Re-evaluate your weight

If you put on weight before your hip replacement you’re not alone

Carrying extra weight during your recovery will increase the stress on your hip and decrease your chances of running again. Of course losing weight is easier said than done but  if you are over-weight your hip won’t like it and will tell you every step of the run.

The pain of hip degeneration stops many runners in their tracks and although anti-inflammatory medications bring some pain relief they have their limitations. For many runners immobility means reduced calorie burn and if you don't adjust your diet the kilos will pile on.

Some weighty hip replacement research

You may be frustrated by your weight-gain but take heart from a Mount Sinai School of Medicine study published in Orthopedics in 2010.

Michael Bronson MD

The study found that 20% of hip and knee replacement patients lose weight after surgery. The study's senior author Michael Bronson MD stated "Both total knee and hip patients experienced a statistically and clinically significant corrected weight loss following surgery, which indicates a healthier overall lifestyle."

On the other hand here’s a warning

Another study published in 2006 in the journal Surgeon, found that most people who were not obese before knee or hip surgery had gained an average of 10 pounds three years after their joint replacement. How come?

“People who had arthritis were much heavier to begin with and after surgery stayed heavier and continued to gain weight,” says Joseph Zeni, Jr., PhD, a physical therapist and research assistant professor at University of Delaware in Newark. She thinks many patients stop exercising because of the pain and then never get back into the habit after surgery.

Lynn Snyder-Mackler

According to Lynn Snyder-Mackler, a certified sports physical therapist and athletic trainer at the University of Delaware Department of Physical Therapy, the way joint replacement is approached at the moment is to tell patients to wait until they can’t stand it anymore to have their joint replaced and many times this means people are very sedentary for a very long time.

Snyder-Mackler says, “The curve to get back on the wagon and start exercising again takes a lot of time.” So create your plan and start ‘training’ as soon as possible after surgery. Staying motivated is key.

Tinhip tip:  Be realistic and if necessary add weight loss to your pre-surgery goals.

Will your hip implant weigh you down while running?

A runner once suggested to me that his excess weight might be due to his new metal implant. If you’re wondering how heavy your prosthesis is, after all you’re going to be lugging it around from now on, it’s around 250-300gms (9-10½ ozs). I guess that’s the weight of a half full water bottle, or half empty if you are that way inclined. Titanium is lighter.

Our next post looks at what runners can do to develop hip, core and leg muscles prior to hip replacement surgery .