Reached a plateau after a hip replacement

Stansgran it takes around a year for a new hip to reach its full potential and that does not include mountain climbing or road running. Take each day at your pace and if possible ignore your other half. He is the one who would have to look after you if you dislocated your hip because he was pushing you to do too much.

Please do not let him push you through the pain barrier- it is not worth it. Also remind him that you have had major surgery. I think that you are doing well. Please ask the physio if you have any questions and I am sure that she would agree with what has been said already. Take care.

Good luck Stansgran and take care. Just to say I agree with others who have emphasised that recovery is very different for each of us after the op, and that it doesn't seem a good idea to push past the pain. One of my hospital physios said that you'll know when you have done too much if there are more aches and pains next day, and therefore to ease off. For me, 11 weeks post op, the main residual effect is that I am simply more tired generally, especially if I've been standing a lot, so I tend to sit down when I do things like chopping veg, etc. I try to have a walk everyday or if not (horribly wet here yesterday) use our exercise bike. But I can't walk for nearly as long as I used to without getting achey. Also I'm aware of warning twinges with some (accidental) twisting or pivoting movements. I did drive quite early (DH doesn't), the thing here is not so much the normal driving movements but whether you can safely do an emergency stop, so I practicised that when stationary and wouldn't go out till I felt comfortable with it.

I didn't get to drive today as I had planned. I was stashing things in the boot of the car and the wind blew the door shut on me so I'm a bit sore at the moment. Thank you again for the replies. I have a good physio who will finish with me next week so I think I might go down the water physio route.

Stansgran MrA had a hip replacement at the beginning of September, was able to stop taking all painkillers after 3 weeks and has had virtually no pain or discomfort since then.
He did the exercises recommended by the hospital and gradually increased the amount of walking he did so that now he tries to walk a couple of miles a day. However, he has only just managed to dispense with the sock-putter-on thingie and still can't cut his own toe nails, so there is some residual stiffness there.
The hospital didn't recommend any further exercises so we got a private physio to come to the house and she recommended specific exercises for him - they take at least 45 minutes a day
I really don't think you should be trying to breach any pain barriers. You risk setting up inflammation in the soft tissues which would give you more pain, make it harder for you to exercise and delay the muscles repairing themselves. I think the idea is to do as much exercise as you can, without pain, to gradually strengthen your muscles, so that you do even more things without pain, IYSWIM.
I think because hip replacements are so common, there's a tendency to forget that they are major surgery and everyone will recover at different speeds.
I don't think you should go away anywhere until you feel confident and ready for it. Perhaps you could get a review with the physio if you're worried?
Hope that helps.

I think it is true that different people progress at different rates and there is no need to feel despondent or worry that something is amiss after 12 weeks. But it is important to go back if you are concerned just to check it out.

I a sorry to hear your OH's "enthusiasm has worn off" - he does not have the pain - you do!

Almost exactly a year ago I was just out of hospital after my hip replacement, and it has caused me no problems whatever! I had a bit of a problem with the knee replacement, done eight months earlier, objecting a bit, but built up my walking day by day (Nordic poles are great, BTW) I tramped round cities and places in Australia quite well in Ocotber. Slowly, maybe, but I was never fast...?

I do think that if you are still in pain, Stansgran it might be worth asking for some physiotherapy, or another X ray. But it's your body, and you know how it feels - something I had to point our gently to Theseus....

I have also been given some exercises to do in water and I do hope to find a moment to get to the pool, especially as you have had such benefit Regalo.

Thank you for all the replies. As I see it from these replies we all have different stages of progress. . I'm going to get in the car and drive tomorrow I think. I had all the chairs etc until today because they have a backlog to collect. I think DH is really keen to go on holiday and thinks I'm stalling. He was brilliant at the beginning but enthusiasm has worn off. I hear clunks and scrunches as I have a bad knee as well.i can't sit too long either. I just want to feel normal.

Interesting to hear you have clunks and clicks Luckgirl....I do too. I had mine done 15 months ago and it is only recently that I can say that the pain has reduced but I can't claim to be pain free. Never go over the pain threshold ...pain is a warning that needs to be heeded. Interestingly my consultant told me (after the hip had been done!) that the younger you are (i was 58) the more aggressively your body can react and older people recover more quickly. I hit a wall round about 8 weeks when I just didn't seem to be moving on. What I would strongly recommend is rehabilitation in water. I went to a hydro pool and strengthened the joint with the water support... I felt more confident doing that than doing the exercises on dry land . I now do aqua aerobics regularly. You need to be careful on the bending Stansgran as you may be over stretching the new joint. I find even now that I have to be careful in positions such as raising my foot on a chair to cut toe nails as I get strange clunking noises. I would query the driving as most people can drive at 6 weeks. I stopped all sticks, raised toilet seat etc at 6 weeks.
It might be worth looking to get some physio with a practitioner who uses water therapy...I really can't recommend it highly enough. Message me if you have any other queries...more than happy to feedback from my experience.

I have to be honest with you - I had my hip replacement in September 2014 and I still have pain - a lot of pain - in my groin, down my leg, and in the joint itself. It also clicks and clunks. I am having a course of physio again to try and address the problems. On x-ray the hip is structurally sound, so that is good, but functionally it is not good. I have a problem with a broken foot on the other side and this obviously does not help.

12 weeks is very early as far as I am concerned.

Definitely don't breach any pain barriers, Stansgran. Are you still getting a lot of pain? I had my THR almost a year ago and have had virtually no pain from it since the very early days, so I would have thought that at 3 months you should be more or less pain free, perhaps a few twinges now and again if you either sit for too long or overdo the exercise. If your consultant said you are doing ok, though, then I think you must be doing ok. We are all different in our healing times after all. I was told it was very important to keep up the exercises from the hospital exercise sheet and to walk as much as possible. I used to do a short walk every day and still walk for half an hour on most days. Don't sit worrying about it but go and see your GP or the surgery nurse if you have concerns. TBH, if your consultant says you are doing well I would ignore what your DH says. I expect he's anxious for you to be completely well again but these things take time and he'll have to be patient!

My husband was always trying to get me to "push past the pain barrier." But he's like that.
As we live in a quiet country area I tried to walk every day, a little further each day.
Kept one crutch for a few months, until I was staying with eldest son & fam. and his F in Law said to me "you don't need that crutch any more".
So I stopped using it.
Aim for a small bit of progress every day, at your own pace. We're all different.

Stansgran....don't know if I can really help you...I had my hip replaced in 2010, discharged from hospital and told to walk etc....which I did religiously every day... I'm not certain about going over the pain wall I would have thought that the consultant could advise on this...I don't think you should overdo it .why does DH think you need more exercise...are you driving?? and taking a daily walk??? doesn't have to be for hours...Sorry I can't be more helpful.

Hospital have been pleased with me when I've been back for check ups , don't walk with any limp.

Can't really help Stansgran I wasn't still in pain at 12wks I was back at work and driving quite a lot by then. What sort of pain are you still getting ?