Re: Has anyone else been on crutches for 10+ weeks?

[Guest guest]

Walking without a cane or crutch too soon will get you one thing...a

darned nice limp.

My PT advised me that while I was using a cane, I should employ the

following guidelines: If I felt like I could crack a walnut with the

pressure on which I was leaning on my cane. He said, " Imagine a

mosquito between your hand and the cane handle. If you can use it

without flexing the mosquito's legs, its time to ditch the cane. "

Keepyerchinnup,

Captain Amaze_O (Mont, C+, 12-17-01)

> Hi, I am almost 10 weeks post-op, and I seem to have hit a plateau

> for the last 4 - 6 weeks. I am still on one crutch because without

> it, I limp and have mild pain as I step on the operated side. I

> have been exercising in the water and on land, but I'm concerned

> that I still need a crutch. Has this happened to anyone else? Any

> suggestions?

> Thanks,

> Susie

[Guest guest]

>

>Hi, I am almost 10 weeks post-op, and I seem to have hit a plateau

>for the last 4 - 6 weeks. I am still on one crutch because without

>it, I limp and have mild pain as I step on the operated side. I

>have been exercising in the water and on land, but I'm concerned

>that I still need a crutch. Has this happened to anyone else?

Susie,

You have a LONG way to go to beat my record. I was on crutches for seven

months! Took my muscles that long to learn how to behave and walk even

semi-normally. I also had two tendon releases and a major leg lengthening

which took my brain awhile to get used to it all. It will take exactly as

long as it takes for you to heal, not a moment more or less. Keep doing

your exercises and lots of walking. I ditched the crutches only when I

could walk normally with them, then switched to a cane, and used that for

another few months. I am now limp-free for the first time EVER.

Cindy

C+ 5/25/01 and 6/28/01

[Guest guest]

>

>Hi, I am almost 10 weeks post-op, and I seem to have hit a plateau

>for the last 4 - 6 weeks. I am still on one crutch because without

>it, I limp and have mild pain as I step on the operated side. I

>have been exercising in the water and on land, but I'm concerned

>that I still need a crutch. Has this happened to anyone else?

Susie,

You have a LONG way to go to beat my record. I was on crutches for seven

months! Took my muscles that long to learn how to behave and walk even

semi-normally. I also had two tendon releases and a major leg lengthening

which took my brain awhile to get used to it all. It will take exactly as

long as it takes for you to heal, not a moment more or less. Keep doing

your exercises and lots of walking. I ditched the crutches only when I

could walk normally with them, then switched to a cane, and used that for

another few months. I am now limp-free for the first time EVER.

Cindy

C+ 5/25/01 and 6/28/01

[Guest guest]

That mosquito thing creates a great picture in my mind--I'll keep

that in mind. You're right, I don't walk without the crutch!

Thanks for your thoughts!

Susie

> > Hi, I am almost 10 weeks post-op, and I seem to have hit a

plateau

> > for the last 4 - 6 weeks. I am still on one crutch because

without

> > it, I limp and have mild pain as I step on the operated side. I

> > have been exercising in the water and on land, but I'm concerned

> > that I still need a crutch. Has this happened to anyone else?

Any

> > suggestions?

> > Thanks,

> > Susie

[Guest guest]

That mosquito thing creates a great picture in my mind--I'll keep

that in mind. You're right, I don't walk without the crutch!

Thanks for your thoughts!

Susie

> > Hi, I am almost 10 weeks post-op, and I seem to have hit a

plateau

> > for the last 4 - 6 weeks. I am still on one crutch because

without

> > it, I limp and have mild pain as I step on the operated side. I

> > have been exercising in the water and on land, but I'm concerned

> > that I still need a crutch. Has this happened to anyone else?

Any

> > suggestions?

> > Thanks,

> > Susie

[Guest guest]

That mosquito thing creates a great picture in my mind--I'll keep

that in mind. You're right, I don't walk without the crutch!

Thanks for your thoughts!

Susie

> > Hi, I am almost 10 weeks post-op, and I seem to have hit a

plateau

> > for the last 4 - 6 weeks. I am still on one crutch because

without

> > it, I limp and have mild pain as I step on the operated side. I

> > have been exercising in the water and on land, but I'm concerned

> > that I still need a crutch. Has this happened to anyone else?

Any

> > suggestions?

> > Thanks,

> > Susie

[Guest guest]

Dear Cindy,

Thanks for your reply. I was under the impression that everyone

else had gotten rid of the crutches by about 7 weeks. I know that I

have to relearn to walk, because I lived 50 years with progressive

hip dysplasia. I was in very bad shape, on crutches and in a lot of

pain before surgery, and I walked in a very weird way with my bad

leg kicked out to the side. So I know I have to relearn to walk,

but I guess I thought the pain should be gone by now.

What is a tendon release?

Thanks for sharing your experience!

