Motorcycle Riding after Hip Replacement

I hear there are some nice riding areas around there, also in the UP, maybe one day we can plan an 'orthopedic old guys' trail ride up there! Glad to hear you're doing well. I took my first couple of falls earlier this year and no probs as well! Take Care - Mike

Hey glad you are back to riding bikes. Did you attempt anything to treat the AVN before you went to hip replacement?

I'm hoping that some Europeans or Asians might be lurking here as I'm looking into Birmingham mid head resection BMHR which isn't yet performed in the USA. Anybody with AVN of BMHR info?

I have two BHR resurfacings, one at 47, the other at 48. About 3 months after each surgey I was riding in the dirt - easy dirt at first. Since then ('08 & '09) I've racked up over 20,000 miles, a little less than half in the dirt. Trips to Baja, Oregon TAT, Death Valley, Las Vegas and lots of local riding with a few slow speed crashes and no issues (other than a new hernia!)

My sister had two total hip replacements prior to me, one of them has been revised because it failed - ceramic components. I'm stoked with the BHR's.

I didn't read the whole thread since it dates back to 2007 so I don't know how much this has been talked about.

I'm going to jump in here. I'm 51, as soon as my wife can get all the insurance stuff sorted through I'm going to have a direct anterior hip replacement. The direct anterior method requires a special table called a Hana Table and the only hospital in town that has one isn't covered by our insurance. My wife is working on an exemption so I can have the surgery in town. If we can't swing that I'll have to travel.

My doc says going in from the front cuts the recovery time to 5 weeks with no restrictions. He made it sound like I'd be playing golf in no time when compared to the traditional method of going in from the rear.

In 4 weeks we're suppose to leave on our 'big' trip for the year. Some days the hip doesn't hurt so much and I think it's not going to be an issue (I can ride, but I don't walk very well), other days I wish someone would shoot me. On those days it's going to be hard to hold up the bike if she starts to fall over. I need to decide soon if we're going to have to Plan B the trip and take the car.

An update from me:

Last week marked 4 years since my Birmingham resurfacing procedure, and I could not be happier! I'm riding 20,000+ miles a year, hike 150-200 miles per year, and still work in a tire shop. This has truly been a miracle.

Again, I can only say to those who are waiting to not put it off any longer. Having the excruciating pain relieved is worth whatever it takes to get the surgery done.

Am going to bump this thread with an update. On Thursday I had my left replace using the direct anterior approach. On Friday around noon I was rolled out of the hospital and sent home. Simply amazing. Here's a pic of the new hardware.

Congratulations!!


How's the pain compared to when you went in? I found that I hurt less the day after the surgery than I did climbing onto the gurney to go into the operating room, and that was with an 11" incision.

The pain isn't bad at all. My ass and leg is a bit sore from them dislocating my hip for the procedure but all the pain I had before is gone. I had my first PT appointment this morning and all went well. I'll be back riding in no time.

Still here.
Still riding.
Leg is still where it is supposed to be (despite stupid stuff happening).

3 years since:

It's now 3 weeks to the day I got my new hip. I was released from physical therapy yesterday and today I took my first ride. It was just a short 60 mile loop but there was no pain what so ever and I can once again kiss the left mirror! For the past couple of years I had limited range of motion in my left hip. I'd have to take left hand turns sitting straight up.

I'm walking around without pain for the first time in years and feel 10 years younger.

I now feel compelled to go preach the gospel of the direct anterior approach!

Feels great, doesn't it?!

I am metal on metal as well and would like to know what you are experiencing. I am two years post op.

Yikes.

I have some of the things you've described, but I've always attributed them to my nasty, physical job. Looks like I might need to get some blood work done for peace of mind.

My surgeon had concerns about metal on metal four years ago when I had my "installation" done. He advised me to go with metal on "plastic" back then.

Struth, :eek1 there is some interesting information emerging from this thread.
I'm on the waiting list for a hip replacement, here in Newcastle Australia.
I saw my surgeon, a couple of months ago, he didn't mention any alternatives or varieties of procedure and hardware...
I think I'll have to go back to my GP and ask some questions.
The surgeon wont see me again until day of surgery, I could be going in for the op at any time now..

Here's a link to an animation of what I had done, the Direct Anterior Approach. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTJK9tdSsQY

In the USA it can be hard to find a doc that does it this way and a hospital with the right equipment but it's worth investigating. Recovery time is usually just 6 weeks without a life time of movement restrictions, like not crossing your legs. The only thing I've been told to never do again is run.

A little less than six weeks later and I'm walking around like it never happened. In a couple of days I leave on a week long trip to Colorado. My brain has finally figured out there's no more pain when doing this or that. I feel like a kid again.

I have a ceramic ball and plastic cup, at least that's what my wife remembers the doc saying. I can't remember much about anything. Probably has something to do with the IV morphine pump and my thumb on the button.

One year after bilateral, anterior, hip surgery. Some aches but, the pain is much less than prior to surgery. Used Stryker ceramic on ceramic.
Not running or doing any long hikes (26miles) like I used to. If I didnt have the scars it wouldnt occur to me that the surgery had been done.

Still taking a few Ibuprofen for arthritis. Riding...had a couple low speed get offs in the dirt...no issues. Havent been back on the surfboard yet. Cant get the vision of the leash dislocating the hip out of my head. Yeah I'm chicken. Not much good summer surfing in NH this summer anyway. I'll get back out but not in the winter when the waves are double overhead.

60 and getting younger all the time....retired.

Everyone still hanging in there? Any problems or mishaps? Things to be aware of?

Just saw this in the news.

FDA Seeking Stricter Regulations for Metal-on-Metal Hip Implants, Parker Waichman LLP Reports

http://news.yahoo.com/fda-seeking-stricter-regulations-metal-metal-hip-implants-212224644.html

Miine seems alright but I have had some pain around the hip for the last year or so. I underwent a bunch of tests andeverything is normal ( blood levels, bone density, replacemment ect) I haven't been strecthing or exercising other than walking so that is most likely the problem.......

That sucks, man. Hang in there.

Jason