In my last blog post – far too long ago now – I shared early reflections on my experience of healing after a complete hip replacement. I was just 10 days post-op when I wrote it. Now, four months have passed and the healing process continues. I see light at the end of this tunnel! The route is circuitous, though; sometimes not very well signed, and I am often forced to slow down, re-route or rest. But healing happens, and I am amazed at how eager the body is to adapt and change. Indirect as the path is, I know I am getting stronger and that my mobility is improving.
In my mind, this is what the route back to full recovery and a strong “re-claimed me” looks like a lot of the time.
But I’m learning and here are my Big Three Takeaways. If you think you can avoid any of them, I’m here to say you can’t. Not if you want to move like you used to.
- Pay attention to pain. It whispers before it yells, so listen to the whispers. The acute pain of the first week or so post surgery can be tsunami-like, so take the meds. They are there to clear away enough space for you to move, and movement is critical. This acute pain actually diminishes quickly. But don’t be fooled; it is an assertive gatekeeper – very vocal – and if you don’t listen to it when the wee twinges begin, it will grip you hard, force you to stop moving, and stiffen you. Most folks are so darn relieved not to feel the fiery teeth of arthritis gnawing at that old joint, that they blow by new sensations that need attention.
- Pay attention to your energy levels. They ebb and flow in new ways. What I mean is, if you’re at all like me, it is very easy to take on too much too soon. All the experts, from both traditional and non-traditional camps, rightly advise to increase sessions of movement verrry incrementally. Increasing load (weight on the joint) or range is something I have learned to do by millimetres rather than inches. Too much, even a little too much, can send you backwards in a flash. I measure my own healing progress in months now. Any smaller unit reveals little to me. And I rest. Every day.
- Pay attention to what works and what feeds you. There are so many other parts of my body that work just fine. I’m blessed with a mobile spine and shoulders, and strong feet. And there are resources all around me that I now shamelessly exploit; my garden, music, books, good food, family and friends. Sounds trite, but on days or weeks when progress seems illusive, these blessings get me through. What is working well right now in your body?
I found the following yoga poses and tools very helpful and totally recommend them. I’ll post some new video resources for you to see.
- Expansive breathing practices, like square breathing and kappalabhati,
- Foot and ankle mobility exercises – especially using yoga tune-up balls – ooo-eeee!
- Neck and upper back mobility poses and exercises – funny how tension in the hip area shows up elsewhere.
So, on I go. LIfe is good! Tissue can ALWAYS change. Movement is medicine. And now, the road to full healing looks more like this:
