabing a prop. My surgeon has told me to do anything I wish.
I had surgury on Wednesday morning and was home Saturday afternoon. Had home nurse come and check me twice a week and a physical therapist in 3 days each week for the first month.

 

[MSter]

Go for it !
I can tell you my dad age 86 & a WW II vet had a new hip last Mar at a Veteran's hospital and has golfed all summer and sometimes beats his age ! He had the minimally invasive procedure as well. He asked his doc how long before he could golf and the doc said 6 weeks. He was on the course in 4 ( not 18 holes though )

 

[Honeyman]

Had my left hip done Dec. '04 and was walking around unassisted in 10 days. Took a little more time to really "trust" the hip as far as strength and balance, but I was back on my 35.5 in about a month. I was able to drive in less than 10 days, once I got off the meds. Immediate pain relief, definately wish I had done mine 2-3 years earlier. The minimally invasive proceedure is new compared to when mine was done, but I know people who have had it and they did even better than I did. Don't worry...do your rehab religiously...do what your doctor says.

 

[sailaway78]

Hip Replacement

Five years ago at the age of 91, my mother had a hip replaced. She was up and around pretty quick. At 96, she still drives, but does use a cane. Recovery and needed time for same, will be mostly up to you. If you do the rehab, and are determined it won't take long. If you allow yourself to go the the rocking chair, you may never get over it.

 

[comfortzone]

Thank you for your comments. I knew Ross had his hip replaced recently and was anxious to hear how he was doing. I hope you continue to improve and can sail unrestricted. I also know that Tom Watson had a hip replaced by the minimally invasive method just months before he almost won the British Open. I'm 62 and still work (started a new business with 2 partners in June) so I need to bounce back quickly. There's risk in everything you do but you only live once and I want to get all I can out of it. Thanks again.

 

[philwsailz]

I have had partial replacements on both sides, (synthetic femoral head in natural bone socket). I had mine done at a young age, (33) due to Avascular Necrosis. I was back walking unassisted both times, both sides in a few days, and the musculature had recovered within three weeks. Within 6 months I had more mobility than I had prior to the surgery.

12 years later and I am still quite mobile and active, and the doctor said I had at least another 10 years in all likelihood before I might need a revison. I walk, work out and pretty much lead a normal life. Changing pressure systems will always plague me, as I get sore and lose stamina when the weather changes drastically; something about the weather will make the joint quickly get sore with rapid changes in the barometer. Other than that, flying is always interesting. You will come to appreciate the millimeter-wave scanners at the airport; "TSA Massages", as I call the official airport screening patdowns, get old after a while.

 

[Bob S]

My grandmother had it done at 76. She waited a long time to do it. After she had it done she told me, in tears, that it was the first time in 5 years that she slept through the night without pain. She regretted not doing it earlier.

Good luck!

 

[Ross]

The type and degree of hip replacement varies. Mine was a total hip replacement which involves removing the bone a couple of inch down into the femur. The incision is/was about six inches long and involved distrubing the muscles particularly the abductor. The abductor is the muscle that enables you to swing your leg out to the side and keeps you from falling over sideways.