UKC

Hi everyone, my friend and climbing partner (yes really is my friend and not me) was booked to have a hip replacement. Basically he is ok but has a constant low level pain (level 1) on taking steps. He is a regular climber. He was all due to have it not having mentioned that he was a climber. He mentioned this in a further consultation and his consulatant said that he wouldn't be able to climb afterwards. Something about the hip could pop out of its socket??? Also I guess the flexibility thing. He is 66 but fit and agile. He has decided to put off the operation and continue climbing. I said I would ask this forum whether anyone knows of anyone who climbs after a hip replacement. I know there isn't a one size fits all and everyone is different but I know of another friend who had a really bad accident and was told he would never climb again who now climbs very hard grades. So I think there is a degree of conservatism with medical advice. My friend would work very hard with any post op physio. Any experiences appreciated and I will pass on. For the moment he has decided to delay the operation for this year certainly. Thanks for your help. Hope you are all enjoying the lovely Spring wetihater

In reply to Sherpa Sheelah:
I have known a number of climbers who have had hips replaced and all have got back to climbing, most with definite success. I had a left knee replaced two years ago and have climbed plenty since. Two weeks ago I had a full hip replacement too, and it already feels as though I should be back on the crags in a very few weeks. Talking to a physio yesterday she reckoned that, although the surgeons are very cautious ,( they have to be) they would reckon that if they do their job properly and if you are reasonably fit and strong the chances of dislocation are very small indeed. For what it is worth I am coming up 62, reasonably fit and active and will grab with both hands anything that holds out the possibility of staying that way. I'm off to Pembroke on Thursday, but probably not to climb yet, though I will put the shoes in "just in case". All purely anecdotal, but hope it may shed a bit of light, John.

In reply to John R:

That is extremely helpful and encouraging. Will definitely pass onto my partner. Thanks so much. Enjoy your climbing! Kind regards

In reply to Sherpa Sheelah:

Yep, know a few people who boulder and trad climb whom have had hip replacements. It's not a one size fit all approach and the surgeon may not understand climbing forces to comment.

Be mindful about selection of replacement hip joint (ceramic mix, fully metal etc) as there's pros and cons over where you are in your life and what you want to do.

BW
Alex

In reply to alx:

Cheers Alex. Appreciate the info re type of material. Pretty sure my friend wasn't even aware there were options.

In reply to Sherpa Sheelah:

Lots of info in this thread and threads referenced within it. I found them useful, informative and reassuring.

https://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=602342&v=1#x7922930


Everyone is going to be different I guess, but my consultant told me to he was happy for me to cycle, run, ski and climb, although I don't think I will ever be happy jumping off boulder problems. I worked with a good physio before and after the op and it think is well worth putting in the effort in this respect.

In reply to Sherpa Sheelah:

I saw a consultant 2 years ago. He was happy to carry out a hip-replacement but advised me to wait a while yet. I'll be 70 in a couple of months, but fit enough (just back from a Kinder walk, and was climbing last friday and yesterday) Like your friend I'm concerned about the recovery at such an age. I'm taking Naproxen when I'm doing stuff, and have very much benefited from wearing compression shorts - they hold everything together (as it were) I don't run much now, which is sad, and I don't boulder (worry about the falling off)

Climb on, I say!

In reply to Sherpa Sheelah:

Check it hip resurfacing s more suited to active sports than hip replacement. I've had both my hips resurfaced and have been happily climbing since for over 10 years.
Cheers,
Chris.

In reply to Sherpa Sheelah:

I had my left hip resurfaced at 60, and my right hip resurfaced at 71. They were both great, I did running and climbing until last year at 77 when the left hip failed spectacularly (I'd been led to believe it would last me the rest of my life). I had an emergency total hip replacement, and I must say it's every bit as good as the resurfacing. I've been climbing indoors since then, and also some sport climbing outside up to 4+ or 5. I have made a decision not to continue running. Resurfacing has fallen out of favour in recent years, owing to problems such as my own experience, and you may not be able to get it on the NHS. You will probably be advised not to flex a total hip beyond 90deg - This is not a limitation for me as I can only flex either of them to about 90 anyway. With these considerations I see no advantage to resurfacing - the total feels every bit as good.

