I'll be starting again next week after seven weeks off after my major hip replacement. My healing is much longer than usual - it was a complex surgery since I was born with arthritis hips.
What can I expect? I have a feeling flip turns are out. Will I be able I use my fins? Do breaststroke and fly?
I plan on cutting the workouts our coach puts up in half and seeing how that goes.
Anything else I should know?
I'm a physical therapist who has probably worked with a couple thousand people after hip replacement, although I only see them in the hospital and inpatient rehab the first week or two. Seven weeks is very early in the recovery. Most people report to me that they are not back to full strength for 4 months or even longer. Has your surgeon cleared you to return to pool? Do you still walk with a limp? a cane? a walker? Do you walk well enough to get in and out of the pool safely or is there a handicap lift? Many of the common surgical approaches have something called hip precautions for often about 12 weeks - ask your surgeon. If you have "posterior hip precautions" flip turns and *** stroke kick are absolutely out and dolphin quick questionable. If you have "anterior hip precautions" dolphin kick definitely out and the other kicks questionable. (Not all surgeons require hip precautions). Don't do any swimming unless the surgeon has cleared you (and understands what motions you intend to do) and make sure you know your medical restrictions. Start easy on the kicking probably stick with flutter kicks since they stress the hips less. Swimming is actually one of the best forms of cardio exercise for many people because it is low impact, but at 7 weeks post op it is essential to make sure you are medically cleared.
I'm a physical therapist who has probably worked with a couple thousand people after hip replacement, although I only see them in the hospital and inpatient rehab the first week or two. Seven weeks is very early in the recovery. Most people report to me that they are not back to full strength for 4 months or even longer. Has your surgeon cleared you to return to pool? Do you still walk with a limp? a cane? a walker? Do you walk well enough to get in and out of the pool safely or is there a handicap lift? Many of the common surgical approaches have something called hip precautions for often about 12 weeks - ask your surgeon. If you have "posterior hip precautions" flip turns and *** stroke kick are absolutely out and dolphin quick questionable. If you have "anterior hip precautions" dolphin kick definitely out and the other kicks questionable. (Not all surgeons require hip precautions). Don't do any swimming unless the surgeon has cleared you (and understands what motions you intend to do) and make sure you know your medical restrictions. Start easy on the kicking probably stick with flutter kicks since they stress the hips less. Swimming is actually one of the best forms of cardio exercise for many people because it is low impact, but at 7 weeks post op it is essential to make sure you are medically cleared.
