Anyone here ride bikes after having hip replacement?

[homer]

how many kms till ya need a hip done

[Littlewheels]

make sure you get referral to a physio, tell them what you want to do (ie;get back on bike) so they can work to your goals and get you there in the best condition and tell you what you really absolutely should not do.
get all the help from ACC that you can.(ps you pay for it in your taxes remember)
good luck be, determined and stay positive, a 101yr old did the london marathon this week (go you good thing)

[Dooly]

Cheers for the replies.

Due to the extent of my injuries its pretty stuffed in there and I had untold operations on the hip/femur area about 8 years back.
Was quite interesting as they had me going to theature everyday for over a week to clean and repair the wound and area, then decided that the general anaesthetics were no good so many times in a row so they did the work in my bed with me awake under morphine and sucking on the nitrous bottle.
Was freaky watching them right inside your leg/hip area operating.

Then it got massively infected, all the metalware and they nearly had to take the leg off!
So its been very problematic and I guess its a case of me being used to where I'm at now and just adapting and then having the possiblity of all that bullshit again.

I've no doubt that I should be able to ride ok, hopefully, just when I guess.
The only consolation is that it will be winter so rain, rain, rain, damn you, so I wont feel so bad!

[Gixxer 4 ever]

Hi Tony. My Uncle had a hip done last year. As he is a bachelor my brother and I looked after him for the recovery. Much older than you mate. I know of a bloke 35 who had his hips done. Tis not about age mate but damage done. Anyway as I see it you need to listen to the people in charge. The first few months of the recovery are vital. My Uncle is a hard old bugger and just got on with it and we took him back for the hip to be relocated with in 2 days of leaving hospital. That set him back 2 weeks. As above get the physio on the job. Work the hip after the op but don’t over do it. You will find the balance. Don’t be a hard arse and decide to run it in, in two months. You need it to last a life time. Honestly follow the program you are given cos you can over do it just as you can under do it. I am talking about the movement and exercise here. Follow the instructions on how to swing the leg when walking etc. They do so many of these op’s they have a good program. It has taken the best part of 10 months for him to feel it is as good as he expected, but he is 77 years old. He struggles to lift the leg over the seat on his Yamaha XT 250. It took 4 months before he could ride the XT again. He rides it every day now. You need to look for a vehicle you can sit in that has flat seats that are high. Ie you don’t need to lower yourself in to for the first month of recovery. Ie a van or similar. You need a seat at home the same. I can’t remember the angle but you are not allowed to bend the hip past 90deg? I think. Most car seats are well past that and you can not sit in them for quite a while after the op. So it would be with a bike. I mention this so you can organise a ride home from the hospital and have wheels to get around for the next couple of months. Then you should be ok for a car. One thing he finds is the temperature difference. The hip feels cold and he wears Polly props and or wool around the hip to keep it comfortable. Watch for infection. If you are not sure get a swab taken and check. Keep on top of that.

You will get back on a sports bike mate but it might take 6 -9 months to be happy on it. I looked after an old feller that did it his way so I can only speak of that experience. If it all goes well and your recovery is as it should be, I recon you will be riding on the sports bike with no pain or discomfort, to speak of, in 10-12 months. I am sure you will ride up and down the road by the house, with longer rides to town etc, before that but take care of it. I am not a vet ( Doctor ) so this is just my unqualified opinion based on what I experienced with my Uncle age 77.

Edit: I didn’t see your posting above until I posted this. Looks like you know most of what I have said. It will work for you. After all it is only a hip op, compared to what you have had it is a walk in the park.

[YellowDog]

Anyone here had a hip replacement or know of anyone who has who rides sprotsbikes?
Just wondering how long did it take after the new hip done to get back in the saddle and if its ok or a problem, or is it time for a cruiser, yikes!!!

After 10 years of putting up with untold hip/femur pain from a major car wreck and smashed femur/hip socket and breaking the head off the femur I'm told my hip is stuffed (traumatic arthritis he said) and I need an op which is meant to happen within a few months.
I've been putting it off for years but the time has come or ACC wont pay for it if I refuse.

So I'm concerned that it might be a while before I'm back in the saddle.

Fuckin hell, hip replacement to me is for oldies..........
Maybe I am.....

Guess its Harley time eh.............

Dooly mate, sorry to hear you need to have this hip op. I am still recovering from my third knee op (over a 20 year period). It is going well and my new Tiger arrives in 2 weeks (I hope). I couldn't ever ride Sports bike for more than 30 minutes, regardless of having a bad knee.

The answer to your question is that you will just need to wait and see how you are. If you look after yourself, by not trying to do anything too soon, and give yourself the best chance of recovery that you can; then you will quickly know what your options are likely to be. I have seen incredible recoveries after hip ops.

The fact that you are already considering a cruiser means that whatever the result, you will be back biking again in no time.

Good luck to you.

[insane1]

dooly mate sounds like the burgman scooters might just be for you 650 injected twin goes like hell .

[pjpnz]

I had a hip replacement two years ago, when I was 51 years old. Best thing I ever did.

