Hip replacement & sailing

alahol2

alahol2

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www.troppo.co.uk
Following an earlier thread on making access easier for SWMBO who had an arthritic hip, events have conspired to now make it a replacement hip. Talking with consultants etc seems to put even more restrictions on what she's allowed to do. We keep the boat on a mooring and get to and fro with a hard dinghy from a slipway. We are trying to figure out strategies for getting in and out of the dinghy both at the slip and at the boat, moving about (or indeed just sitting) in a heeling boat, getting into a fairly high forepeak bunk or a tunnel quarterberth etc.
She only had it done last month and all the warnings are making her feel rather apprehensive about the future. Are there any sailors out there with a replacement hip that can re-assure her that all is possible?
 
Bit of a pain. Worth putting the effort in to rehab to reduce the risk of injury. The better the muscles are t he more protected the hip. Obviously best thing would be if you could come alongside a pontoon for getting in and out. One of the hardest things to do is climb a ladder with a bad hip. Use the good leg first going up and the bad leg first going down. Handholds will be very useful as you can use a lot of upper body strength to protect the hip. You could even have a strap at a bunk to help pull you in. Once the bum is in place the rest should follow. My grandmother is 90 and has had both hips done, one twice. She still cruises and gets aboard a high waterline wooden yacht from a rubber dinghy.
 
Not had a replacement but broke mine 2 years ago - its held together by 3 self tappers.

No one said anything to me about not sailing - the general tone of things was go away and carry on as normal.

According to the surgeon who put the screws in a transplant gets you going quicker but doesn't last as long, but that's just wear on the ball

I don't think sailing in itself is likely to harm your good lady.

I can imagine climbing ladders and in and out of a dinghy being difficult. Is it possible to bring the boat off the mooring single handed and pick her up at a suitable pontoon?

For a more radical idea - I have used electric winches on my boat (a gaff rigged colvic Watson) to raise the main gaff. Could you fit something similar and sit Mrs in a bosuns chair and winch her on board with the electric winch.

The winches came from E-Bay and cost about £70 a winch - run off 12V.

It may not be gracefull - a mini-skirt would perhaps be a mistake - but it would let her go sailing without hurting her hip
 
My Dad comes sailing with us regularly, including racing in Cork Week in 2010 (and the trip to Ireland and back that year), and earlier this year he helped us sail our new boat from Lymington around the coast to Milford Haven over the course of 11 days. He has two replacement hips. The consultant said he shouldn't do it - the exercise is generally good for him apparently, it's the more serious risk of damaging or straining the joint that is the problem. However, if you knew my Dad you would know that telling him not to sail is a fruitless conversation!

Practicalities: We ensure he doesn't have to make too many sudden movements, which was interesting when we were racing but we were there for the fun, not to win anything. I would suggest don't go out in any sea conditions that are going to need a lot of continual strenuous balancing - it's ok for a short time but on longer passages the strain can be very tiring. We make sure he has somewhere comfortable to sit and rest when he needs to, we are nowadays fortunate to have a Malö which has a substantial spray hood including glass windows, which provides protection from the elements. He was able to get himself into the aft (double) cabin but he did have some difficulties manoeuvring himself in as the entrance is narrow and you have to twist around as you get in. It might be better to sleep on the quarter berths at first if you have them to avoid twisting too much.

Not too sure about getting aboard from a dinghy as we haven't done that with him. We do keep the boat on a swinging mooring but every time he's been on board we've always started and finished with a short stop in a marina.

He's generally a very positive person and is a great believer in the power of a positive mental attitude, which I think helps a lot.
 
I had a total hip replacement as many on here know. I was up and walking properly after eight weeks. For her to get up onto the boat it will be OK with practice. Once aboard all will be OK. I had the new Titanium cementless type and it is very good BUT I do get aches down the thigh.

Any way tell as long as she is very carefull with practice it will be as per normal.

Good luck

Peter
 
I have both of mine replaced. Both done Late Nov/early Dec. Was fine for sailing again next season, you do need to make maximum effort with the rehab, and continue to be careful about certain movements, but generally not a problem
 
alahol2 said:
She only had it done last month and all the warnings are making her feel rather apprehensive about the future. Are there any sailors out there with a replacement hip that can re-assure her that all is possible?
Click to expand...

Had a hip replaced in 1999.
It took 6 months before I was confident enough to once a gain set foot on a yacht.
Took it very easy at first, but haven't really looked back since.
 
