Entrepreneur Dan (46) has been Corin’s
distributor in Croatia since having had his left hip
resurfaced in February 2003; his hobbies include more
mundane activities such motorcycling, mountain biking, beach
volley, football and basketball to the more adventurous
scuba diving and diving into the sea from heights!
My rapidly deteriorating left hip left me with a limp. The ensuing pain and discomfort affected my
everyday life and work – getting in and out of a car,
driving, sleeping etc. The effect on my hobbies and pursuits
was more significant as I found it difficult to climb on my
motorcycle and mountain bike and to partner my young son
in sports and games.
In February 2003 I was operated on by Mr Steve Krikler at St Cross Hospital in Rugby, Warwickshire
where he performed my hip resurfacing operation and
implanted a Cormet prosthesis.
My recovery was unexpectedly fast: walking with two sticks
on day one; walking with one stick on day two; climbed
up/down the stairs on day two with one stick; walking and
climbing stairs unaided on day three; driving a car at the
end of week two; started physiotherapy programme at week
five (three hours daily, six days a week for three weeks)
after which I regained most of my range of movement.
After a week in hospital I spent another
week recovering without a specific exercise and
physiotherapy programme. I would occasionally flex, extend
and try to rotate my operated leg. As I could not secure a
local physiotherapy programme that would involve multiple
sessions per week I flew to Croatia four weeks after the
operation and booked a physiotherapy course there. After the
four weeks I had no further physiotherapy, exercise or
recovery programme.
From memory, I'd say that I was back to full fitness at
about 12 weeks post op. Functionality was restored, back to
the level prior to the onset of OA in my left hip, at
approximately eight weeks post op. I started running,
playing recreational football (with my son) and basketball
at about ten weeks post op. I cycled dynamically (my
mountain bike) at eight weeks post op. I do not recall any
milestones post ten weeks after the operation. Later that
summer (five months post op) I scuba dived extensively -
more than 30 dives below 120 feet - and dived into the sea
of rocks in excess of 18 feet high. I rode my motorcycle at
four months post op and I drove my car in a nonstop fashion
for four hours travelling some 400km at seven months post
op.
Having had my hip resurfaced I believe my return to an
active life is back to the level I was at before I stared
having problems with my hip some five to six year earlier.
When I opted for "resurfacing" my aim was to be able to
enjoy sports with my then five year-old son. I can do
much more than that now. There are no restrictions or limits
to what I can do physically these days that are related to
my left hip at all. To paraphrase another hip "resurfacing"
patient - "I got my life back!"
