What the doctor said
Katheryn of Houston, TX emailed to ask, "Did your doctor(s) totally forbid running and you did so anyway?" Kathryn was an avid runner but a hip replacement is imminent. She says her orthopedist "is aware that I intend to return to running and has endorsed that goal, so long as I am patient and take it very slowly."Thanks for the email Kathryn and for agreeing to let me answer this question and your other queries in the next few posts.
Did your doctor(s) totally forbid running and you did so anyway?
My orthopaedic surgeon, Helen Tobin, was fantastic and I cannot speak more highly of her. Her advice to me, and the advice of her fellow specialists, was that I should avoid running. I was given the list of not-do's that you are probably familiar with including tennis, badminton, squash, jumping, football, jogging and surfing. Any activity that involves impact stress to the joint.
Use it
On the other hand Helen looked me in the eye and stressed that an inactive hip replacement would be wasted, especially in someone who had previously been very active. They had given me a new hip and expected me to USE IT. One of the doctors pointed out that his colleague continued to surf after a hip replacement as he was very experienced and passionate about the sport. But as responsible professionals that was NOT what they were advising.Running was definitely out of the question while I was in recuperation anyway so it was easy to comply. I put it aside and worked hard at getting back into shape at the gym and walking with trekking poles. It wasn't until I felt strong and confident walking trails in the hills that I even considered running again.
Not like father like son
I was doubly cautious about a return to running because in the back of my mind lurked my father's disastrous THR experience decades earlier. He had felt so empowered after his hip replacement that he promptly started running (jogging) around the local sports field. His implant failed and I remember the disappointment when he realised he would be facing revision surgery. I did not want that to happen to me.In summary
So Kathryn, yes I did run despite the advice of my surgeon but I followed the advice of your orthopedist, I was and am very patient and I still take it very slowly. It was a long, careful journey back to running and there are no short cuts that I am aware of.The hardest part is not knowing what is possible. The most rewarding part is finding out what is.
In our next post I'll tackle Kathryn's 2nd question, "How long did it take between your surgery and the first steps you were able to run?"
