sailing with a new hip

[voyager35]

I am looking for personal experience from the sailing community of there ability to continue to sail after a hip replacement operation.
Until 9 months ago I was very fit and active 53yr old, but increasing pain resulted in a consultant telling me I needed my hip replaced. He also said that even with a new hip I would be unable to sail, run, mountaineer or continue to do my work (joiner).
I can accept that some activities such as fell running will be out, but having taken the plunge and bought a yacht 12 months ago with the intention of sailing taking over from the more physical sports I have been enjoying his opinion was not good news.
Therefore I am seeking information based on personal experience of the likelihood that following the operation and a suitable recovery period that I can continue to sail single handed and hopefully in the not to distant future spend more time on some extended cruising.
If you do not wish to go public with this please pm me

 

[Daedelus]

I'm sure I recall a mention here of someone who had a hip replacement and gave the surgeon hell until he confirmed that it was all non-magnetic and wouldn't affect the steering compass.

 

[Hipchick]

I'd ignore the surgeon as he probably know nothing about sailing, but please don't sue me if you fall over as I'm not medically qualified, just opinionated. I'm now recovering from treatment for cancer, chemo, rads, the works, and still plan to sail the med this year and RTW after that. Bliddy h*ll, go for it.

 

[tom_sail]

My uncle has just had a hip replacement. He owns a tourist cave. The doctor said he'll be fine after a few months to carry on caving. He also kayaks, climbs and cycles. He expects to return to what he enjoys after a few months maybe a year.

 

[Herald]

Not a problem at all......

SWMBO had a hip replacement a couple of years ago. Prior to having it she couldn't get onto the boat without an unceremonious shove to get her up and over the rails.

Now no problem at all, absolutely changed her life. Moving around the boat is not a problem at all, jumping (sorry stepping) onto pontoons no probs.

 

[Ru88ell]

I wouldn't rush to go trapeezing on an 18' skiff, but I would have thought a bit of big boat sailing would be fine.

 

[A1Sailor]

Don't jump off the boat onto a pontoon. Step down very gently...
This was the advice from a shipmate who had had more than one hip replacement.
My shipmate continues to enjoy sailing - having had a THR plus a revision THR! Namely - the original hip replacement replaced with another years later.
Why not ask your GP to arrange referral to an Orthopod who sails?

 

[Twister_Ken]

Dammit, Long John Silver managed with a wooden leg.

 

[rich]

hip hip hooray

(reply by Rich's wife, not him!)
I too had a total hip replacement two years ago and was so glad to be mobile again and out of pain and able to climb those steep marina ramps in Granville and St Quay at low tide.
I would reccommend that you go for as much physio as poss and to a gym for specialist rehabilitation exercises if you have the opportunity because you need to be as flexible and as fit as possible before going back to sea.
One of the problems is that even once you are fit and able again you get a bit blase about it, but all it takes is for the boat to drop off a wave and you end up like the guy I met in hospital whose replacement had come right out through his skin as his boat rolled and jerked unexpectedly. In other words be careful and personally I wouldn't sail single handed either. All you need to do is jump down onto a pontoon which is slightly lower than you expect and you're in agony for days(been there!)
However, anything is better than limping around on a stick, so enjoy and go for it!!

 

[Seajet]

The OP's surgeon is talking out of his transom.

My next door neighbour happens to own an Anderson 22; for most of his adult life ( he is now 51 ) he suffered a very stiff leg after a motorcycle accident.

Last year he succumbed and had a new hip; he was careful to start with, but now is at least as mobile as any cruiser sailor I know; he's a lot better with the new hip, the difficult part is leading up to the replacement !

 

[mjcoon]

Therefore I am seeking information based on personal experience of the likelihood that following the operation and a suitable recovery period that I can continue to sail single handed and hopefully in the not to distant future spend more time on some extended cruising.

Not direct experience (I'm glad to say) but I have been sailing for years with a chap who has two replacement joints (I think one knee and one hip). He's booked for two flotilla fortnights this summer too, but currently is holidaying in Australia. And I think is in his seventies. But so far as I know has never sailed single-handed.

Your mileage may vary, but some people are evidently OK. This chap's main problem is dealing with airport body scanners, but he is well practised at that too...

Mike.

