January Newsletter.

Happy New Year!

As we embark on a fresh start and welcome 2025, we are excited to share some thoughts on hip health and recovery. This is a new year and like me you may have a new hip! Whether you are facing upcoming hip surgery, experiencing chronic hip pain or looking to improve your back and hip mobility, this newsletter is for you!

My Hip surgery journey lessons learnt:

As you may know I underwent major surgery last year and had a total hip replacement on my right hip at the beginning of December. This was a huge decision for me, and my family and a significant milestone in my life. As a busy working mum I had to face new challenges and undiscovered territory that to be honest were very daunting, however as I write this I am a couple of weeks post surgery and I am grateful for the lessons I have learned along the way, and would like to take this opportunity to share them with you. It was whilst lying in bed the very night of my surgery as I listened to the routine hospital sounds, with numb legs from the waist down, feeling a little anxious and trapped that I thought I must share these experiences so that I can reach out and help, and so have therefore decided to put pen to paper and share my experiences, and write a book (watch this space)!! I thought this information may help you to appreciate that I too have and are going through similar experiences to yourself, so you can be reassured that it’s all from the Horse’s mouth so to speak! After all us practitioners are human too! Here I thought I would start with a few ‘top tips’ accompanied by some useful resources and leaflets which will help you on your personal hip journey.

The Current State of Affairs:

Hip replacements are becoming increasingly common. Currently 1.3 people in every 1,000 will undergo a hip replacement operation, and more than 1.2 million are carried out each year worldwide.The biggest risk factors for needing a hip replacement are age and arthritis, with 85% of people having a hip replacement, also having osteoarthritis. In terms of gender, women have a higher risk of needing a hip replacement (58%) compared with men (42%).

So what can we do, to reduce the risk of needing a hip replacement?

Physical activity helps. Running decreases your risk of developing osteoarthritis by 18% and as osteoarthritis is present in 85% of people who undergo a hip replacement, this has a knock-on effect in reducing your risk of needing a hip replacement by 35-50%. if you’re not up for running that’s OK, walking can also reduce the risk of needing hip surgery, although by a smaller percentage (23%). Almost half of the protective effective of being physically active comes from weight control. The higher your BMI, the greater your risk of needing a hip replacement.

I am fortunate to come from a medical background and are well educated in the anatomy, structure and condition that I have that forced me to seek surgical intervention. However I understand that not all of you have this knowledge so I recommend that you do your research, read as much as you can, ask those you know that have had hip surgery and the challenges that they faced afterwards. Personally I have bilateral Hip Dysplasia which in Layemans terms basically means that both my ball and socket joints of the hip are not quite sitting where they should do for optimal functional movement, they cause me pain and dysfunction, which prior to the last two years I have been lucky enough not to have too many issues with. This condition was identified after x rays, which demonstrated this Dysplasia pathology which indicated a program of conservative treatment, however after failing this my only other option was a total hip replacement, this was my last resort!

At 52 years old you may think this is quite young to have to face such surgery, however in Hip dysplasia patients after experimenting with conservative treatments such as physiotherapy, hip blocks and self help pre habilitation a total hip replacement is offered when these interventions fail, and symptoms persist, which in my case they did. Hip replacement surgery in patients aged 45-54 has doubled in the last 10 years,

And what can you do if you’re already experiencing hip pain?

If you need a hip replacement then the sooner you have it, the better the outcome is likely to be and the quicker you will recover from your operation. This is because the more pain you suffer prior to having surgery, the more compensations and adaptations the muscles and soft tissues will have made around the joint, in an effort to try and protect it and you from that pain, and the harder that will be to re-train once you’ve had the operation. That’s not to say it can’t be done, it will just take a bit longer and need a bit more of an investment in your time and energy.The good news is that outcomes from hip replacements are very good. Developments in materials and surgical techniques, mean that the artificial hips are lasting longer, and success rates are very good, with more than 80% of people experiencing pain relief and functional improvement, meaning their daily lives become easier and they’re able to do more.

