First two trike rides after a total left hip replacement

[Capt.Bob]

Modern medicine and new trikes are frankly amazing. 4 1/2 weeks ago, I had a total left hip replacement with the surgeon using the newer anterior (front of the leg) approach to get to the hip joint and replace with titanium rod/ceramic coated femoral head and polymer cup (acetabulum). On Friday, my physical therapist tested me out and said that if I didn't act in a crazy manner that I was physically able to safely get on/off my 2017 Harley Tri Glide Ultra.

My TGU is equipped with DK Customs Custom Lift Kit and a AirHawk R neoprene seat pad. With a green light, I mounted the trike yesterday and rode around my neighborhood with the rear tires at 21psi, front tire at 36 psi and the Harley rear shock pressures set at 12psi. All went very well including mounting/dismounting the trike because I would climb on with my right foot on the rear passenger platform, lift my left leg over to the left rear passenger platform and then move my feet one at a time while holding onto the handlebars to the front floorboards. Dismounts were just the reverse of the mounting sequence.

Today, I rode down toward the coast to a local Harley Indy dealer to say high to the folks that own it. The round trip was 72 miles and all went without a hiccup. I mounted and dismounted the trike about 4 times on the trip. I am now safely back in the saddle with a grin from ear to ear. I can't tell you all how much I missed riding. My surgeon had suggested that their standard line is to wait three months but this is to cover their period of liability. Thankfully, I am in pretty good shape overall and that enormous waiting period was not necessary. Hooray!

 

[rhino 2]

Great news........:clapping::clapping:

 

[Fearless]

great news

Be careful enjoy the ride:victory: Fred

 

[ol' school]

That is awesome! Be safe and watch that big smile you have riding again or you will get bugs in your teeth!

 

[consitter]

You ought to get a Trike Mid Step. It will make it much easier for you to get on and off. I bought it for my disabled child, but it makes it much easier for me to mount and dismount as well.

They are a sponsor here on the forum and give a special price to members. Tell Tom I sent you if you decide to go that way.

 

[GrandpaDave]

Great news, enjoy your rides.

I had my right hip replaced just two years ago this month just like yours was done and the recovery was very quick also. We went to the Texas Hill Country for several weeks in January and I couldn't believe how much easier it was to mount and dismount the trike with no pain any more.

 

[Trampas]

Good news, glad you are riding again, just take it easy

 

[DK Custom Products]

That is great news!

I know how nice it can be to get back in the wind after a layoff.

Kevin

 

[David357]

Good news Bob. Great to hear that you are back in the saddle.ThumbUp

 

[GARYD]

I think I'm ready for a replacement. I've had mild discomfort for a couple years, but Lately I've been having sharp burning pain in the front area of the right hip.

I also need a hernia repair.

Tough getting old.

 

[Capt.Bob]

I think I'm ready for a replacement. I've had mild discomfort for a couple years, but Lately I've been having sharp burning pain in the front area of the right hip.

I also need a hernia repair.

Tough getting old.

Gary, Getting older is a bit tougher but that is why we are getting older because we are tough! I pretty much used the criteria of the need to "crawl" into my surgeon's office before getting the hip replacement. I am glad that I did because the post-surgical challenges have been a bit of a pain in themselves. However, I am able to walk without pain in my hip other than the surgery-induced pain and that is quite a relief. One of the things that really ticked me off is that I had suffered chronic lower back problems for about 4 years and one simple shot in my pirirformis muscle with a steroid injection cured that instantly. I wish I had done that a heck of a lot sooner but was confusing aging with a specific inflamed body part. The trikes tended to exacerbate this pain and after getting that shot, riding on the trikes was a lot more fun. Now, with the new left hip, things should go much better on long rides in the coming years.

I did take off my removable steering wheel on my street/race car and slid into the cockpit. I tried operating the clutch and was amazed at how stout that thing is??? It looks like I will need about a week or two before I can go ripping around in the sevenesque sports car.

 

[Mykneesbehurtin]

My hips are still somewhat usable but its my right knee that will need replaced before next summer.Hope for a good result,and great news that you are back in the wind.

 

[Zammy]

Great news Bob, I know it's good to get in the breeze again.

 

[Capt.Bob]

My hips are still somewhat usable but its my right knee that will need replaced before next summer.Hope for a good result,and great news that you are back in the wind.

MKBH, Now I know why you have the handle that you are using. Knees can be trickier than hips in terms of recovery times and depending on what is causing the problems and how much of the knee you will get replaced. Suggest really paying attention to recommendations for a great surgeon or two and get one that is in about a mid-career situation with good stats on their published procedure outcomes. Being on the backside of the curve as a clinician myself, I know that younger, hungrier clinicians who are sharp, generally keep up with the latest techniques and procedures to provide the best evidenced-based outcomes (broad generalization that is not always accurate).

I am amazed but was able to safely get in my Brunton Stalker and drive it around town today. The clutch was a bit heavy earlier in the week when I did some static testing but my diligent rehab, excellent PT and pre-morbid good condition allowed me to successfully get back behind the wheel of my street/race car. More wind in my face! Yeah.

 

[jc1300]

MKBH,

I am amazed but was able to safely get in my Brunton Stalker and drive it around town today. The clutch was a bit heavy earlier in the week when I did some static testing but my diligent rehab, excellent PT and pre-morbid good condition allowed me to successfully get back behind the wheel of my street/race car. More wind in my face! Yeah.

