I have been to 5 hydrotherapy sessions which have been really great. A warm deep pool in which do simple exercises but with the support of the water. I have been pleased with how much quicker I have progressed compared to hip #1. The range of motion is as good as, if not better than, that hip already. I seem to be having more trouble with balance when I am exercising, and I can feel the weakness of my muscle on the outside of my thigh which I think is causing that. Whilst the Hydro sessions are great, the whole process of getting there has been pretty tiring, and some evenings, required a lot of motivation to get there. The sessions are only run from 6pm, in the evenings, and are in the middle of Bristol City, which is a 30-40 minute drive on a good day. Going to the hydro sessions at this time of year in the dark, and usually rain, battling rush hour traffic has been a bit gruelling and often takes me at least and hour to get the hospital. I then have to park my car in the multi story and get the little shuttle bus to the main building where the hydrotherapy centre is.
Since my last post at 10 weeks post op, when my physio was concerned I was not doing my exercises enough, I have put a lot of effort into them. I made my self a chart so I could record what physio exercises, how much walking and what other activities I have done each done.
I have been doing 30-40 minutes of exercises 5 mornings a week at home. Consisting of:
2 Yoga Sun Salutations
Plank for 10-20 seconds
Then, lying in my back, using the resistance band to stretch hamstrings and inner thigh muscles, 10 lots of leg raises, 10 lots of knee to chest (almost) again using the resistance band.
3 sets of 15 clam shells, single leg bridges, knee lifts (lying on front) - these exercises are specifically to help strengthen my glutes.
On the Swiss ball I have been doing pelvic tilts, single leg lifts. Standing I have been doing single leg squats (holding on to wall) and full squats using the Swiss ball between my back and wall as support.
It has all been rather boring, especially the repetition of the glute exercises, but I have stuck at it and challenged myself to just get on and do it, even when I didn't want to. And I have seen the benefits for sure. Most notably in riding my horse, which I have now done twice! Getting up into the saddle was a challenge , and the actual moment when all the weight is through my left (op) leg as I swing the other leg over is not very nice, as that is also the point that the hip must also rotate in the hip sockets and your body twists from facing the horse to being astride. But once there, it felt great, and I can feel a real difference in how my leg fall from my hip against my horses sides. I have only ridden for 5-10 minutes both times, in walk, around the schooling arena. But it felt good and the more I do it, the better things will be. I can only ride when my husband is present at the moment which is why I haven't ridden as often as I would have liked but I hope in the next few weeks I can progress to riding on my own and get a few more sessions in.
It terms of my physio sessions, which have been once a week, I haven't yet progressed to any gym equipment as my back has been a bit of an issue. I have had trouble with my lower back, as well and mid back, locking up and going into spasm. So my physio appointment for the last 4 weeks have been about keep my back going. She has done acupuncture and massage which does help. It is just frustrating that my back is actually now holding back the progress of my hip strength rehab. I hope that this week it can behave itself so that at my appointment Friday we can get in the gym.
I have an appointment on Thursday with lady that is a physiotherapist but also teaches pilates, combining the two. I did enjoy Pilates when I used to go classes so I hoping that after the initial session with her, I will be able to go and Pilates once a week.
I have been back to Yoga class! That felt like a real box ticked when I went last Thursday as I was really upset at my last one before my op as I didn't know when I would be able to make it back. I had thought maybe February so I beatt myself to it by one week! I have gone back in the beginners class since she the pace is much slower and it it is easier for me to keep up as it can take me a while to transition between poses, but I did it, with only a handful of things I can do properly yet. The main one being sitting cross legged, So I have a big support cushion wedged under my op leg knee to support it when we are doing seated poses.
What else?
I have gone back to doing much more with the horses, mucking out a few time a week as well as leading them to and from their paddocks. My husband is still going down at 6am to turn them out but I often going down later in the day to muck out etc, and then we go together when he get back from work to bring them in, exercise Charlie Brown (Misty is retired) and feed. So I am glad to back playing an active role in that.
Work wise and pretty much back full time. I have got nearly all my dog walks back from my helper which means I individually walk 2 or 3 dogs a day for half an hour. I am still using a walking pole whilst doing that but it is going well. Some days my legs do feel like jelly but my hip seems to be behaving well.
So overall, things are pretty good. I am having my good days than bad. When I do have a bad day, I tend be extremely fatigued, ache all over and generally feel like a pile of crap. But I am learning to be nicer to myself on those days and take time to have a rest and not be to despondent and the next day should be better.
Sleep is still a bit hit and miss. Most of my hip and back pain seems to come at night as soon as I lay down in bed. The ammitryptaline I take for nerve pain does usually help me get off to sleep but some nights I just cant get comfortable at all and am way till 1/2am. There is something really depressing about feeling so uncomfortable in bed, the place we are supposed to be comfortable and get rest.
Thinking about how different my two recoveries have been, I think this one has been very much a waiting game, waiting for things to heal and get stronger so that I can move on the next stage. When I had my first hip done, I was in a bad place physically & emotionally, having dealt with back and hip pain for 10years, my body and mind were very tired and sore. I also didn't know what to expect from surgery or recovery and what the future would hold. I was dealing with the very real possibly that if this surgery did not help me, I would be looking at not being able to work any more, and also not being able to ride my horse.
Having made it through that first recovery which was really hard due to my emotional state the weakness of my body, I did have some very good, practically pain free times, which gave me a glimpse of what life could be like I got hip 2 fixed. I also did a lot Pilates & yoga between the 2 ops,so my body was much stronger to start with when this 2nd op came around.
I think that is it for my 12/13 week update. Things are still headed in the right direction, and as I said at the start, now beings my task of seeing just how fit and strong I can make myself.
