👯‍♀️👯‍♀️Hips and Knees part 4 👯‍♀️👯‍♀️

I am bumping this up for another 24 hours.

Oh good 👍

I had steroid injections in both hips last week. The arthritis is still there but the tendinitis has gone which is such a relief! Sleeping is so much easier.
In an attempt to get my surgery in the hub at our hospital I am working hard to lose weight. A very low carb diet is working - 1 stone 4 lbs in 7 weeks. The problem is low carbs = cramp! I’m now taking electrolytes to see if they help.
My friend has had her THR date on 19th cancelled and it won’t be before January. She’s been waiting about 18 months. A very disappointed person.

I stone 4 in 7 weeks is a lot to lose in such a short space of time. Hope the injections help and it’s not too long a wait.
Well done.

Welcome Hammo. There is so much information on this thread which is about to go into its 5 th iteration.

I just wish we showed on the Active page when posting. We just don’t

Unless we post at least 4 consecutive messages ….and send!

Yep, 4 works.

Hello knees! 1. If you want to keep knee dry while showering put cling wrap round knee.
2. Use a flannel as a mini towel to dry off knee if needed.
3. A piece of spare laminate floor board is excellent to do sliding exercises on.

When I had my first shower after a knee replacement I placed the stool where I could put my leg outside the shower. I obviously could not shower properly but used the hose and being careful the water was contained in the shower! Not ideal but it suited me.

Confused about how much walking I should be doing after 3 weeks post THR. Some resources suggest I should already be doing 30- 40 minutes a day; others say that's too much. I did 2Km yesterday with crutches and it took me 40 minutes and I then slept for an hour! I do feel a little sore always, but the long walk didn't make me feel sore-er. Should I be walking 40 minutes, or do they actually mean 40 minutes as a daily total ie including pottering round the house?

I ought to add that pre hip surgery I was a regular runner so was pretty fit, but I know that now 'all bets are off', so it all depends on my body's reactions (iyswim)

If you need crutches you should dealing got 40 minutes at a time.
Don't go with other people's 'shoulds' be guided by your own body. No point in depleting your energy. Little and often should do the trick. It's a marathon not a sprint.

That you should not be walking 40 at a time

You can build up to what feels ok for you. My first walk a week post op was to the post box 5 houses away. Never thought I Woukd make it, it seemed so far, but then next time went a bit further and gradually increased to a couple of miles but always remembering not to go too far on the outward journey as I had to get back.
I never had crutches but used two sticks.

Good point. I always went for circular routes!

40 minutes in one go and 3 weeks post-op seems to me to be overdoing it. As somebody said, little and often.

I feel sorry for your DH as I am sure he wants you to slow down and not wear out this poor hip in under 3 months and more to the point, act normally!

You are fortunate to be a lot fitter than most of us with all the running you did pre-surgery.

I used to do a lot of running too - that's what landed me with two new knees and a new hip! Runners beware.

The furthest I have run, except at school, was for a bus. My job caused me to need two knees and, in the near future, a new hip.

I don’t remember ever running, apart from once after my then 2 year old gs who gave me a run for my money. I caught up eventually!

I love Aquafit. We go through the full range of movement for all the joints but are supported by the water. However, we're also pushing against the deep water pressure so it's good cardio activity. I want to keep my new knees and hip for as long as possible!

Do you still need crutches, ftm420? I had walking sticks immediately post op (that's what the hospital sent me home with) and by 3 weeks was managing very short stints without them. I would have thought that the crutches would make walking more difficult, but obviously I don't know.

I'd go with the advice of the others, do your walking in short bursts and build up gradually. Split that 40 mins into 10 minute stints, say, and rest in between.

Keep doing any strengthening exercises you may have been given, but remember that any muscle damage will repair in its own good time, you can't speed up the process.

Finallly found out what is causing the pain in my right knee, replaced 8 years ago- consequences of a terrible car accident in 1970. It was VERY painful at times this Summer and could not bend it. Much better know, just minor discomfort.

Sadly, nothing can be done and physio would not help. Just have to keep walking, moving and using reclining indoor bike and stepper to keep muscles strong. The tendon under the kneecap is atrophied and shortened because of this- and the knee cap is pulled down and rubs. I have been shown how to use acupressure in two hollows below knee, pulling up and rotating knees, to ease pain out if it flares up again.

Nearly lost my leg altogether 54 years ago- so I will have to accept this and keep moving and keep muscles strong, and hope it won't flare up again.

Forgot to say other knee replacement is totally fine, no pain, full movement - hurrah.

Has anyone else had this particular problem?

If I sleep on my back with my legs stretched out flat I tend to wake up with the knee joint very stiff.

I can bend the knee then but it is very painful to do so - although this wears off within a few minutes and I go back to sleep.

I have been doing squats recently to improve my knee as it has been a little twingy over the past while and so maybe that is why the last time this thing happened at night it was much more painful than usual.
(lasted 10-15 minutes)

It feels that the muscles behind the knee may be too tight.

(I normally sleep on the side and never wake up with a stiff/sore knee when I do that .But I do like to sleep on the back -if I could!)