Author Topic: Recovery from hip injury  (Read 3254 times)

Recovery from hip injury
« on: 12 November, 2017, 05:06:37 am »
Ok. Five weeks into recovery from a slow speed tumble which resulted in a broken hip socket and cracked  'lining' of same ( sorry, don't know the technical terms). This pothole just ran out in front of me and grabbed my front wheel.
Anyway, be patient says one and all, rest eat well, heal, and I've done all that, but what next? I have a review in two weeks to hopefully upgrade me from touch weight bearing to something more adventurous and weekly hydrotherapy sessions which are wonderful, but from a cycling perspective do members  have any words of advice? ( About aiding recovery, not avoiding potholes, thanks). 
proverbs 26:11 'As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly'.....

Re: Recovery from hip injury
« Reply #1 on: 12 November, 2017, 08:46:01 am »
You don’t say whether you had an operation to fix the fracture. In any case, until you are fully weight bearing, you can do some pedalling on a turbo. Once fully weight bearing, there’s no reason why you can’t start cycling. You could also see a sports physio (privately) for some practical advice on returning to cycling.
I am often asked, what does YOAV stand for? It stands for Yoav On A Velo

Re: Recovery from hip injury
« Reply #2 on: 12 November, 2017, 09:13:37 am »
From the description sounds like yours is sig. more serious than mine was (fractured pelvis after being right-hooked). My physio's advice was stay completely off the bike until the bruising had completely gone which took 8 weeks, one further strenuous, manipulation-based check-up by him, then "see how you go" and "trust to feel". It took me quite a while to re-build fitness after 8 weeks off the bike but otherwise I was good to go after those 8 weeks. GWS.
Eddington Number = 132

Re: Recovery from hip injury
« Reply #3 on: 12 November, 2017, 09:58:54 am »
There is no reason why you cannot do core and back exercises and a good physio should understand the need for an active person to exercise. 

If you are doing touch weight bearing then superman on a ball will probably be OK and similar balance type exercises.  They will all help with recovery once you start to do weight bearing exercise again.

Good luck and God bless.

Was this a case of the Irish blessing "may the road rise to meet you"!!!




Sorry just my attempt at humour.

Re: Recovery from hip injury
« Reply #4 on: 12 November, 2017, 10:00:06 am »
don't push it. If you have actually had a fracture, you need to be aware that there are phases of bone healing and during the second phase your fracture is 'joined' by what amounts to a weakish 'glue' of cartilage  which is gradually replaced by hard bone. If you over stress the fracture during this period, you can end up with a misshapen bone; do this with a hip socket and you will be in pain when moving for the rest of your life.

So I reckon when given the all-clear to start gentle exercise you can keep up your fitness with something like swimming (I know, it wouldn't be my choice either but if you have an injury, you have an injury).
<i>Marmite slave</i>

hellymedic

  • Just do it!
Re: Recovery from hip injury
« Reply #5 on: 12 November, 2017, 10:22:11 am »
Several parishioners here have had a fractured acetabulum (that's the word you wanted).

These mostly have been the result of poor or slippery road surfaces (diesel, oil, ice, potholes) though some have been due to other road users, either directly or indirectly.

Many have been treated without surgery and have made a good recovery (including my wheelchair pusher of the travelling comedy crips' trio 53 weeks ago1).

Try and keep the rest of your body as fit as possible and return to judicious weight-bearing as your orthopaedic experts advise.

Wishing you a good recovery!

1) Me in wheelchair, #acetabulum chap partially weight-bearing, on crutches, BP blind from diabetes, making train trip from London to Taunton.

LittleWheelsandBig

  • Whimsy Rider
Re: Recovery from hip injury
« Reply #6 on: 12 November, 2017, 10:55:54 am »
It sounds like things are going well for you.  From a crash at the end of August, I was in traction for three weeks (originally told six) before flying home and on crutches till November. I was allowed on a bike at Christmas and finally rode my first 200 brevet since the crash at Easter. I finished a 1000 UAF brevet at the beginning of July and LEL at the end of the month.

Bone growth around the hip joint has opened up the minimum angle between femur and torso, so my drops have to be a little higher now. Do the physio religiously and emphasise that you are active and fit. Many rehab folk are too used to dealing with less motivated patients. Don't do stupid things, you'll be wanting to use that hip for a fair while yet.
Wheel meet again, don't know where, don't know when...

Re: Recovery from hip injury
« Reply #7 on: 14 November, 2017, 11:09:37 pm »
Thanks to all; some good stuff here and the tales of others recovery is encouraging. Yes, there is no reason I shouldn't do core exercises so have dug out the bar bells but will probably not attempt a superman just yet.
However, I will not push it and the point about cartilage was new to me. I have a very good sports physio locally and will get in touch once I am weight bearing. Long term I have decided to have a break from clipless pedals for a while. Even the usual low speed pratt fall could hurt more than just my pride next time, so I'm going to try spiky flats and FiveTens instead. I'll just have to make  a loud 'clack' noise when I set off, so I feel like a 'real' cyclist.
I have a 100 lined up for March and a 200 for the end of May. My regular cycling chum is already groaning at the prospect of me having yet another excuse for endless bar adjustment and position fettling.
Cheers
BTW I haven't had any op. It's been 'conservative treatment'.
proverbs 26:11 'As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly'.....

LittleWheelsandBig

  • Whimsy Rider
Re: Recovery from hip injury
« Reply #8 on: 16 November, 2017, 01:36:01 pm »
BTW I haven't had any op. It's been 'conservative treatment'.

Ditto. It catches my attention when a surgeon recommends against surgery.
Wheel meet again, don't know where, don't know when...

Re: Recovery from hip injury
« Reply #9 on: 16 November, 2017, 02:16:44 pm »
Be careful.
My right hip is arthritic because I weight-bore too soon after a posterial dislocation (years ago) which didn't break anything but smashed through the lining. (Synovial membrane is what Dr Google calls that)

Re: Recovery from hip injury
« Reply #10 on: 19 June, 2018, 08:15:32 pm »
Anyone had a hip replacement recently? If so, how long was it before all of their scar tissue
(from the incision) disappeared?

hellymedic

  • Just do it!
Re: Recovery from hip injury
« Reply #11 on: 22 June, 2018, 12:56:53 pm »
Scars never disappear.

Scars remodel and mature over three months to two years following surgery.

Re: Recovery from hip injury
« Reply #12 on: 22 June, 2018, 03:59:03 pm »
Anyone had a hip replacement recently? If so, how long was it before all of their scar tissue
(from the incision) disappeared?

Helly is correct of course. My wife has had two, and has two different scars, one straight and one curved - depends on whether the muscles are cut, or prised apart apparently. They’ve both faded to pale strips about 5-10mm wide. The most recent is 4 years old, the other 7.
We are making a New World (Paul Nash, 1918)

Re: Recovery from hip injury
« Reply #13 on: 22 June, 2018, 08:48:48 pm »
Anyone had a hip replacement recently? If so, how long was it before all of their scar tissue
(from the incision) disappeared?

Helly is correct of course. My wife has had two, and has two different scars, one straight and one curved - depends on whether the muscles are cut, or prised apart apparently. They’ve both faded to pale strips about 5-10mm wide. The most recent is 4 years old, the other 7.
I'm not referring to the scar; it's the swelling underneath (which is still painful and restricting my movement) which is what I was led to believe is scar tissue.

hellymedic

  • Just do it!
Re: Recovery from hip injury
« Reply #14 on: 22 June, 2018, 09:20:10 pm »
I think folk are talking at crossed purposes here.
Scar tissue is fibrous and permanent in my understanding.
Bruised, swollen tissues and collections of blood and exudate are not scars and will be resorbed in the weeks and months after surgery. Some forms of physiotherapy may speed this absorption and break down adhesions.

Re: Recovery from hip injury
« Reply #15 on: 23 June, 2018, 04:44:56 pm »
I think folk are talking at crossed purposes here.
Scar tissue is fibrous and permanent in my understanding.
Bruised, swollen tissues and collections of blood and exudate are not scars and will be resorbed in the weeks and months after surgery. Some forms of physiotherapy may speed this absorption and break down adhesions.
Scar tissue was referred to my by the consultant surgeon who operated on me and the physio
treating me as the bruised, swollen tissues that you mention, and that they can be reduced.

Re: Recovery from hip injury
« Reply #16 on: 23 June, 2018, 05:52:21 pm »
My wife was recommended to massage the area with bio-oil. It’s probably the massage rather than the oil that does the job. Neither of her op sites were particularly swollen or bruised tho. But they were painful!
We are making a New World (Paul Nash, 1918)

Re: Recovery from hip injury
« Reply #17 on: 23 June, 2018, 06:17:21 pm »
I can cup my hand over the swelling on my hip. The physio also recommended bio-oil. Did it help her?

Re: Recovery from hip injury
« Reply #18 on: 23 June, 2018, 07:16:28 pm »
It did, as did massaging arnica into the site.
We are making a New World (Paul Nash, 1918)

Re: Recovery from hip injury
« Reply #19 on: 24 June, 2018, 08:56:58 am »
How long did it take for the bio oil remedy to work?