Cycling after Hip Replacement
 

At 69 years young I will be having hip replacement surgery in January. Have any of you had this and how did it affect your cycling. I’m talking about after complete recovery. (Is there such a thing at my age?)
Thank You

I'm younger than you. I had THR of left hip Oct 30, 2017. I was on my bike trainer 3 weeks post op. Rode a metric century on Christmas 2017 on trainer. Rode a full imperial century on Super Bowl sunday 2018 on the trainer a week before doing a century in Palm Springs as I was cleared to ride outside before SB sunday. I wanted to watch game and needed to see if I could ride that many miles so I combined riding with watching the game. I did the century:https://www.strava.com/activities/1401602504 Not fast but not too bad. I was riding alone...no buddies to help keep me motivated thru the tough parts.

I trained for and rode AIDS/Lifecycle in June 2018 which is a 7 day ride from San Francisco to LA. I didn't ride every mile but I did really well. I did however tear my rotator cuff during the event.

I am so thankful I did the THR. I had anterior approach which made recovery easier as restrictions were not same as if you have posterior approach.

Thread moved from 50+ to 50+ Pills and Ills.

I broke my hip in a bike crash a couple of years ago at 69 and had it pinned (sort of like a post and beam inserted into the bones). I was off the bike from the crash in late August until I took a bike trip in February. I was fine on my bike trip, no pain and no major loss in speed or distance (but I am a recreational rider in the 20-30 mile range). For what its worth, the docs and PTs told me that the surgery for the repair was a bit tougher to rehab than a hip replacement. A friend who is 68 had a hip replaced in November and was back golfing this spring and is doing fine. He was more mobile a bit faster than I was. Bottom line is if you are like me you won't even be aware of it in a few months.

There are different procedures now. Make sure you request the Anterior surgery!!! Recovery is pretty immediate. They use a special table and go in through the front.

My total hip replacement was a day after I crashed and broke plus dislocated my femur neck. Mine was emergency surgery and I didn’t have time to do any research. I had the posterior surgery (from the side). It’s taken me about 9 months to get back to where I was pre crash. Some of that was loss of fitness.

its been 11 months and I’m doing everything I’d like to do but I wish I had my old hip!!!!

I broke mine sliding on ice in a turn. Did not need a replacement but doctor said breaking a hip is delicate because of major blood supply area to hip can cause problems. I was fortunate 3 stainless steel screws. I was back on an indoor trainer after 5 days from surgery very easy. Only allowed to turn cranks. I did that and some self therapy and praise the Lord was able to go back to running in 15 weeks. I got out on the bike outside after for a ride on day 58. Scared the daylights out of me and still does because any time you go over something can happen. I was not going fast and did not even hit by head but landed right on side of hip.

Had my left hip replaced in January, was fully recovered ~6 weeks later except for loss of conditioning. Be sure to get an anterior incision, the best surgeon you can find, and a good hospital. Most times, you'll be home the next day if surgery is in the morning, maybe the day after if surgery is later in the day.

Total hip replacement for me was May 25, 2017. A bike crash caused it, but it was damaged and problematic for years. Nevertheless, it was an immediate surgery, so I had no time to research and they gave me the old school surgery via Medicare. I lived alone, so they sent me to a rehab hospital for a couple months. But, they had me on the indoor bike within a week. Six months later I was riding a new adult tricycle - balance issues from previous TBI. In 2018, I rode 4,569 miles commuting between Orange and LA Counties. Recovery is possible, but my doctor says being active is the best medicine for it.

double hip replacement
 

had a double hip replacement at age 50( I'm 65 as I write this). Six weeks after the first replacement I rode 40 miles(flat). the second replacement took longer than six weeks for recovery but eventually rode 65-70 miles with some substantial hills. All has been fine the last 15 years.

My wife (64) had hip replacement surgery 6.5 weeks ago and took her first post-surgery ride today -- 13.5 miles, with 700 feet of elevation gain. She says she's tired, but not sore.

Her surgeon used the anterior approach and she was out of the hospital about 30 hours after checking in. She ditched the walker after a few days and the cane 7-10 days after that. The surgeon has cleared her to do just about anything that doesn't overtire her, except for activities that pound or jar the legs, like running. We're going hiking next week (day hiking, not backpacking) and I can't wait.

In Rehab Now
 

I pushed up my hip replacement and went under the knife on November 7th. Surgery went well and was released from the hospital about 24 hours after surgery was completed. My initial problems were dizziness when standing and getting my bladder to drain. Seven days later I am walking short distances gingerly and experiencing stinging pain on the front of my thigh. Bruised from knee to to of hip. Been to therapy twice and they say I’m doing well...... OK 😊

looking forward to getting back on the bicycle!!!

Hey just to chime in:

I'll turn 52 in December, and I just had total hip replacement surgery on my right hip on November 8. I had been losing joint mobility for the better part of 15 years, noticing my right knee flaring outwards at the top of the pedal stroke etc. I just did my best to live with it. I progressively gave up all high-impact activities like running, and stuck to cycling and cross-country skiing. Over the past five years, I began to have pain at night from time to time, and the frequency and intensity of pain started to really increase this year. Everyone I talked to who has undergone the procedure had the same refrain: "I wish I'd done it sooner...". So I decided to be proactive and get it done before I really lost my activity level.

After scheduling the surgery, I went on a 10-day gravel/road tour with about 3,000+ feet of climbing per day, with the idea of just really "using up" my hip---- lol mission accomplished, lots more pain this fall after the trip, convinced me that I was doing the right thing by having the hip replaced. Still filled with a fair bit of trepidation as the day of surgery approached---- it's a pretty big thing to submit to, especially by choice. The description of the recovery seemed very long, and I was not looking forward to being off the bike, unable to ski or otherwise maintain fitness.

The first week post-op was pretty painful--- moving very gingerly, using crutches, just getting in and out of bed hurt like h*ll. Not even thinking of cycling on the indoor trainer at that point.

However, I am now 3+ weeks out, and things are feeling MUCH better. I got the ok from my PT to begin gently cycling on the trainer about 9 days ago, and I have been slowly increasing time and intensity. Today I did 65 minutes at an average of 160 watts--- nothing record-setting, but it's starting to feel like a decent aerobic workout.

The great news is the improved range of motion in my operative hip---- I can now pedal in circles without my knee flaring out or feeling a "hitch" in my right pedal stroke at the top of the rotation.

I'm still taking it very easy, trying to give a full six weeks for the implant to fuse to the bone. But being able to ride decently far/hard on the trainer has improved my mood no end.

So, fingers crossed and still a fair way to go in recovery, but at this point I really feel glad I had the surgery done. I'm hoping it will give me improved hip function for the next 20+ years and let me keep riding hard for quite a while.

By the way, I had anterior-approach, minimally invasive surgery. Still have about a six-inch incision in the front/side of of my right hip, so I shudder to think what the "more invasive" approach does.....

Good luck to all who are wrestling with these things, as we all try to be active and athletic into the "later" decades. Don't lose heart!

N