Hillwalking after total hip replacement

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Tees Wanderer 31 Mar 2016
Hi,

Just wondering if there is anyone out there who has had a hip replacement and has returned to serious hill walking? Hill walking/scrambling is really what I live for - long days wandering in lonely places. Unfortuneately at 35 I am having my right hip replaced in a few weeks and very likely left hip next year. Does anyone know if it is possible to recover to be able to manage a 5-10 mile walk in hilly terrain? I haven't managed a proper walk for a few years now because of pain so even the thought of a shorter route is exciting. Any views welcome. My advice - climb as many hills and mountains as you can before your body lets you down!
 CurlyStevo 31 Mar 2016
In reply to Tees Wanderer:
Pretty sure one of the well known and still very active Scottish Mountain guides has had this done. Although he's a lot older than you. I have a feeling he had the hip resurface.

One thing to watch is that the replacements also don't last forever and certainly it used to be the case that repeated replacements become increasingly problematic.
Post edited at 16:22
 steveriley 31 Mar 2016
In reply to Tees Wanderer:

Sympathy. I'm sure there are hip ops and there are hip ops but if it's any consolation I fell into step with an older guy whilst running on the hill recently who'd had both done. He was off on his first 18 miler post-op after building back up.
 toad 31 Mar 2016
In reply to Tees Wanderer:

My mother in law, although early 70s has regularly managed 8 or 10 miles in the peak with us on two new hips, and walks her other daughters two collie x's in the shropshire hills. I believe the issues are really with subsequent replacements, but I guess they've discussed that with you as you are so young.
 Heike 31 Mar 2016
In reply to Tees Wanderer:
My husband's dad had both hips replaced and when he turned 70 did 75 orienteering races ( he wanted to do at least 70 that year). Another friend had both hips replaced and has no problems climbing routes on the Ben, regular hillwalking etc! Hopefully it will work out for you, too!
Post edited at 19:33
 Heike 31 Mar 2016
In reply to CurlyStevo:

Apparently they last a lot longer nowadays.
Removed User 31 Mar 2016
In reply to Tees Wanderer:

My partner had her right hip replaced at aged 54. Climbed Pen y Ghent 8 weeks later. Done several bothy trips and many a hill day since. In reality it took a year to retrain all the muscles, tendons and ligaments to the changed situation. DO THE PHYSIO!!!!!!

Good luck
 dgp 01 Apr 2016
In reply to Tees Wanderer:

Providing the operation goes well and you follow the post operative routine - you can then look forward to many years of trouble free hill walking with no restrictions - your life back again - look forward to it ! Good luck
 Chris_Mellor 01 Apr 2016
In reply to Removed UserDeleted bagger:

This in spades!!!! I have had both hips resurfaced and climb lots still.
 Dave the Rave 01 Apr 2016
In reply to dgp:

> Providing the operation goes well and you follow the post operative routine - you can then look forward to many years of trouble free hill walking with no restrictions - your life back again - look forward to it ! Good luck

Untrue I'm afraid. It depends on the arthrodeses . Some consultants suggest that you should never tie shoe laces again.
 Speed Reed 01 Apr 2016
In reply to Tees Wanderer:

Hi Tees wanderer.I was diagnosed with severe osteoarthritis when I was around your age 15 years ago.I did not realise the severity of the problem until I had an x ray.I thought the pain was a groin strain! I had been suffering for years prior to this and sometimes the pain was excruciating.The original consultant didn't want to operate saying I was too young to have a hip replacement.He also told me that climbing would be out of the question.I was completely gutted at that bit of news!
A friend of mine told that I should have the operation asap as the hip problem would eventually transfer or manifest itself in my knees , other hip or back.What was the point of having a hip replacement when your body was too old and knackered to benefit from a new hip?!So I moaned to my Doctor and he handed me over to a new consultant.The new consultant (an Indian man called Mr Shah) was much more positive and I felt much more optimistic.However he did stress that although hip replacements/resurfacing is an every day operation,it still holds risks and is still quite a big operation.
So I had the operation.Resurfacing instead of replacement.Apperently it takes longer to heal/recover than a hip replacement because you can't weight the joint for 30 days or so.The consultant said the operation was a complete success.
The recovery was really painful for me but I may be a wimp!My other half helped a lot during my incapcitation I must add.I did not really follow any physio plan or regime and I think that the recovery took longer than perhaps it could have.
My job is extremely physically with lots of heavy lifting and on my feet nearly all day and I love climbing.So what happened after the operation?It took a couple of years but after that I was back climbing and working pretty much the same as well as ever with the exception that with climbing there was a definite improvement in both application and enjoyment and 10 years after the operation still going strong despite a few other injuries getting in the way.
I was in South Africa a few years ago and met a chap who had both hips done at the same time.We were doing a big hike
up some seriously steep terrain for about a week and he had the operation only 6 months beforehand and he had the pace of a fell runner.He had told me that he followed a personalised physio/fitness program religolousy.
On a negative note though I did suffer from a really bad back which was caused by imbalanced posture probably due to my bad hip.Although Stefan Vossen from Core Physiatry sorted that out.Occasionally my hip aches possibly due to cold weather but I suspect it has more to do with how I am feeling psychologiacally (upbeat or down beat!)
Apart from that the operation changed my life for the better and despite all the stick the NHS get they did a great job with my operation. I am sure that you will benefit greatly from the operation and you will have decades of hillwalking ahead of you.Best of luck.
Last words;Do the physio.
P.S Do the physio.
P.P.S Do the physio!



