Developing a plan to run after a hip replacement

Creating your own path through hip surgery rehab

There is no silver bullet guaranteed to have you running 3 months, a year or at all after your hip replacement. But developing a plan will help you stay proactive and motivated during your recuperation while you focus on your ultimate goal: A return to running.

The journey from walking with crutches to running on your favourite routes is likely to be full of unexpected set-backs, disappointments and triumphs, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t set goals and make a plan. The more positive, flexible and creative you are during your recuperation the better your chances of getting where you want to be. Creating a plan is a good start, but be prepared to revise and re-draft your plan as your journey unfolds.

Set a target after your hip replacement surgery

As I lay in hospital after my hip surgery I was sure that my running days were over - my specialist had advised me not to run on my new implant and suggested alternatives. I had plenty of time to think about how to adjust and decided to create a non-running training schedule. I wrote down a list of targets:

1. Walk with crutches 
2. Walk outside with crutches 
3. Walk with trekking poles 
4. Climb to the top of Belmont Trig with Trekking Poles 

Work the plan

Belmont Trig had been my favourite running peak and climbing to the top seemed pretty ambitious as I took my painkillers and adjusted the bed sheets.

The next day as I carefully negotiated the hospital stairs on my crutches and stood on the top landing I thought about the view from the Trig. It seemed a long way off but kept me focused as I turned and began the climb down. As far as I was concerned I had started training and I had already met target 1.

Tinhip tip: Make a plan. There’s no guarantee you will be able to run freely again, but staying motivated and preparing for the best will give you the best shot. 

Think big after your hip replacement

If I knew then what I know now I would have been more open to the idea that running was still possible and my plan may have looked something like this:

1. Walk with crutches 
2. Walk outside with crutches 
3. Walk easy flat routes with trekking poles 
4. Walk easy flat routes without trekking poles 
5. Walk up Belmont Trig with trekking poles 
6. Walk up Belmont Trig without trekking poles but down with poles 
7. Walk up and down Belmont Trig without trekking poles 
8. Run up Belmont Trig and walk down (if necessary with poles) 
9. Run up and down all my favourite trails and hills again 
10. Run, run, run!

Being ambitious can help you stay mentally positive and motivation is a great elixir. If you don’t already have a plan, create one now and write it down. You don’t have to share it with anyone and you may not be able to stick to it as none of us can be sure of what’s around the corner, but that’s not the point. If you are already part way through your recuperation then write down the plan you might have created on your hospital bed after the operation and celebrate your achievements, no matter how small.

Reasons to celebrate during your running rehab

As I say, following a plan can bring structure to your recovery and help you mark progress. Your targets also offer cause for celebration as you achieve them. I’ll never forget walking my training route for the first time without poles and later, my first running steps on a steep gravel trail in a local park.

A moment ago I said “as you achieve them”, but perhaps I’d have been better to say “if”. There’s no guarantee you’ll be able to run freely again for any number of reasons, but until you get to step 7 stay positive and prepare for the best. Think long term as the journey may be swift or longer than hoped for, or interrupted by periods of regression. You will have to decide when and if to progress to the next step or stop where you are.

Hip replacement: Challenge, disappointment and victory 

The challenges, disappointments, victories and unexpected twists and turns during your recovery may sometimes feel out of your control. But following a clear path and staying proactive and motivated during your recuperation will help you stay focused on your goal: A return to running.

In our next post we'll look at why it's a good idea to use your head before your hip.