What are my restrictions following a hip replacement?
This is one of the common questions that patients at Apex ask us in regards to a hip replacement. We all want to know when we can get back to doing the things we love. When can I get back to playing with my grandkids? What about travel, how soon can I do that? What about riding a camel?
Wait, riding a camel?
Yes, riding a camel.
Don’t worry. We’ll explain everything.
In a typical pre-operative appointment before a total hip or total knee arthroplasty, we go through what to expect before, during and after surgery, including what restrictions will follow your joint replacement. We explain the procedure at length and discuss the recovery process. We ensure that all of our patients are healthy and ready before their big day. At the end of the appointment, we ask if there are any questions. We receive quite the array of questions and the majority of the time we are fully ready to answer, but every now and then, a special patient comes along and throws a curveball.
Tell me more about the camel question.
I cannot say that I was ready nor did I know the answer to “At what point will I be able to ride a camel after surgery?”
Well, hmm. Having never ridden a camel myself, I felt a little stumped. Was it anything like riding a horse? Do you sit on top of the hump? Does it involve seat belts?
So what is the answer? When can you ride a camel after hip replacement?
The patient was scheduled to have a total hip arthroplasty (total hip replacement) and would need to be on hip restrictions for 6 weeks. These restrictions include not bending at the waist past 90 degrees, avoiding internal rotation of your hip and avoiding crossing your legs to allow the soft tissue time to heal after surgery. How well the physical therapy and pain control was going would determine whether or not I could clear him, and at six weeks postoperation, he was clear for camel jockeying.
His trip took place a few months after surgery and we are glad to say he rode the camel with grace and ease.
Do you also want to ride a camel, pain-free?
We at Apex are beyond pleased to get our patients back to activity, whether that be playing with grandchildren, intramural sports or riding camels. So if you’re considering hip or knee replacement in Kansas City, talk to us. We’ll help get you back to doing the things you love.
If you were wondering about the muzzle, no he didn’t have a mean camel, just a hungry one… his camel had a little problem with snacking on leather.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF JIM FISK