 Lauried 01 Apr 2016
In reply to Tees Wanderer:

I believe if you truly want to carry on hillwalking you will have no problems. I started on the stationary bike two weeks after my right hip replacement, this after having both ankles fused. I still climb, cycle and run regularly, so just take it easy until your happy but I would never listen to anybody including doctors etc who tell you can't do it
All the best
Laurie
 abbeywall 01 Apr 2016
In reply to Tees Wanderer:

My partner had a total hip replacement November 2014. First small hill on Christmas Day after 6 weeks (the first 6 weeks was pretty unpleasant) A Corbett in Kahtoola spikes a few days later. First winter climb March and Hadrians wall in May, leading the chimney pitch and top ice pitch. Plenty munros and big days, Aonach Eagach, backpacking, climbing etc since then. The consultant said he would be able to do everything he could do before. Some aches and pains along the way as stuff settled down so probably a year for that.
 Bob Kemp 02 Apr 2016
In reply to Tees Wanderer:

I had a hip replacement about six years ago. I've successfully walked and climbed since, although I've also had a knee replacement since which has inhibited things a little. 5-10 miles shouldn't be a problem.

llechwedd 02 Apr 2016
In reply to Tees Wanderer:

As others have said
Do the physio'.
Although you may recover faster than a sedentary person, do not think your pre op fitness means you don't have to do physio'.
Make sure your exercise technique emphasises the desired muscle action. Take your time with the physio to ensure this is correct. Don't let them rush you- your fitness will give you the ability to substitute other muscles, so that at a cursory glance you may appear to have no post op weakness. If you're out on the hills then, without having addressed the specific post op weakness, you're just learning to hobble more effectively.

As begin to extend your horizons- and because you appear to like big hill days, consider Pacerpoles, maintaining symmetrical lower limb use.
Tees Wanderer 03 Apr 2016
In reply to Tees Wanderer:

Thanks for the words of encouragement and I'm looking forward to getting back out in the hills. It has been a very long road to get to this point (17 years to get a correct diagnosis). My problem is something called femoror ancetabular impingement, which basically means the joints are slightly deformed and impinge/rub. Hindsight is a wonderful thing and I wish I hadn't been fobbed off for so many years to the point where both hips are now well and truly shot. I will post again when I have completed my first post op hill walk.
 Becky E 03 Apr 2016
In reply to Tees Wanderer:

My Dad, now 60, had his hip replaced about 4 years ago. He is now back to doing big days out, walking and scrambling (in the months before the op he'd been unable to manage much due to pain, and had to bail out on much shorter walks).

I think he would say his top tips are:
Do the physio exercises they give you pre-op: it helps with the recovery afterwards if the muscles around the hip are strong.
Do the exercises religiously post-op.
Work really hard at walking evenly post-op: you probably walk unevenly at the moment - you have a short window of opportunity to train yourself out of that!
The exercises/exercising post-op will feel like hard work, but the more you do it the better you will feel... a constant upwards trajectory.

Since having the op, he's found his knees have been a lot better too.

I don't think he's supposed to cross his legs - so has to be a bit careful when scrambling with that sort of move - but otherwise he seems to have a normal range of movement.

Dad's the type of chap who does his research, and therefore got himself referred to an orthopaedic surgeon who would be able to fit a ceramic surfaced (I think) hip, which tend to last longer. I'm sure you probably have, but make it really really clear to your surgeon that your hip needs to stand up to some hefty use: not just bimbling along the high street!

Good luck!
 petemeads 19 Apr 2016
In reply to Tees Wanderer:

Hi,
I assume you have found that you are not suitable for resurfacing (a Birmingham Hip)?
I have a friend who was not able to take advantage of this due to impingement but he is very happy with his total hip replacement and is sport-climbing at 6b or thereabouts.
I have osteoarthritis and was considered OK for a BHR despite my age and bone condition, I had the surgery in November 2014 and was jogging at 8 weeks, went around the Edale Skyline a couple of months later and over the first whole year managed a thousand miles on foot and 700 on my bike - with no problems from the metal hip. The other natural one is painful but not getting worse at the moment so that will get attended to in the next couple of years.
I bike with an ex-runner and mountain-marathoner whose BHR is 18 years old, I think a well-fitted device might last forever but the change to a Total hip is straightforward if you do get problems. Have a look at a site called surface hippy (no space) for more encouragement!
 alasdair19 20 Apr 2016
In reply to Tees Wanderer:
It's worth doing a search for a diploma of mountain medicine doctor to give specific advice I was helping out in one of there courses and listened to excellent presentation on joint replacements some are significantly better than others sorry can't remember details