Susie

>

> >

> >Hi, I am almost 10 weeks post-op, and I seem to have hit a plateau

> >for the last 4 - 6 weeks. I am still on one crutch because

without

> >it, I limp and have mild pain as I step on the operated side. I

> >have been exercising in the water and on land, but I'm concerned

> >that I still need a crutch. Has this happened to anyone else?

>

> Susie,

>

> You have a LONG way to go to beat my record. I was on crutches

for seven

> months! Took my muscles that long to learn how to behave and walk

even

> semi-normally. I also had two tendon releases and a major leg

lengthening

> which took my brain awhile to get used to it all. It will take

exactly as

> long as it takes for you to heal, not a moment more or less. Keep

doing

> your exercises and lots of walking. I ditched the crutches only

when I

> could walk normally with them, then switched to a cane, and used

that for

> another few months. I am now limp-free for the first time EVER.

>

> Cindy

> C+ 5/25/01 and 6/28/01

[Guest guest]

Susie, and anyone else,

When I was in recovery, I followed the advice of Gaynor. He

said to use a treadmill at .5 mph, which is very slow. You have the

support of holding on to the bars and the advantage of being able to

equalize your body and train it at a slow pace. Try to feel each side

the same way.

Eventually you can graduate to higher speeds and then to an

elliptical machine, recommended my my followup, Dr. Schmalzreid. When

I first tried the latter, I could do only 5 minutes, and that was at

about 3 months I think. It keeps getting better.

Isara, BHR July 2002, DeSmet

> >

> > >

> > >Hi, I am almost 10 weeks post-op, and I seem to have hit a

plateau

> > >for the last 4 - 6 weeks. I am still on one crutch because

> without

> > >it, I limp and have mild pain as I step on the operated side. I

> > >have been exercising in the water and on land, but I'm concerned

> > >that I still need a crutch. Has this happened to anyone else?

> >

> > Susie,

> >

> > You have a LONG way to go to beat my record. I was on crutches

> for seven

> > months! Took my muscles that long to learn how to behave and

walk

> even

> > semi-normally. I also had two tendon releases and a major leg

> lengthening

> > which took my brain awhile to get used to it all. It will take

> exactly as

> > long as it takes for you to heal, not a moment more or less.

Keep

> doing

> > your exercises and lots of walking. I ditched the crutches only

> when I

> > could walk normally with them, then switched to a cane, and used

> that for

> > another few months. I am now limp-free for the first time EVER.

> >

> > Cindy

> > C+ 5/25/01 and 6/28/01

[Guest guest]

Susie, and anyone else,

When I was in recovery, I followed the advice of Gaynor. He

said to use a treadmill at .5 mph, which is very slow. You have the

support of holding on to the bars and the advantage of being able to

equalize your body and train it at a slow pace. Try to feel each side

the same way.

Eventually you can graduate to higher speeds and then to an

elliptical machine, recommended my my followup, Dr. Schmalzreid. When

I first tried the latter, I could do only 5 minutes, and that was at

about 3 months I think. It keeps getting better.

Isara, BHR July 2002, DeSmet

> >

> > >

> > >Hi, I am almost 10 weeks post-op, and I seem to have hit a

plateau

> > >for the last 4 - 6 weeks. I am still on one crutch because

> without

> > >it, I limp and have mild pain as I step on the operated side. I

> > >have been exercising in the water and on land, but I'm concerned

> > >that I still need a crutch. Has this happened to anyone else?

> >

> > Susie,

> >

> > You have a LONG way to go to beat my record. I was on crutches

> for seven

> > months! Took my muscles that long to learn how to behave and

walk

> even

> > semi-normally. I also had two tendon releases and a major leg

> lengthening

> > which took my brain awhile to get used to it all. It will take

> exactly as

> > long as it takes for you to heal, not a moment more or less.

Keep

> doing

> > your exercises and lots of walking. I ditched the crutches only

> when I

> > could walk normally with them, then switched to a cane, and used

> that for

> > another few months. I am now limp-free for the first time EVER.

> >

> > Cindy

> > C+ 5/25/01 and 6/28/01

[Guest guest]

Susie, and anyone else,

When I was in recovery, I followed the advice of Gaynor. He

said to use a treadmill at .5 mph, which is very slow. You have the

support of holding on to the bars and the advantage of being able to

equalize your body and train it at a slow pace. Try to feel each side

the same way.

Eventually you can graduate to higher speeds and then to an

elliptical machine, recommended my my followup, Dr. Schmalzreid. When

I first tried the latter, I could do only 5 minutes, and that was at

about 3 months I think. It keeps getting better.

Isara, BHR July 2002, DeSmet

> >

> > >

> > >Hi, I am almost 10 weeks post-op, and I seem to have hit a

plateau

> > >for the last 4 - 6 weeks. I am still on one crutch because

> without

> > >it, I limp and have mild pain as I step on the operated side. I

> > >have been exercising in the water and on land, but I'm concerned

> > >that I still need a crutch. Has this happened to anyone else?