I wrote recently to the surgeon who did my operation to tell him how pleased I was with it, and that I was walking and climbing. He wrote back to say he was glad I was doing so well, adding "If you go climbing, please use a rope".

In reply to Sherpa Sheelah:

I'm a mountain guide and had my second full hip replacement at Xmas. Was skiing after seven weeks with the first one, indoor climbing after 6 weeks with the second. Done heaps of Alpine and rock climbing with one. Will be climbing mountains all next week with both. Consultant doesn't know what he's talking about!

Of my two, one was done with a posterior approach, the other with an anterior approach. Much better result with an anterior approach, although not really comparable coz it wasn't the same surgeon.

In reply to nb:

Wow Neil, I didn't know that. You're quite young for one... Can only agree though, my experience echoes yours. A consultant that tells a fit active patient something like that should be ignored.

In reply to Sherpa Sheelah:

"something about the hip could pop out of its socket??? "

This is a small but possible risk. The surgeon who replaced my hip, a climber himself, advised me that in most circumstances it was unlikely to pop. The one move he warned me about was crossing my (metal hip) leg across my other leg to use the outside edge of the foot - if I was doing that I wasn't to raise my knee above my hip. (I hope you can visualise that!). I'm a bit wary about very high step ups on that leg, but it's a bit weak still so I don't do much of that in any case.

In reply to nb:

amazing thanks rb. My friend will be delighted because he is also an active skier. He wants to continue his Alpine stuff. He has his sights on doing the Dent du Geant before he hangs up his boots. Thanks so much.

In reply to Bob Kemp:

Yes thanks. Kind of like an inside flag move but weighting it? Great advice on the popping likelihood.

In reply to Sherpa Sheelah:

Cheers for all your replies everyone. It does concur with my thoughts that it doesn't have to be climbing or a hip replacement so that give lots of options for the timing. I will pass all the replies on. Just the first two yesterday really cheered my friend up. Great for me as well as is looking good for not losing my long term climbing partner.

In reply to Sherpa Sheelah:

It's worth doing a quick search on here as there are a number of threads on this subject with lots of good advice and experiences - far easier than trying to regurgitate it all over and over. One thing I would repeat is that if going for a Total Hip Replacement, the lack of range of movement and potential dislocation problem isn't necessarily a problem at all if you insist on a type of unit that will cope with this. Try googling double (or dual) mobility hip. This is what I have and I have easily as much range of movement as I had before (think bring knee right up to chin/tie shoe laces) with zero discomfort. Bridging... well I've never been any good at that and so any restriction there is likely muscular.

In reply to jon:

Got a bad deal when God was handing out pelvises!!

In reply to Sherpa Sheelah:

That's it - I'll remember that next time I'm trying to describe it!

In reply to jon:

I'm really jealous Jon - I was just a bit too early for a dual mobility hip. But my metal-on-metal one is doing okay, with decent flexibility - I just have to watch out for nasty little metal ions wearing off and causing problems.

In reply to Sherpa Sheelah:

I had 2 resurface hips about 10 years ago - still having follow ups but otherwise forget about them. They squeak a bit when I walk far - 15+ miles but no pain. The surgeon is worried about a blow on the knee forcing the leg across the body and tending to force the hip to pop out. This is very unlikely after the rotator cuff (yes hips have a rotator cuff as well as shoulders) is back to full fitness but could always happen if the force is high enough. It takes a while (who knows - 6 months maybe) for the balance of muscle groups to return but climbing in controlled circumstances makes any problem very unlikely. Probably top roping after 3 months and climbing after 6 would be safe enough. I am climbing at a standard as high as I have ever done.

In reply to todness:

I have had both replaced, both are wonderful. I have climbed my hardest sport routes since, done some hard ice climbing and m off to Alaska in May. I never think about them when climbing or bouldering or skiing. Occasionally my glutes play up running or walking due to slight imbalances in my muscles, but my surgeon says the X rays show the bone around them has actually grown stronger post op due to all the exercise I do.