Not sure what the difference will be.....but I have wanted a Super 7 for 60 years! Man that just has to be the most fun ever! jc

 

[Keystone]

Wish my hip replacement was going even half as good as yours did. Had the first replacement done on August 10th. Something went wrong and it started coming apart. So on August 18th it was removed and another was put it. I then spent the next 7 weeks in a hip brace that limited my movement so much that have yet to get my left leg to move the way it should. I just restarted PT and hopefully they will be able to get most of the damage to reverse. I can mount the Trike, just can't sit on it very long or shift yet.

 

[1dn5up]

MKBH, Now I know why you have the handle that you are using. Knees can be trickier than hips in terms of recovery times and depending on what is causing the problems and how much of the knee you will get replaced. Suggest really paying attention to recommendations for a great surgeon or two and get one that is in about a mid-career situation with good stats on their published procedure outcomes. Being on the backside of the curve as a clinician myself, I know that younger, hungrier clinicians who are sharp, generally keep up with the latest techniques and procedures to provide the best evidenced-based outcomes (broad generalization that is not always accurate).

I am amazed but was able to safely get in my Brunton Stalker and drive it around town today. The clutch was a bit heavy earlier in the week when I did some static testing but my diligent rehab, excellent PT and pre-morbid good condition allowed me to successfully get back behind the wheel of my street/race car. More wind in my face! Yeah.

My dads, at lime rock , VSCCA meet. 1275 sprite powered.

 

[trikermutha]

Don't push it to far your hip is still heeling but it is fun getting back in the saddle :scooter:

 

[trikermutha]

Wish my hip replacement was going even half as good as yours did. Had the first replacement done on August 10th. Something went wrong and it started coming apart. So on August 18th it was removed and another was put it. I then spent the next 7 weeks in a hip brace that limited my movement so much that have yet to get my left leg to move the way it should. I just restarted PT and hopefully they will be able to get most of the damage to reverse. I can mount the Trike, just can't sit on it very long or shift yet.

Man that's tuff.. Hang in there and keep up on the rehab. Should be back to normal soon :good:

 

[Capt.Bob]

Ken, so sorry to hear that your hip replacement has been so filled with drama. As Trikermutha pointed out, work really diligently with your PT and hopefully you will regain most or all of your old healthy function in that hip. As a medical psychologist, I am only too aware of the potential complications of any surgery. I was a bit surprised at how intrusive my experience has been even though it has been relatively short-lived and my surgeon utilized a minimally invasive set of surgical techniques (incision is only 4.5" long on the anterior portion of my leg).

One of the cool things about your physical therapy is that you can collaborate with your PT to do exercises that will strengthen and improve your hip for trike riding and the other things that you want to resume or explore. At each session I attend, I am constantly querying my PT about other activities I wish to resume and how best to achieve those goals. It has been kind of fun to see almost daily progression in that regard.

 

[Keystone]

Thanks for the kind and encouraging words Bob and trikermutha. I really appreciate it. I'm married to an RN that has worked rehab for many years. She has been working real hard with me too. She wants me to be able to take my late winter trip again in Feb/March. If I can't ride I most likely would not bother going. Our plan this year is for her to fly down for a long weekend/short week and join me. She still has a good decade until she retires but has encouraged me to enjoy my retirement. one of the many reasons we have been married for so long.

 

[Capt.Bob]

Ken, You are very fortunate to have a wife who happens to be a rehab nurse. That is a real bonus when it comes to rehabbing from these relatively life changing medical events that affect our riding. I feel like a really skated through this procedure in that my surgeon signed-off the case as of yesterday after 6 weeks because I was fortunate to have made significant progress towards a fairly full recovery of pre-morbid function.

One of the things that I pre-loaded into my decision making for the type of surgery and surgeon that I was going to employ was based on the activities that I was looking to maintain or even return to that had fallen out of favor due to physical limitations. For those of us who are candidates for an Anterior Approach hip replacement, we are fortunate because the surgeon can use minimally invasive procedures (if properly trained) and in my case worked on the hip replacement with only a 4.5" incision on the front portion of my upper leg.

Some things that I found helpful were to make sure that I had my weight down, was not suffering from other chronic illness such as diabetes or COPD that would affect my recovery period. I have been told that smokers have a much more difficult time in recovery due to the affects of tobacco and adequate oxygenation and are reportedly encouraged to try and stop smoking prior to surgery for improved outcomes.

Many of us have purchased our trikes due to past injuries or advancing age and we have to be strategic in figuring out ways to keep ourselves in the game. Trikes seem like a terrific method for staying out in the wind and I am having too much fun on them to consider going back to two wheels even though my new hip would likely accomodate the change when fully strenghtened.

 

[Rev J]

Getting old ain't for the faint of heart. I'm getting to the stage in life where if it moves it hurts but not complaining. Many of my class mates and buds didn't make this far. God has blessed me with 58 years so far and counting. Glad to hear you are improving and back in the saddle (best kinda of therapy, knees in the breeze). Have a blessed and pain free day, Rev. J

 

[1dn5up]

I’m full of advice so to avoid the beating ,listen to her :clapping:

Im also my worst enemy when it comes to any illnesses. The lights are on, but nobody’s home :Shrug: