post op hip replacement

by Brian
(UK)

Hi

I have read your books over recent years and followed the general exercise plans particularly for backs, alas, the recent visits to the physio confirmed that my right hip was on its way out and I now have a "newer" hip.
The "rehabilitation" is progressing ever so slow for ( almost 70) one who did pilataes/yoga/swim/cycle and, sorry to mention, run regularly. General fitness, last 10km road race at 67 was 50mins.
What I get confronted with is "don't do this and that" and not a lot of positives. I am "missing" the back exercises as I cannot "bend" too well so what may you suggest to try and to progress?

On another note, joint failure can be down to many "things" but taking into consideration many parts of your books it looks like depth and "quality" of the cartilage and synovial fluid. If we have good thick cartilage and do not have any extra damage like falling off a horse, then provided the joint is lubricated well the joint should last a long time. I consider that the lubrication part may be the key point. Your books go well into movement and exercise to "pump" the fluids to lubricate and clean which is good but, what if the body "system" is not producing enough fluid and how would we know, is there a test for this? That leads me to ask about good nutrition and its part in "joint" quality? Would you care to comment on that and if there may be anything that could be done food wise or by supplement to compensate when the body may not be producing enough synovial fluid?

Comments for post op hip replacement

Click here to add your own comments

Sep 03, 2013
 hip health and lubrication
by: from Sarah

Dear Brian,
The science is very poor on what makes healthy, long-lasting joints.
Having said that, we know that fish-oil is the wonder food; good at everything from making dull kids brighter, curing asthma and improving joint cartilage!
Interestingly, a rheumatology professor friend of mine says that he's not quite sure from the scientific angle but he is impressed that his mother-in-law's joint space in the hips has improved since taking fish oil!
The main thing with treatment is treading the fine line between stimulating the joints with pressure changes but not overdoing them. This stimulates cartilage repair and regeneration.
(Just to get it over with, running is about the worst, but let's move on from that.) Yoga is the best. Have you tried that? It certainly gives all joints a longer life.
You need to pull the joints around to 'annoy' them to a certain extent, and this flushes fluid through like tears flushing the eyes. The squatting and BackBlock regimes are just as great for hips as they are for backs, but you will know from The Hips section of Body in Action that there are many other purely hip exercises that you should be doing religiously. If the operation is a success - and I take it it is - then you can do pretty well anything you like with the hips (within reason) and they will respond by the hip capsule stretching and giving your more streamlined (less stiff) freedom.
Keep going, pushing the clock back. The joints will respond Brian.
Sarah

Click here to add your own comments

Return to Ask Sarah.


Sarah Key Video Library



buying the books from amazon is a lot cheaper than buying from us!


Buy from Amazon USA

Buy from Amazon USA

Buy from Amazon USA



Or Buy the Books from Amazon UK


Australian and New Zealand buyers can buy the books from Booktopia


Sarah Key Physiotherapy
Share this page:
Enjoy this page? Please pay it forward. Here's how...

Would you prefer to share this page with others by linking to it?

  1. Click on the HTML link code below.
  2. Copy and paste it, adding a note of your own, into your blog, a Web page, forums, a blog comment, your Facebook account, or anywhere that someone would find this page valuable.