Diving after hip replacement?

[Byrdie]

I will certainly echo what others have said here. I would get the replacement done sooner than later. I had multiple injections in my hip for a couple of years prior to getting a replacement. Felt great afterward and regret not doing the replacement earlier and avoiding the injections. Was back to activity quite quickly with rigorous physical therapy. Regarding diving: Absolutely no problem, however some dive boats have a tree ladder in the center of the boat which requires you to throw your leg over to get back on. It was not an issue for me but could be if you lose some flexibility-another reason to take the physical therapy seriously.

 

[JMBL]

Well, I can't speak from personal experience, but I know of 2 professional instructors who had hip replacement :

- one is an instructor in the fire department, got his hip replaced more than 20 years ago, he was in 30s. He's been on active duty ever since. He's qualified as well as a commercial diver and cave instructor

- the other one is in his late 30's early 40's, got his hip replaced about 5 years ago, because of osteo necrosis, caused by unwise decompression after too many deep air dives (below 60m/200 fsw) it seems (please no trolling about this) and he's pursuing his career

 

[mi000ke]

Well the posts here are encouraging. I have arthritis and the labrum torn in two places in one hip. Experiencing a lot of pain that came on pretty suddenly. PT made it worse. Cortisone shot had absolutely no effect. So I'm getting the hip replaced. The only dilemma is that we're supposed to return to Cayman in two weeks for the winter. I can't get things arranged with my surgeon until February at the earliest (top guy in the area, so worth the wait). Wasn't keen on flying back to the US mid trip, and was hoping without hope I could still stand to dive with a bad hip (anyone here try that before getting your replacement?), but everyone here says do it now. So that's what I'm thinking. If I'm in Cayman until May but can't dive because of the pain, I might as well get fixed and maybe get back in the water by April.

 

[scubadada]

Hi @mi000ke

I got my 1st hip replacement in 1998. I waited until I was in exquisite pain and was nearly fully disabled, could barely walk around for the day and limped noticeably. After recovery, I was absolutely pain free and fully functional. I got my 2nd hip replacement in 2000, as soon as symptoms became present, it was really the way to go.

I did not dive before the 1st hip replacemsnt and doubt I would have enjoyed it much. I might have been able to feebly flutter kick, could probably not have frog kicked, my major kick. I would have been in pain during the boat ride and activities. I'm sure I would have suffered with the weight and not sure I would have been able to board the boat from the water without taking off my BC/cylinder. Even a long plane ride would have been painful.

So, what you do and when you do it depends on how much pain and disability you are currently having. It is not going to get better with time. Unless you would enjoy your time in Cayman and be able to dive, I would probably get the hip replaced as soon and you can and go to Cayman afterward.

My recovery after the 1st replacement was the longest, as I was not at all sure what to expect and was overly conservative. the 2nd replacement went much quicker and the 2 redos were a breeze Diving after hip replacement? Feel free to message me if I can answer questions.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

My hip replacement was a little over five years ago.
I can add a little more Info about the ongoing evolution of having an artificial part installed.

So just prior to my five year regularly scheduled hip check up I developed a sciatica in my left leg (replaced side). It came on very slowly and I didn’t think much about it at first. During the appointment I mentioned it and the doctor immediately wanted to get an MRI and shoot me up with an epidural.
I never got the MRI or the epidural.
The sciatica continued to get worse and worse until it finally put me down for a couple week after a long road trip.
That was 9 months ago and I’m still having problems.
However, it has nothing to do with my spine and regular sciatica from a pinched nerve leaving the spine such as a herniated disc, stenosis, slipped disc, etc.
My sciatica is caused by deep gluteal syndrome and nerve entrapment caused by fibrosis.

Here’s what I have to do to relieve it, and it’s working BTW, but it’s going to be a long term commitment.
I never worked hard enough on getting back most of my flexibility and range of motion after the surgery. They put the fear if god in me not to violate the precautions about movement after the surgery but they never told me or gave me a time frame or plan on when to start to work on stretching out and getting my range of motion back. I think they do this for liability reasons.
What eventually happened was my butt muscles tightened up so bad and formed scar tissue that is began to affect the nerve which in turn affects the muscles and next thing you know you have a run away self feeding loop that becomes absolutely excruciating and miserable. I also found out (on my own) that they made my leg too long, so I use a 3/8” heel lift in my right shoe and now I feel like I’m standing normal. Having one leg too long can also cause deep gluteal syndrome because you will walk flat footed on the long side. My left calf was also wasting away and now I know why.