I ride a 99 BMW R1100R naked bike. The riding position is more up right then on sports bike. Have gone from lots of pain, to no pain - riding is fun again! About 8 weeks from op to back on bike - was pretty apprehensive the first time I swung my leg over, but no problems.

Other hip now getting sore...

[Dooly]

I recon you will be riding on the sports bike with no pain or discomfort, to speak of, in 10-12 months.

Yikes!!!

Cheers Steve, but I'm kinda hoping to be back in the groove well before Xmas if I have it done around July/August.
Trying to get the 600 sorted so I can do some trackdays for the first time before the layup.
In fact, doing all the bikes servicing and everything done now in case.
The Speed Triple's in bits all over the floor now.....waiting on silly parts from the UK!!

[Dooly]

The fact that you are already considering a cruiser means that whatever the result, you will be back biking again in no time.

Good luck to you.

Cheers mate, but in reality I'm not considering a cruiser.
The Speed Triple will suffice with its semi upright position, and if I have to park the Ducati up for quite some time, that's the way it is.

I had a cruiser about 8 years ago. The missus thought we should get one so we could go 'cruising'. So I thought, ok, give it a go. It was a VN1500.
After 3 months I lost all interest in it, and then biking, as I did'nt like the bike, sold it, and gave up for 6 years.

Each to their own.

[Dooly]

I had a hip replacement two years ago, when I was 51 years old. Best thing I ever did.

I ride a 99 BMW R1100R naked bike. The riding position is more up right then on sports bike. Have gone from lots of pain, to no pain - riding is fun again! About 8 weeks from op to back on bike - was pretty apprehensive the first time I swung my leg over, but no problems.

Other hip now getting sore...

Good stuff, thats very encouraging.
Funny you say about the other hip.
My other one gets quite sore too, even tho it was untouched int he accident.
Favouritism of it without noticing it.

[Gixxer 4 ever]

Yikes!!!

Cheers Steve, but I'm kinda hoping to be back in the groove well before Xmas if I have it done around July/August.
Trying to get the 600 sorted so I can do some trackdays for the first time before the layup.
In fact, doing all the bikes servicing and everything done now in case.
The Speed Triple's in bits all over the floor now.....waiting on silly parts from the UK!!

You will note I said with out pain or discomfort. I think you will be on the bike long before the 10 months but the degree of riding will depend on how the hip feels. I guess I am saying you need to take it one day at a time and your first rides might be half an hour. In 10-12 months I recon you could have unlimited ride time.
However I still recon you need to take good care of it for the first few months. The mind will be willing but the body needs time. Hurt it to soon and it will set you back so far.

Aye you will be right mate. You have a good practical handle on life. In short you will ride what ever you want in time. Let us know when your track days are. Might come along for a look.

[Nade]

I know its not the same as a hip...but I just had my knee done. I ripped a cartiledge and the surgeon sent me back to work too early after the first op and it shat itself again....he then went in again to repair it and in the process cut the nerve on the inside of my leg...im now numb below the knee. I tried to get back on the bike the same day the brace came off my leg but it was a no go and I hardly got out the drive way before I was in so much agony I had to ride back with my leg pointing straight out. Its been 8 weeks now and im doing physio a couple of times a week and only 4 hours a day at work, but im hoping to get on the bike tomorrow and do the St Johns Ambulance ride. My bike has been called a chiropracters dream buy quite a few older guys at rallys and now I know why....specially considering my height and my legs up round my ears....my fellow club members have been commenting on me having to buy a cruiser now Like fuck I say....pain killers are great...LOL Anyway..the physio has said it will get stronger and better but buy the time im 55 I will most probably be looking at a full knee replacement...depending on the severity of the arthritis..and I will get it...*sigh* Im not going to give in till I really have too...and as for buying a cruiser...I'll buy a jet with 2 wheels and make it go faster.....or try...

[Silverfern]

Hi Dooly, was great to find this thread, I'm on the waiting list for a left hip replacement for arthritis (and I'm still in my 40's), sometime after my right ankle is functioning again once the plaster comes off it (non bike accidents). May not happen til next year on the public waiting list...
I have been debating whether to sell my Ducati as I was a returning biker after many years away and my confidence was not the highest before the hip shat itself last July. I cant even ride pillion without intense pain so the bike is sulking behind the RF900.. I'd appreciate your (any other KB'ers comments) on how your recovery has been, do you worry about dislocating the prothesis if you come off, even at a slow speed drop, and would it be better to sell the bike now and buy another one once I've had the op and are fully recovered?

Cheers

[Big Dave]

Sorry. Can't advise. I remain originally and tragically hip.
My funk could do with a re-groove.

[wickle]

Hi Dooly, I had both my hips replaced about twelve years ago,it was fantastic to be without the pain and to stop taking pain killers, with riding as someone else has mentioned the thought of coming off is not a thing I wish to happen. Air lift to hospital will be the only way! Occasionally I get cramp type situations and need to stretch legs out or stand on footrests while riding for a short period,