Almost 12 weeks since my arthroscopic hip surgery, to repair a torn labrum caused by hip impingement syndrome, and there’s now so much that I can do physically.
I’m able to ride the stationary bike and elliptical machine for 40 brisk minutes at a time. I can use many of the weight-lifting machines at the gym (almost at presurgery levels) and perform numerous core-strengthening exercises with exercise balls, resistance bands and weights.
But I’m still not walking normally.
I barely feel any discomfort in the affected left hip joint (except sometimes when it’s about to rain) and I’ve had full range of motion there for some time – yet my gait remains slightly off.
Most people won’t notice that I’m still favoring my right leg over the left, but my physical therapist and I know, and the limp is even more discernable when I’m tired.
To help fix this problem, my therapist has incorporated walking on the treadmill for 5 to 10 minutes into my PT. The treadmill speed is set at 3.5 mph, which is equivalent to walking quickly.
Treadmill therapy is commonly used to improve gait patterns after orthopedic surgery as well as for people who have had strokes, only in those cases, harness support is also typically used, according to a recent study published in “Journal of the American Physical Therapy.” The Livestrong Web site also has more information about gait therapy here.
As for me, my therapist thinks I just need “a little jump-start.”
“The treadmill forces you to walk correctly,” he says.
And immediately off the treadmill, I do continue to walk correctly.
But it will also take a few more weeks of balancing exercises, combined with core strengthening – and of course, time – to do the trick.
Thanks for the encouragement. Let’s keep in touch.
AHHHH….Yes, the dreaded change of weather. This has happened to me a few times, and I totally freaked out, thought something was wrong, but it was not. As time goes by it will get less and less. My aunt had the shoulder labrum repaired about the same time as my surgery and she also notices pain comes on before the weather changes (rain, low pressure systems).
As for your recovery, I’m reminded of the stock market analogy….it’s never a straight line up, it has corrections, but then the next high is higher than the previous high, and the next low is also higher than the previous low. Going on 9 months on 10/25 and I’ve noticed no more popping in the hip when I do bent knee fall outs or any other excersice. Still have a bit of a tight high hamstring, but I can deal with that. Coleman said it would take time, and he was right. If it took A-Rod 2 years then, I’m OK with 1 year.
I’ve experienced it all, so dont hesitate to run something by me if you need to. I dont see 4 anchors, so maybe 2 is right. In either case, your impingement is now rectified and you should be OK going forward.
Take care
Armando