Motorcycle Riding after Hip Replacement

I'm 6'2" and 270#, and the surgeons at UC Davis didn't hesitate for one second to recommend the resurfacing over a total replacement. For one, it preserves the femoral head, therefore allowing a total replacement down the road, should that become necessary. I'm 44 years old, and still maintain a fairly active leisure life, and my job is very physical, so the Birmingham made the most sense.
I've been able to bend my leg past 90 degrees since about the 90-day mark, post surgery, and aside from some muscle pain and soreness, I've had zero problems. I'm coming up on the one-year mark (5/29) and I truly couldn't be happier with the way things have turned out. The resurfacing gave me my life back, as I'm sure a total would have.

I'm with Al, although I am only 10 weeks out, I feel like a new man. My Doctor advised me that the Birmingham would have less restrictions than a total and therefor was better suited for my lifestyle....BTW is "active leisure" an oxymoron?

I am over 90 degrees already. Pretty much the only restrictions I have now are impacts as the hip is still adapting to the hardware and crossing my legs...although I have caught myself sitting with them crossed on a few occasions....bad habits I suppose.

I am told I will be back playing hockey within 6 months of the next one which is scheduled June 18. As far as everything else, I have already golfed, I can walk about as far as I want (but who wants to?) and of course ride. I am back working on the cars and bikes in the garage. And like I said before, I haven't taken even a Tylenol since about March 18 (the day after St. Patrick's day....go figure).

I know everyone is different but for us young guys (41), I recommend serious discussion and consideration of the Birmingham if you want to stay active. I am sure there are benefits to the total, but for my age, situation and lifestyle, it was not a hard decision to make for me.

thanks so much - I got more information from this site than any ortho site!!

I put the link up for the one the 2nd guy proposed - this is it

http://global.smith-nephew.com/us/R3_Acetabular_System_24410.htm

This is the british one. I think you also have the Stryker which may be similar

I am 61 muscular build, 38 waist [average beer gut for Australians] wt. 100kg sedentary lifestyle other than surfing golf and walking

I have asked my surgeon [no reply yet] if he can decide on the day what is best once he opens me up.

The other guy seemed to think from my xrays that I had too long a bone which would create too much leverage on the Birmingham - I still lean towards that from what you all say

FYI---I will be 49 next week. 6' 2 1/2", 225 lbs. Was in pretty good shape for a soon to be AARP'er before all this happened.

l believe there are basically 3 types of total hip replacements:

1) metal ball - metal socket
2) ceramic ball - ceramic socket
3) metal ball - "plastic" socket

My surgeon used the "metal ball - plastic socket" type for the following reasons:

1) Ceramic on ceramic has been known to break and has a tendency to squeak.

2) Metal on metal is relatively new. It is believed that as the joint wears, metal isotopes will enter the blood stream. My surgeon advised me that I would have to have my blood monitored until such a time that the long term effects of this "foreign" metal was ascertained.

3) Went with metal (some sort of cobalt alloy I believe) ball and "plastic" socket. This joint has stood the test of time. Its failing in he past has been the durability/life expectancy of the plastic socket. My doctor told me the latest polymers used in the socket implanted in my hip should last 20 years if not my lifetime. I guess only time will tell.

I would also ask what shape socket is to be used. A socket that "wraps around" the ball helps the hip from dislocating after surgery until the joint scars up, but tends to wear out faster than a cup shaped socket which does not "grip" the ball.

I think the best thing you can do is get a good surgeon. I believe my first two surgeries were fucked up by the same surgeon. My last operation was done by a surgeon who has patients from all over the world come to him to have hips done (FYI - had a very good experience at Naples Community Hospital in Naples, Fl). Knowing what I know now, I wouldn't let the first surgeon cut my finger nails. I would give my second surgeon free rein to do whatever he thought best and I wouldn't bat an eye.