> >

> > Susie,

> >

> > You have a LONG way to go to beat my record. I was on crutches

> for seven

> > months! Took my muscles that long to learn how to behave and

walk

> even

> > semi-normally. I also had two tendon releases and a major leg

> lengthening

> > which took my brain awhile to get used to it all. It will take

> exactly as

> > long as it takes for you to heal, not a moment more or less.

Keep

> doing

> > your exercises and lots of walking. I ditched the crutches only

> when I

> > could walk normally with them, then switched to a cane, and used

> that for

> > another few months. I am now limp-free for the first time EVER.

> >

> > Cindy

> > C+ 5/25/01 and 6/28/01

[Guest guest]

Thanks for your thoughts. I emailed Dr. DeSmet, and he asked for X-

rays and lab tests to figure out what's going on.

Susie

> > >

> > > >

> > > >Hi, I am almost 10 weeks post-op, and I seem to have hit a

> plateau

> > > >for the last 4 - 6 weeks. I am still on one crutch because

> > without

> > > >it, I limp and have mild pain as I step on the operated

side. I

> > > >have been exercising in the water and on land, but I'm

concerned

> > > >that I still need a crutch. Has this happened to anyone else?

> > >

> > > Susie,

> > >

> > > You have a LONG way to go to beat my record. I was on

crutches

> > for seven

> > > months! Took my muscles that long to learn how to behave and

> walk

> > even

> > > semi-normally. I also had two tendon releases and a major leg

> > lengthening

> > > which took my brain awhile to get used to it all. It will

take

> > exactly as

> > > long as it takes for you to heal, not a moment more or less.

> Keep

> > doing

> > > your exercises and lots of walking. I ditched the crutches

only

> > when I

> > > could walk normally with them, then switched to a cane, and

used

> > that for

> > > another few months. I am now limp-free for the first time

EVER.

> > >

> > > Cindy

> > > C+ 5/25/01 and 6/28/01

[Guest guest]

Thanks for your thoughts. I emailed Dr. DeSmet, and he asked for X-

rays and lab tests to figure out what's going on.

Susie

> > >

> > > >

> > > >Hi, I am almost 10 weeks post-op, and I seem to have hit a

> plateau

> > > >for the last 4 - 6 weeks. I am still on one crutch because

> > without

> > > >it, I limp and have mild pain as I step on the operated

side. I

> > > >have been exercising in the water and on land, but I'm

concerned

> > > >that I still need a crutch. Has this happened to anyone else?

> > >

> > > Susie,

> > >

> > > You have a LONG way to go to beat my record. I was on

crutches

> > for seven

> > > months! Took my muscles that long to learn how to behave and

> walk

> > even

> > > semi-normally. I also had two tendon releases and a major leg

> > lengthening

> > > which took my brain awhile to get used to it all. It will

take

> > exactly as

> > > long as it takes for you to heal, not a moment more or less.

> Keep

> > doing

> > > your exercises and lots of walking. I ditched the crutches

only

> > when I

> > > could walk normally with them, then switched to a cane, and

used

> > that for

> > > another few months. I am now limp-free for the first time

EVER.

> > >

> > > Cindy

> > > C+ 5/25/01 and 6/28/01

[Guest guest]

If you have a web page, you might think about scanning your Xrays

and posting them. i did this and Dr. DeSmet got right back to me on

evaluating me for SR after a simple email to him. He said I'd be

a " go " !

http://www.cabrillo.edu/~rnolthenius/med/hipindex.htm

Rick

> > > >

> > > > >

> > > > >Hi, I am almost 10 weeks post-op, and I seem to have hit a

> > plateau

> > > > >for the last 4 - 6 weeks. I am still on one crutch because

> > > without

> > > > >it, I limp and have mild pain as I step on the operated

> side. I

> > > > >have been exercising in the water and on land, but I'm

> concerned

> > > > >that I still need a crutch. Has this happened to anyone

else?

> > > >

> > > > Susie,

> > > >

> > > > You have a LONG way to go to beat my record. I was on

> crutches

> > > for seven

> > > > months! Took my muscles that long to learn how to behave

and

> > walk

> > > even

> > > > semi-normally. I also had two tendon releases and a major

leg

> > > lengthening

> > > > which took my brain awhile to get used to it all. It will

> take

> > > exactly as

> > > > long as it takes for you to heal, not a moment more or

less.

> > Keep

> > > doing

> > > > your exercises and lots of walking. I ditched the crutches

> only

> > > when I

> > > > could walk normally with them, then switched to a cane, and

> used

> > > that for

> > > > another few months. I am now limp-free for the first time

> EVER.

> > > >

> > > > Cindy

> > > > C+ 5/25/01 and 6/28/01