Hip replacement and riding?

[Bank_of_Dad]

C4

Don’t be so hard on yourself. You are not even a month out of surgery. Your situation was much worse than mine, and your surgery much more major. My doc orignally said 5 months, then gave in with 4. Even at 4 months, I just sat in the saddle–it was hard to get the leg across the cantle.

Give it time, keep up with the therapy, and use those painkillers when necessary.

Here’s a not so funny note…I had accumulated quite a lot of Percocet, cause the doc kept prescribing, and I just kept them in the medicine cabinet, cause you never know when you’re going to come off that horse and need something to take the edge off…my cleaning ladies stole them all, just left the empty bottles in the cabinet…I didn’t find out til just recently…they never touched any cash I left out as bait, or jewelry.

[Cfourhorses]

Wow, that is awful…I hope she is no longer your cleaning lady!! That is so low!!

[monstrpony]

[QUOTE=Cfourhorses;4987177]
Wow, all your testamonies have been encouraging. I had both my hips replaced 6/22. My right hip feels very good but the left feels far weaker and has pain. My surgeon said I could not ride until 6 mos. post op. :no:
It seems my progress is much slower than what has been said here. Kind of discouraging for me, but excellent for all of you!!

C4[/QUOTE]

I don’t think any of the examples here were people who had BOTH hips done. I can imagine that the recovery from that would be somewhat more laborious, because you don’t have a good leg to help you out. Hang in there–it WILL get better!!

For as good as my result was, I know there were times during my recovery that seemed to be plateaux, and it seemed a little discouraging at times. Hope you get past that quickly and things start moving better!

[TouchstoneAcres]

I had my left hip resurfaced 5 years ago by Dr. Mont in Baltimore. It is just fine and riding is no problem. It’s my best joint now! The joint was “bone on bone” and so painful I couldn’t sit on a horse. The resurf is bone ocnserving and much easier to follow up with a THR later on if needed, without mressing up leg length. This is important when you are relatively young and could conceivably need a revision down the road. Most local orthopedists make you wait for a THR until it is almost too late for a resurf–because they want to minimize the number of THR revisions in your lifetime. This works against you because a resurf should be done sooner rather than later. The local orthos are not very familiar with modern resurfs and don’t do them themselves and so do not advise them. This is a “catch 22” for most patients.

[Just_My_Style]

This has been a very interesting read. My husband was diagnosed with needing a hip replacement when he was only 30. He has put it off for the last 8 years, but we can see that he will need to start thinking more seriously about it now. He doesn’t ride, but he plays ice hockey (goalie). We don’t know how the prognosis for that will be, but hearing how pain free most of you are will really be a step in the right direction for him- at least in his daily life.

[system]

I have a 60-something friend who took a terrible tumble off her ‘saintly’ horse, and landed smack on her hip. THR was the outcome. She is back riding, swimming daily, living her life. She took a bit longer to get back on (about 4 months), but is a very cautious person by nature. Take the necessary precautions, do all the follow-up PT, but remember: you will ride again!!
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[monstrpony]

[QUOTE=Just My Style;5115813]
This has been a very interesting read. My husband was diagnosed with needing a hip replacement when he was only 30. He has put it off for the last 8 years, but we can see that he will need to start thinking more seriously about it now. He doesn’t ride, but he plays ice hockey (goalie). We don’t know how the prognosis for that will be, but hearing how pain free most of you are will really be a step in the right direction for him- at least in his daily life.[/QUOTE]

Well, being a hockey goalie is a bit different from riding. My ortho told me that the position that your leg is in while sitting on a horse is about the pest position for a hip replacement patient as it is the position that minimizes the risk of dislocation. I suppose that’s less true for, say, a jockey (never mind the other risks) or someone who jumps a lot. A goalie, however, is frequently in a crouched position with the hip joint bend at a significant angle. I would imagine it will take a bit longer recovery to get to where this is comfortable and fully functional.

[Zu_Zu]

I ride horses daily and jog ponies with carts through the woods with my 1-17-05 THR ~ really fun to be painfree ~ got my whole life back !!!

[Gideon]

Update:
I’m six weeks post op THR and feeking great. I’m walking a lot and most of the pain is gone.
Looking forward to riding in another six weeks.

[Calvincrowe]

Yay! that is wonderful news. Keep us updated as you begin to ride again. May it all continue smoothly and painlessly.

[tollertwins]

For the hockey person…google “direct anterior hip replacement”.

That’s what I had. I can crouch all I want…what I CAN"T do is turn the foot out and then do a lunge w/ the other foot forward…

[Gideon]

Seven weeks post-op and saw my surgeon today. He gave me the OK to get back on the horse!!!
I’m so excited, but I have a fear about getting back in the saddle.
I’m terrified of injuring my new hip and having to start all over.
I know I need to take it slow and give myself time to get my strength back.
Please tell me this fear will pass and I’ll be the gutsy rider, I was prior to the surgery.

[tollertwins]

It’ll go away…

My main gutless issues now I had before I had the surgery!!

The ONLY concern about the leg I have while actually riding is getting off. I’m using a western saddle - and have to start w/ the left leg staying in the stirrup till I get the right swung over.

The left leg is the one w/ the new hip - and I get kind of concerned about pony walking off while my foot is still in the stirrup.

Since he gets a cookie when I get off, I’m hoping that this will NOT ever happen!

[mtngirl]

Yes, the fear will pass. I was in tears the first time I got back on…tears of relief and joy. No matter how many people tell you that it’ll all be OK and better…until you experience it for yourself, you will not truly believe.

If possible, gain confidence by starting out on a good reliable “steady eddie” type horse and have someone there with you…even go on the lunge line for confidence boosting. It won’t take long for your confidence to bounce back. After two or three rides, don’t be surprised if you forget about the new hip. Honestly…it’ll be that much better than before.

ENJOY and congratulations!

[hosspuller]

Anybody considering a hip replacement.

Get a second opinion from a surgeon that performs both THR and resurfacing. “When the only tool one has is a hammer all problems look like a nail.” My first Ortho said THR … second Ortho (who did both) said Birmingham resurfacing. I got a resurfacing 2/08.

Trail rode hours pain free, few weeks ago in TN

A resurfacing has many advantages for a younger person.

[Gideon]

Thanks for all the replies!
I have a 5 yr. who can be unpredictable at times and is not the horse to ride, at this time.
Fortunately, I have a choice of a few “packers” to hop on until I feel confident again.
I had my right hip replaced, so I’m going to mount from the right side at first.
Wish me luck, I’m going to give it a try!

[tollertwins]

DEFINITELY start on a packer!!!

And it absolutely helps if said packer will tolerate mounting from either side (and maybe dismounting, too!).

I just got back on my own guy a month or so ago…

[monstrpony]

I lost a lot of nerve before my surgery, just because of the pain. If the horse moved quickly or unpredictably, it hurt like heck. It took a good while after the surgery, but I am a much more confident rider today that I was during that whole time around my surgery. Not being in constant threat of pain, and having a reasonable range of motion, makes a BIG difference in one’s confidence.

It WILL get better!!

[tollertwins]

HA! And the whole ‘Sit UP!’ concept finally works!

I never got it before when people would yell ‘Sit Up!’ at me - I literally couldnt. Ditto for heels out, toes in.

[Gideon]

I did it! I got on my horse for the first time, since my surgery.
Mounted from the right side and sat in the saddle. I felt a minor spasm, but it passed after a few seconds.
Hubby walked me around for about 10 mins and I was in heaven.
I can’t believe how nervous I was, but it felt great to be on a horse again.