I hear what your saying about the resurfacing. My doctor was on the panel that got the resurfacing procedure approved in the U.S. At that time there were very few doctors in the U.S. doing that procedure. The ones that were hadn't done very many. A total hip was the best course of action for me at the time. My doctor thought that I would have a better outcome with the total hip. I couldn't wait any longer as I couldn't work any more due to weakness in that leg. I did get to see a total hip that was removed from a patient after 25 years. It had very little wear on it, kind of like a door knob where the shiny finish is dull. It was taken out of a guy who had the initial surgery in his 20s, however back then the glue they used to cement the shank and cup to the bone caused the bone to weaken or die so the joint replcement would become loose. Mine was pounded in, no cement. Anyways I am coming up on two years and the replacement is working out great. Like I've written before, I am able to do all of the things I was doing a few years ago before I lost all of the range of motion and got weak. Plus all of the crazy pain I had in my back, legs and other hip is also gone. I was walking crooked for a couple of years, no fun!

Good news -so can you bring your knee up to your chin or chest?

My GP says Birmingham resurfacing ok, the surgeon said he will decide when he cuts me open as I told him of my concerns re. surfboard - riding specifically getting to my feet - waves break fast here as you can see from the pics - and we get them every day check the past reports - you guys are welcome to share a few waves www.burleighcam.com.au - probably that plus snowboarding/skiing did the damage

Greetings Freebird,
If I lost a few pounds and streched I could put my knee to my chin. I am as flexable as I want to be. I do have to work out so I can pop to my feet. The side with the replacement takes more effort to stand up if I don't exercise. I am riding long and short boards. No problem. I waited too long for the surgery so I had some large bone spurs that may have complicated matters for me. The Dr. removed them during surgery. Where are you located. I spent 6 weeks in Coolangata in 1981 and again in 1982. I got some great surf..........from Snapper to Burliegh

Thanks for that

I live at Burleigh www.burleighboardriders.com - glad u have sampled our waves Snapper works better now but crowded - possible to surf from snapper to Kirra

live now
www.coastalwatch.com [+10 hrs GMT]

<style></style>Hi all

All done on the 19th 3 hr operation, Had full general anesthetic - as they couldn't get needle in right spot for epidural /spinal and could only try so many times and the operation team were waiting in the "machine" shop. Their tools were bigger than I had as an auto engineer!

But I have to take care moving - clicked something last night getting into walking frame so waiting for nice physio lady today [she has had 3 hips done starting young]. Everyone amazed I was mobile on 1st day [Walker of course]

My feet are tied to a bed and I have these funny pneumatic things on them that pulse all night to stop blood clots. Got rid of the tubes coming out of my leg for drainage and also a 12' long catheter - you can guess where that went ;-)

have an polish friend sharing a quite large room with me threatening to call police and sue everyone as he claimed he wasn't lifted correctly for his post op xray [as he tells everyone 100 times] - snores all night too.
I think everyone is trying to avoid him now - you really feel for the staff who are well trained in tact.

He did start off OK though - very intelligent and well traveled, about 15 years older than me. Lives in a huge house with his ex-wife but they are not together, He loves gardening and cleaning. Ex champion wrestler, skier, surfer etc.?

Freebird,
You will be amazed at how fast the recovery is. Listen to the Docs and don't push it. It takes some time for everything to settle. I think that at the 1 year mark was when I really felt like my back was back to normal and all of the wierd pains I had in the other hip went away. You will be stoked and amazed!

On April 16, 2009 I crashed on my bicycle and completely severed my left femur right below the hip joint in the neck region. The next day I had surgery and received a partial hip implant to fix the problem. Currently I am planning to ride my bicycle this July across Iowa in their annual trans-state ride called the RAGBRAI. Then in early September 2009, I am going to ride my F800GS on the Continental Divide Route. My riding partner had a total hip replacement in March of 2008. Since then, he has ridden the Barstow - Las Vegas event. In 2010, we will be riding the TAT. We will not be riding at racing speeds but we believe that Adventure Riding contains enough satisfaction for a couple of 60 year olds. Just do it!

That's the spirit!!