My mum At 65 has a hip replaced and is fully active so hopefully you'll be ok a determined approach to physio is useful
Tees Wanderer 20 Apr 2016
In reply to petemeads:

Thanks Pete. I had a fairly major open hip debridement op last June in an attempt to save the joint. Similar in some respects to the resurfacing. In my case the hip was dislocated and the ball at the top of the femur was basically chiselled into a more normal shape and the overhanging pincer bits causing impingement on the socket were cut off. Eye wateringly painful post op and it hasn't worked, hence the THR. Good news is my surgery has been brought forward to this Sat (23rd - arghhhhh) - ever so slightly bricking it. Bad news is that my good hip has taken a nose dive so this will be half way. Hopefully this first replacement should enable me to get out and have some hill pottering until the next one is done, then full steam ahead!
 Kean 21 Apr 2016
In reply to Tees Wanderer:

Good luck for Saturday. Just to add, I did a big ski mountaineering day last Saturday with a 55 year old who was a total beast of a skier, both going up and down. He had a hip replacement 12 years ago.
...and...
Do the physio!
 BazVee 15 May 2016
In reply to Tees Wanderer:

Just to give you my take on this, I'm 52 and had my right hip replaced last September (8 months ago). I am now able to walk a few miles with no pain, although occasionally it feels a little sore. In the last month I have started to get back on the turbo in the garage and do a few stationary cycles. Mainly it feels OK although occasionally if I say overstretch it feels a bit odd. I am thinking I might try a slightly longer walk say 7 miles, but also conscious that getting my fitness back has been slow. I'm hoping to get out and do a little bit of gentle mountain biking in about a months time. No one has told me not to do anything just be conscious of the risks of cracking your femur.

In my health authority area there must be a lack of funding as no one I know has been given physio, I asked the consultant and was told no. All I had was a book with half a dozen exercises in them which I did for the first three months. In hindsight I perhaps should have had physio by going private.

I also know of another person who had theirs done about the same time, she regularly did long walks and 4 moths after her hip replacement walked up Cader Idris but I believe she found it very hard. I also know of someone else who tried to do too much too soon and managed to crack their femur.

My view is that post op you do what you are comfortable with, everyone recovers/rebuilds at a different pace. My initial hope was to be able to do a couple of miles without any pain, having passed that I am now building up but not going to rush, one day I'm hoping to be able to do some very low grade climbing again.

Best of luck.
Tees Wanderer 15 May 2016
In reply to BazVee:

Thanks for your views on this. As I am finding out it is a painful recovery. I'm 3 weeks post op now and using 1 crutch to get around. Nearly got off to a very bad start by fainting in hospital and taking a nasty fall. No harm appers to have been done though. I think that because hip/knee replacements seem so standard now there is a bit of a misconception about how difficult they are to get over, and the time needed. I certainly can't see me attempting any proper hill walks until at least 6/7 months, probs more. At the moment it feels like I've been kicked in the groin by a shire horse whilst someone is holding a blow torch on my backside!
 Greasy Prusiks 15 May 2016
In reply to Tees Wanderer:

That sounds unpleasant to say the least, hope you feel better soon.

Keep pushing the physio though. Bloody brilliant stuff, it's the only reason I can still use my right shoulder!
 BazVee 15 May 2016
In reply to Tees Wanderer:

> Thanks for your views on this. .... !

To be quite honest in hospital I struggled more than the bloke opposite who was 15 years my senior, I also ended up on morphine direct into the arm due to the pain and hence a bag for my wee. Made me realise that just because I was considered young didn't necessarily mean I was going to be up and about any time quick. I had mine done in the winter and was quite nervous about going very far and slipping over, as a result I tended to stay on two crutches for longer. My wife was also quite worried I would over do things.

I also got a bit depressed and a mate of mine who had suffered serious injury suggested I keep a diary so I could record progress ... although I didn't keep one for very long, that was probably one of the best bits of advice I got as it showed how far I had progressed in relatively short time.

Anyway best of luck and if you need any further advice or to share woes please get in touch.
 Andy Say 15 May 2016
In reply to CurlyStevo:

> Pretty sure one of the well known and still very active Scottish Mountain guides has had this done. Although he's a lot older than you. I have a feeling he had the hip resurface.

I was chatting to a group of active Guides, MIC's etc a while back. Out if the 12 of us we had three new hips, seven new knees and four joint fusions. And 24 walking poles!

It all catches up with you in the end BUT the stuff they can do to get you going again is amazing.

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