Three weeks since my first replacement, next one in 3 months.
Consultant has approved moving back on the boat next week-we will be alongside to aid getting on and off the boat though. Long term the only thing he has warned of is not pulling the anchor by hand and twisting whilst heaving on ropes! That's OK as I usually helm whilst husband does the grunt work....
Walking with one stick now, mostly cos the leg that's waiting to be done is so much shorter than the other and without the stick I tend to walk in circles!
Have been religious in doing the prescribed exercises, intend to be off long distance cruising again within a year.
Hope your wife conquers the problems, do send me a private message if she'd like to chat further.
 
Well, Mrs alahol has just read all the replies above and is has had her positivity restored after a somewhat disheartening talk with her physio this morning. Designs are well underway to make the boat more accessible so, hopefully, in a couple of months she should be back aboard.
Very many thanks to all who replied with support and ideas.
 
We're having a new roof put on part of Pheran Towers at the moment. Our builder had a hip replacement 6 weeks ago and is back on the job, shinning up and down ladders already. Much to my amazement, I have to admit, but I suppose a lot depends on age and fitness prior to the operation. And our man is only 50 and as fit as a butchers dog!
 
Thought I had better report back for completeness.
Mrs alahol2 is now back sailing again following the op and recuperation. For dinghy travel she sits on a bag of clothes to keep her hip below 90 degrees.
After doing some amazing designs for combined boarding gate/ladder combinations, and getting them costed(!), I made a pilot ladder from 'found materials' to fit midships for boarding from dinghy or pontoon, as it cost me nothing I don't mind leaving it hooked over the guardrails whilst the boat is left on its mooring. Getting around the boat is proving no problem.
We had a weeks cruise and it was so hot that she found a way of using the stern ladder for swimming. This consists of getting outboard from the cockpit onto the side of the boat then shimmying round to the transom ladder to get into the water (pushpit is too cluttered and high to clamber over).

All in all everything has turned out fine and she's better off now than before the op. All the 'professionals' warnings seem to have been overstated.
Many thanks for the advice and encouragement.
 
alahol2 said:
Thought I had better report back for completeness.
Mrs alahol2 is now back sailing again following the op and recuperation. For dinghy travel she sits on a bag of clothes to keep her hip below 90 degrees.
After doing some amazing designs for combined boarding gate/ladder combinations, and getting them costed(!), I made a pilot ladder from 'found materials' to fit midships for boarding from dinghy or pontoon, as it cost me nothing I don't mind leaving it hooked over the guardrails whilst the boat is left on its mooring. Getting around the boat is proving no problem.
We had a weeks cruise and it was so hot that she found a way of using the stern ladder for swimming. This consists of getting outboard from the cockpit onto the side of the boat then shimmying round to the transom ladder to get into the water (pushpit is too cluttered and high to clamber over).

All in all everything has turned out fine and she's better off now than before the op. All the 'professionals' warnings seem to have been overstated.
Many thanks for the advice and encouragement.
Click to expand...
That's really great to hear, I'm glad that she's mobile again and enjoying sailing!
 
Good news, long may she continue to keep well and sailing

One bit of advice, should she need to bend forward and haul on any sort of load, make sure she keeps her feet apart and the toes pointing somewhat outward and that she keeps the load between her knees rather than off to one side. This reduces the risk of dislocation which is the main late complication.
 
There are always easier ways of staying on the water.......

I injured my back and had to give up sailing, going over to the dark side enabled me to keep on the water.

If she is very worried and or concerned about sailing think about a motor boat and a marina. It doesn't have to be a plastic fantastic with a great big fuel bill, just look at what I have. Personally, I made the best decision for continued water activity without the worry of further injury and trust me when I say this.... Some mobs are very comfortable without massive fuel bills.

I still miss sailing but to be honest I feel that I have more time, comfort, cruising and less worry about my injury whilst on board than I would have if I had tried to keep sailing.

It's about staying on the water and being comfortable in what you can or think you can achieve.

Tom

Ps. Have to,agree with all the advice re physio.. The more the better.
 
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Just to add to the positive approach to hip replacements, SWMBO had a hip replacement about 13 years ago. The fact that she'd had one didn't actually manage to make it into our thoughts before we decided to live aboard on a full time basis. Frankly, she has less problems with her hip than I do with my assorted old injuries......
 
Both my hips have been replaced, the first in 1996 second in 2005. Apart from initial rehabitulation after each op. my sailing was unaffected and I remain astonished and thankful at the success of each of the operations .
I do forget to take some degree of care towards them which perhaps this post will redeem since the positions one has to take and the contortions one has to make in a 17' cruiser at times must impose stresses which are best avoided not to mention humping around a heavy GRP tender. In the rejouvening atmosphere of the salt air it is all too easy to forget the passing of youthful dexterity. I am reminding my self this moment I have been particularly lucky with my tin hips - I must not provoke providence:)
 
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