 

[Robin]

I've had both hips done, both total replacements. I thought I had a different problem and put off treatment until I had to, which was after we put the boat up for sale and it had gone, which was as planned and not because of my hips. I had the port one done late November 2010 and the starboard one done late March 2011. In June 2011 we flew to the USA to buy what will become our new cruising home once I get my visa (nearly there) and the house is sold. After a lifetime of sailing the new boat is a motor yacht, not because sailing isn't possible but because we wanted more in harbour home comforts and anyway where we are on the Florida ICW there is more motoring done than sail even by sailboats. I can now walk again without pain, stand longer periods again without pain. What I cannot yet do as well as I would like is to crouch or squat, but I can bend and touch my toes again even though I can't see them these days.

I was in hospital just 3 days for each operation. On day four after the last one I walked the entire boundaries of the YC marina, albeit on crutches. A week later I did it with a stick and a week later with no helpful aids. After 4 weeks I was climbing over a Navy minesweeper when many youngsters (I'm near 67) couldn't manage the steep ladders, did the same the Lord Nelson Jubilee trust boat in harbour on a visit.

So yes you can do it. Don't jump down from heights is good advice and twisting is not good to risk to excess which is why I'm not back to playing golf again, not because I couldn't but because I know I would not back off from how I used to play and since we will be in the USA soon I don't fancy a repair bill over there. Single handing would depend on having some method of getting on/off to berth in a marina situation without the need for jumping, again not because you cannot jump but because it could cause a problem.

 

[A1Sailor]

(reply by Rich's wife, not him!)
All you need to do is jump down onto a pontoon which is slightly lower than you expect and you're in agony for days(been there!)

Which is why I suggested that he doesn't jump onto the pontoon... The pelvic (socket) component has been known to end up inside the pelvic cavity. Gently does it!

 

[Twister_Ken]

Which is why I suggested that he doesn't jump onto the pontoon...

Can you get pontoons fitted with a Stannah?

 

[Robin]

Can you get pontoons fitted with a Stannah?

I don't care what she is called as long as she catches the lines to save me jumping. And wears a skimpy outfit.

 

[maby]

Which is why I suggested that he doesn't jump onto the pontoon...

If the boat does not have a walk through transom, consider changing it. Replacement hips do not have the ligaments to keep the ball in the socket - they rely on the muscles and that does not work well at large degrees of flexure. I think you might run a serious risk of dislocation bending the hip to a sufficient angle to climb over the guard rails. Alternatively invest in good fender steps....

 

[PhillM]

Can you get pontoons fitted with a Stannah?

I bet if you asked Premier, they could accomodate (at a price mind you)

 

[Robin]

If the boat does not have a walk through transom, consider changing it. Replacement hips do not have the ligaments to keep the ball in the socket - they rely on the muscles and that does not work well at large degrees of flexure. I think you might run a serious risk of dislocation bending the hip to a sufficient angle to climb over the guard rails. Alternatively invest in good fender steps....

No problem getting over the wires but getting up onto a high sided boat yes would be difficult and a step needed. I've been on several friends boats and they either had a fender step or a pontoon step anyway. I also climbed up and onto another friend's boat in the yard just 4 weeks after my 2nd replacement without difficulty but as I said the high sided boat would be awkward. Our new boat has a step on swim platform and gate and the side access uses an engine air intake recess in the hull as a step, but we will have a step on the pontoon. With a twin engine mobo jumping from a height is a) not wise and b) not necessary as we only need one line on initially and there are ways of doing that from on board.

 

[A1Sailor]

I think you might run a serious risk of dislocation bending the hip to a sufficient angle to climb over the guard rails.

and if the ball part of the artificial hip dislocates from the socket part it is a trip to hospital to have it "reduced" - ie re-located.
IMHO the OP should consider finding a surgeon who knows about sailing - and can discuss the risks much better than we can.
People can, and do, sail after THRs.

 

[A1Sailor]

See: http://www.wessexhipunit.co.uk/hipguides.html which says

Sports
Many people return to sports such as golf or sailing after about six months from their operation. For other sports you need to discuss your plans with your surgeon. Contact sports are prohibited, but lots of patients play tennis and badminton. Some even return to skiing after hip resurfacing.

Anyway - I've posted enough! Find a sympathetic surgeon...