Best of luck on the rides.............................

Home now after 5 days in hospital, only slight pain, on oxycodone[oxycontin], brufen and warfarin, stopped the panadol

Dissolving stitches and brilliant waterproof dressings that do not need removal

they said must sleep on my back [not used to it so poor sleeps] but later on operated side - how soon before you guys could sleep on your side?

When I had mine done, it was the first time I slept on my back in years. Wound up making a pillow chair and pretty much sleeping sitting up. No worries though as within 3 weeks I was sleeping on my side with a pillow jammed between my knees. roll or fold it in half and you'll be fine on your side. After mine, it was the first time I was able to sleep more than 20 minutes at a time in close to 2 years.....

:cheers:

My experience is similar. I can't sleep on my back for a damn, and ended up with a pillow between the knees for the first 90 days. I was able to sleep on my surgery side after about 10 days, due more to the incision and the 37 staples than any internal issues. My surgeon was kind enough to clean up the incision scar, as the resurfacing was the third time that it had been opened. It's nice and flush now.

This coming Friday will be the one-year mark of my surgery, and I couldn't be more thrilled with the way things have turned out. No pain, vastly better range of motion, and the ability to live life my way are all benefits. An example of how things are different; my wife and I were supposed to ride up into the Sierras today for a overnighter, me on my KLR and her on her KLR250. We packed up and left at about 10:00. It's been a perfect day here, and things were just peachy until about 45 miles from home. The CDI unit in my bike failed and left me stranded on the side of the road. My wife rode home and got the truck and we hauled the bike back home. A big disappointment, yes, but not Earth-shattering. My reaction two years ago would have included a thermo-nuclear meltdown of Biblical perportions, but since my pain is gone I have calmed down exponentially. I always know that no matter how bad the daily grind gets, things can be (and have been) much, much worse.

had to adjust a few pillows under stomach/chest as bed softer but had a good sleep - bought some temtabs - herbal non-prescription sleeping tabs from the chemist too

friend suggested taking multi vitamins to get system back to normal

You should be taking a strong multivitamin, at least 1000mg vitamin C, 1g omega 3 fatty acids.

Pick yourself up some whey protein powder -- isolate, not concentrate -- and mix up one scoop per day with water, juice or whatever else you can think of.

Jason

The second one is scheduled for Thursday. After two weeks out of town on a training scheduled, I have been doing work around the house as I'll be out of commission for abit afterwards. It will take forever to push a lawn mower around the yard with crutches...guess I'll have to find some neighbourhood kid to do it for a couple of weeks. The good part is that I will be able to sit on the deck at the shore house to recover. Life could be worse. Updates after it is done.

BTW, I did not set off the metal detector at the airport on my trip out but got a lot of "attention" on the way back after the machine alarmed....

Good luck, Jeff. Keep us posted with regard to your progress.

Jason

Hello folks, Im 40 and have had mine for almost 20yrs. I went down on a 900 ninja at 21yrs. old and walked away from the wipeout but developed knee probs(what I thought was) shortly after.I visited several docs. with complaints of knee pain to no avail. A doc. at NWM in Chicago took pics of my hips and diagnosed me with a.v.n.I had femoral head decompressions done to try and save them without success.They told me to wait as long as I could stand it before proceeding with THR . 1 yr later did the R. and after recovery had the L. done.I quit riding for 10 yrs. after being told another hard hit on them could leave me wheelchair bound.Im not sure what the docs are saying now about retrictions, but way back then I was devastated by what I "wouldn't" be able to do anymore.I refused to accept it and worked hard at building my legs back up.The only thing that I will have to admit is rough on my prosthetics is running.Since the replacements I am back to ice skating, rollerblading,water and snow skiing,and recent new love of x-country motorcycle touring.Im leaving on the 20th of this month to Cali. from Chicago(3rd trip to the coast in less than ayear)Completed my first IBA SaddleSore ride this year etc. etc. Feel free to reach out with any questions anyone might have regarding this subject. Peace out, Sean