How quick after hip op did you get back on the boat?

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Gerry

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Bit of a shocker that I need a hip replacement, thought I was far too young!

Have any of the forum gone through this and how quickly were they able to get back on the boat and go sailing again?

I live aboard so an enforced land stay is going to be a right pain......
 
Gerry said:
I live aboard so an enforced land stay is going to be a right pain......
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I guess there's a bit of a difference between living aboard moored up while you recuperate, and vigorous sailing.

Also between living aboard where you can step ashore, and being somewhere you have to scramble in and out of a dinghy all the time!

Pete
 
There is quite a difference between living aboard and going sailing. I had a bad accident in Feb last year, we managed to get to the boat in September for six weeks but did little sailing, hoisted both sails at the same time on one occasion, I think. This year we were able to do rather more but still spent more time motoring and sitting at our berth than we did sailing.

In my exercise class there were several people who had had hip replacements, some were quite mobile six weeks after their op whereas others were really struggling after far longer. Seems to be partly luck, partly determination.
 
I have had both mine done, 2 years apart.

One was done early December the other early November. In both cases I was able to go on a (mainly) walking holiday in Madeira the following February, and get on with fitting out in March - April. Boat launched in May and normal sailing activity resumed on acruising yacht.

It would be different I think were it a fast dinghy, or competitive keelboat though.

Hope this helps.

Good luck with it, and do make sure you follow the post-op advice from your Physio, like a lot of ops the success is in good part down to how much the patient puts into it.
 
A sailor chum of mine - aged about 52 now - had a bad motorcycle accident when much younger, and was left with a fairly serious hip problem.

After years of putting up with it he finally had a replacement op' 3 years ago; within 2-3 months he was far more active than before ( but being careful ), and within a year was bouncing around on deck.

I would say if you have a problem get it done, do so and you'll soon be sprightly, obviously you should take care, but sprightly is the name of the game !
 
WestWittering said:
If it is any help or encouragement, I was skiing within 5 months of a total knee replacement......

Di
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A friend of mine in his 70's had both hips done within 3 months and was also skiing shortly after, without telling his surgeon. After saying he'd stick to easy routes, the first chairlift we went up had a choice of red or black runs and no re-entry to the lift. He survived and is still skiing at 79.
 
A friend put me up for 4 weeks which was a godsend. I shifted back on board after that. It would have been possible to liveaboard after a couple of days but very awkward and painful - the other liveaboards are a very good bunch indeed and would have helped me out but even so....
 
I've a close neighbour who has had his hips done twice and 3 knees.
He is asked to give talks to replacement joint patients because he has recovered very quickly from the ops.
It's all down to wanting to and forcing yourself to do the exercises. He says it does hurt, but not as much as the joint did before the ops.
 
What they don't tell gou

Surgeons are very good at telling you it will all be fine..
I think it is because if they told the truth no once would go in for surgery:)

I had a foot op. The nice chap said I should be moving in about six weeks.. There was a lot of pain the first couple of days but I dealt with it using a cocktail of co-codamol, ibruprophen and wine.. I was up and on the go in three... however I was not prepared for the post op depression and tiredness..

Even minor half hour surgery is major trauma to your body.. Even though you are anesthetitised your body still reacts to the shock producing huge amunts of hormones whichnseem to get you back later:)

If you do get post op depression and fatigue I think you should keep on with the physio during the rough bit... I know everyone on the forum will wish the best for you.
 
I had a hip replacement a few years ago and manage fine on board. I was strongly warned by my surgeon about avoiding the foredeck in heavy weather as an awkward slip could cause a problem (it has happened, but not to me fortunately!).
I think recovery depends both on how much you put in after the op and how fit you were before. I would think for the OP it would be best to try to get ashore for a few weeks if possible after surgery just to be more comfortable.
 
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I had both hips replaced within 4 months of each other. The first was in September last year and the other in February this year.

If you are given the option of epidural and mild sedation then go for it - the recovery time is much quicker. You should be on your feet again on the day following the op and out of hospital within 3 days.

Recovery thereafter depends on how fit you were before the op, how good your surgeon was at not disturbing the muscle too much and how determined you are. The first 10 days are a bit grim but thereafter recovery can be swift. I had 5 weeks of physio and by the end of the second week I threw the crutch away and by 5 weeks I was almost back to normal, but without the pain.

Climbing onto the boat initially was a bit of a problem (you need a step of some sort) and jumping off is not recommended for a few months post op.

I went sailing again in April following the second hip in February. You just have to be sensible and doubly careful.

Good luck.
 
Oh lordy sounds like I had better up the exercise regime in anticipation.....

Definitely will be taking the opportunity to get out of the foredeck work though :-)

Looks like we may be spending longer on the dock than I'd like, still time to plan the next big adventure! Thanks for the good wishes chaps.
 
I was a guest/crew on a charter in Croatia after only six weeks. No real problem as long as you take it easy.
I still cycle, row for exercise and ski with no ill effects.
 
I am in my late sixties and have had both hips replaced at a years interval. I was able to get back sailing after about six weeks, but had taken the precaution of removing the top guard-wire so that I didn't have to lift my leg too high. Not required if you have the luxury of guard-wire gates.
Best of luck.

Steve.
 
Hip hip hooray

My mate was back on board after 10 days physio-therapy, but we didn't leave harbour until a further few weeks.
Even with her second hip, which involved a major pelvic rebuild so that she has more wire in place than the national grid, it was only twice as long. The surgeon said to use it as soon as you regain confidence.
It is really an engineering problem rather than a medical. The guy who thought of it all was both a surgeon and a chartered engineer. What a benefactor.
 
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