Pre habilitation prior to surgical intervention is key to a successful outcome, remain as active as you can, walking can be so underestimated….daily short walks where possible will help to strengthen and lubricate your joints maintaining overall body fitness and aid your wellbeing. Meet with a friend and walk together it will do you both so much good and boost your long term health! You don’t have to go mad and join a gym doing huge weights but consider some light resistance weights or bands, or maybe try chair yoga, there is something for everyone! If you are unsure of what type or level of pre habilitation exercises you should be doing reach out to us we can assess your needs and help you on the path to being as healthy and fit as you can be prior to surgery day.

Eat and drink healthy! Take a moment to review your daily diet, are you eating too much sugar or refined carbohydrates, drinking too much alcohol or simply not drinking enough water,? Be hydrated, eat your daily consumption of protein, essential fats, consume the wholesome unrefined carbohydrates and prepare your body for healing! If you are suffering with any co morbidities i.e diabetes, High blood pressure, Angina etc then please seek further advice from your general Practitioner.

You are due to have a total Hip Replacement….. what to expect after surgery.

Be prepared to wake up after your surgery with some pain, this will be managed by your nursing staff and will be dependant on the type of anaesthetic that you may have had. You may wake up with numb limbs from the waist down if you have had a spinal anaesthetic but this will dissipate and normal feelings will resume over a period of hours, you may also have some lower limb circulatory pumps on which will serve to encourage your circulation as you are bedridden. The length that you may stay will depend on the type of anaesthetic that you have had and your personal response to surgery. Most cases now only stay overnight, unless there are post surgical complications ( as in my case) however you will have to have seen the physiotherapist at your allocated hospital prior to discharge where they will, assess your mobility and hip movement and demonstrate the correct way to use your walking aids so that you may leave the hospital as safely and functional as possible. You will have a dressing across your wound to protect from any infection and this will stay on for 2 weeks. Be prepared to leave the hospital with a host of aids to help you make your life back in the comfort of your own home as comfortable as possible, these will include your walking sticks, (or walking frame), a raised toilet seat and a very handy ‘grabber’ to help pick up those items out of your reach as moving in certain directions must be avoided to avoid dislocating your new hip. You will be advised on discharge by the pharmacist on how to inject yourself with the anti clotting medication, called Clexane, taking this daily for a week post discharge will be part of your routine, all your other pain medication will also be throughly explained. Take time with all that you do be mindful of transferring in and out of a car , getting in and out of bed and of course remember you will only be able to use a walk in shower with care, as a bath is out of bounds for 6 weeks till the hip is at a point of healing where dislocation is minimised.

I personally Had a posterior approach replacement , which basically means the surgeon will operate through the buttock to access the hip joint, with this type of approach be careful not to bend forwards, or bring your hip over 90 degrees, discuss the type of approach with your surgeon, anterior and lateral approaches are also performed, however each surgeon will have a preferred way of performing the operation. Using cold therapy is a excellent way to reduce the swelling around the wound area, it will also help with your pain, I used the one mentioned below in a link which you use approx 3 times day whilst experiencing any swelling, and then use tp apply heat encouraging circulation and healing. Walking with your new walking aids or sticks when you feel ready will really encourage your limb strength and gait, try to do a little more each day .Don’t be tempted to ditch the walking sticks early use them for as long as you need. Everyone is different and your response to surgery will be quite different to the next, Scar management is also something not to dismiss, light self massage around the wound will help the remodelling phase and avoid a nasty thickened unsightly scar, it will aid any swelling and avoid scar tissue.

On a parting note having been there and literally got the t shirt in the last 2 weeks I would advise to give your body time to heal, be slow and mindful in your movements, sleep when you feel tired, rest however equally do your Hip mobility and strength exercises very regularly, ( see link below) they will pay you dividends in the future! Good luck to you if you are having surgery, I can assure you it is so worth it after experiencing pain and dysfunction for so long, its only upwards and upwards from here!!!

If you have any further questions please do not hesitate to ask, we really are here to help you.

So what can you do to ensure the best possible outcome. from hip surgery?

The answer is LOTS! And most of it is contained in the following set of leaflets. The goal of this set of resources is to make sure you have access to all the information you need, to ensure the best, most successful outcome, the quickest recovery, the lowest risk of post-surgery complications with the lowest risk of damaging your new hip, and needing any future revision surgery. Getting you back to a pain free functional life that you can enjoy!

NEWGO Hip Ice Pack. Reusable Hip Cold Pack for Hip Replacement Surgery