So the point of all this is to make sure to keep that joint active and flexible, don’t baby it. Don’t push it over the edge either, but it takes commitment every day to exercise it and stretch it. Not all physical therapy places are created equal either. I look back and the one they sent me to was not that great. Do a lot of self study on google and watch youtube videos on rehab exercises, it helped me a lot.
When they tell you to do butt squeezes in the hospital when you’re laying there right after surgery do it! That’s one of the key things to prevent deep gluteal syndrome after a major surgery like that.

My routine now includes doing deep knee bend squats with just body weight or maybe holding a weight plate, and doing stretches to pull your leg upwards towards your chest to stretch out your butt, plus working on rotation exercises to stretch the piriformis muscle is the key. You need to stretch it but also need to exercise it. I starting to do butt squeezes again after I forgot that tidbit of info in the hospital. I also do bridges on the floor and when I can I do hyper extensions on a bench.
Doing Salam stretches on the floor also helps to stretch out the whole back, spine, and butt.
Then there’s the mother of all stretches, the locked leg bend forward and touch your toes stretch which you will feel in your back, butt, hamstrings, and on the bottoms of your feet which makes them itch. It stretches everything including the nerve. This is the toughest stretch for me.
I need a hot tub!

My problem was I waited too long to get the surgery and my muscles and tendons were so beat up by the time I went in that I suffered terribly.
Don’t wait that long until your hip ball is worn down to a little stump (bone to bone) and you walk like the hunch back.

 

[mi000ke]

I waited until I was in exquisite pain and was nearly fully disabled, could barely walk around for the day and limped noticeably.

Yup, that's where I'm at. Talking with the surgeon tomorrow to see again what the earliest surgery could be.

So the point of all this is to make sure to keep that joint active and flexible, don’t baby it.

Thanks for the advice. I've been doing all of those stretches, bridges and squeezes for a number of years, having had sciatica, herniated discs, and piriformis syndrome. They hurt a lot to do now, but glad to hear I get to keep on doing them. I also do an hour of elliptical every morning (one of the few motions that for some reason causes only minor discomfort, and has always been good for my back) and I'm hoping that's on the recovery program as well.

Anyway, can't wait to get it over with.

 

[Bubble Blower 479]

Both of my hips were replaced 5 years ago. I continue to dive as deep as 130" without problems. I was also skiing the blacks 4 months out of surgery. I wouldn't let it slow me down.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Both of my hips were replaced 5 years ago. I continue to dive as deep as 130" without problems. I was also skiing the blacks 4 months out of surgery. I wouldn't let it slow me down.

You go man!

 

[rx7diver]

I had both hips replaced (total hip replacements) summer before last. We knew from the scans about twenty years ago that this would be an eventuality. My docs told me that the pain would increase, and that when it reached my own personal pain threshold limit, to have the procedures done.

I had hoped to wait until my children had graduated high school--you know, in case I didn't wake up from anesthesia. However, when I was reduced to needing crutches, I scheduled the two procedures right away, to take place eight weeks apart.

The procedures were delayed a couple of months because COVID-19 caused the hospitals here (central MO) to shut down elective surgeries. Finally, after June, and then August, the procedures were over, no issues.

I did my first post-surgery dives this past summer, a couple of months less than a year after my last surgery. Shallow, local dives. No issues.

Immediate gains: Being able to schlep my scuba gear without hip and lower back (!!) pain. I am still being careful when it comes to bending at the waist too obliquely (too acutely). However, I think I'm just being a wimp about this, since I am experiencing no pain whatsoever.

I am looking forward to enjoying many more dives for many more years to come.

rx7diver

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

I had both hips replaced (total hip replacements) summer before last. We knew from the scans about twenty years ago that this would be an eventuality. My docs told me that the pain would increase, and that when it reached my own personal pain threshold limit, to have the procedures done.

I had hoped to wait until my children had graduated high school--you know, in case I didn't wake up from anesthesia. However, when I was reduced to needing crutches, I scheduled the two procedures right away, to take place eight weeks apart.

The procedures were delayed a couple of months because COVID-19 caused the hospitals here (central MO) to shut down elective surgeries. Finally, after June, and then August, the procedures were over, no issues.

I did my first post-surgery dives this past summer, a couple of months less than a year after my last surgery. Shallow, local dives. No issues.

Immediate gains: Being able to schlep my scuba gear without hip and lower back (!!)) pain. I am still being careful when it comes to bending at the waist too obliquely (too acutely). However, I think I'm just being a wimp about this, since I am experiencing no pain whatsoever.

I am looking forward to enjoying many more dives for many more years to come.

rx7diver

Can you sit indian style?
Just curious.