OT: Cycling After Hip Replacement

B. Lafferty

A friend, age 55, has been putting off hip replacement for fear that he
won't be able to cycle afterwards. However, he's now at the point where the
hip is severly limiting his cycling and causing other problems with
"compensation" injuries.

Does anyone here have expreience, direct or a cycling friend, who has had
hip replacement and cycled afterwards? More specifically, has a return to a
decent riding level, average pace of 20mph, been possible post-surgery?

Thanks in advance.

psycholist

"B. Lafferty" <Magni@Italia.com> wrote in message
news:vN8jc.3184$g31.1434@newsread2.news.atl.earthlink.net...
> A friend, age 55, has been putting off hip replacement for fear that he
> won't be able to cycle afterwards. However, he's now at the point where
the
> hip is severly limiting his cycling and causing other problems with
> "compensation" injuries.
>
> Does anyone here have expreience, direct or a cycling friend, who has had
> hip replacement and cycled afterwards? More specifically, has a return to
a
> decent riding level, average pace of 20mph, been possible post-surgery?
>
> Thanks in advance.
>

Brian,

This isn't directly the same, but it's very, very close. First, I'm 48
years old ... so ages are comparable. I was hit by a car ... severely ...
in mid-October of 2002. I had a fractured spine, broken pelvis, broken
ankle and some severe lacerations to my lower leg. But the worst injury was
a severly broken hip. The femoral head was almost fully severed from the
femur. (Forgive me. I'm no doc so I can't get all the terms exactly
right.) The doc said it was a 50/50 proposition whether or not to try to
save the hip as it was or do a replacement. She said the key differences
were: a) if I healed properly, the natural hip could be good essentially
forever whereas the replacements tend to need replacement again in 20 years
or so, b) on the other hand, rehabilitation for a replacement is much faster
than waiting for the bone to heal on a repair job.

She decided that, since I was in such good shape, she'd go with the repair.
I had three huge titanium screws inserted through the femoral head to put
the hip back together again.

I was not allowed to bear any weight on the left leg until mid-December.
Then I was only allowed partial weight bearing until mid-January. Much of
this had to do with the damage to the ankle more than the damage to the hip.
But ... I was allowed to begin riding rollers in mid-December! So I rode
them, and rode them, and rode them. In early January I began a few trainer
workouts to start building back some muscle strength. They were pathetic,
but they were something.

In mid-January, when I was allowed to begin going without crutches or cane,
I began physical therapy. At the same time, the doc cleared me to get
outside for some riding.

At the end of January I did my first "real" road ride with some friends. I
rode 38 miles in hilly terrain and averaged 18 mph. I was astounded. So
were my friends.

In early May I rode a full century that included a mountain climb and 7,500
feet of climbing. I finished in just under 5 hours with the lead pack and
recorded my personal best time. I went on to record personal best times in
nearly every event I rode all season. These weren't races, but mostly
centuries where I was always at the front and riding with the racers who
would show up. My favorite was a ride Memorial Day weekend where I finished
second just behind Kurt Garin in an event in Hartwell, GA. (Don't ask me to
specify what I mean by "just behind." ;-))

I worked very, very hard on my comeback to cycling. I went through a good
bit of pain and suffering. Even today, though, I ride better than I walk.
Your friend should probably have it easier than this. There will be a long
time where he'll feel like the restricted range of motion he'll have will
never go away. It will. It just takes working at it. Lots of stretching
and exercise.

I hope this helps and offers him some encouragement. God engineered an
amazing thing in the human body. It has amazing powers of rehabilitation.

He should be flying in no time and his body might benefit from the bit of
rest.

Bob C.

B. Lafferty

Thanks. I'll forward it to him. My understanding is that they now use a
high grade ceramic in the replacement joints that works quite well over a
fairly long period of "normal" use---like 30 years. So if he's 55 and gets
15 years of cycling before another replacement, that won't be so bad.

Thanks again.

"psycholist" <technico@wctel.net> wrote in message
news:c6jb9f$2piv$1@news3.infoave.net...
>
> "B. Lafferty" <Magni@Italia.com> wrote in message
> news:vN8jc.3184$g31.1434@newsread2.news.atl.earthlink.net...
> > A friend, age 55, has been putting off hip replacement for fear that he
> > won't be able to cycle afterwards. However, he's now at the point where
> the
> > hip is severly limiting his cycling and causing other problems with
> > "compensation" injuries.
> >
> > Does anyone here have expreience, direct or a cycling friend, who has
had
> > hip replacement and cycled afterwards? More specifically, has a return
to
> a
> > decent riding level, average pace of 20mph, been possible post-surgery?
> >
> > Thanks in advance.
> >
>
> Brian,
>
> This isn't directly the same, but it's very, very close. First, I'm 48
> years old ... so ages are comparable. I was hit by a car ... severely ...
> in mid-October of 2002. I had a fractured spine, broken pelvis, broken
> ankle and some severe lacerations to my lower leg. But the worst injury
was
> a severly broken hip. The femoral head was almost fully severed from the
> femur. (Forgive me. I'm no doc so I can't get all the terms exactly
> right.) The doc said it was a 50/50 proposition whether or not to try to
> save the hip as it was or do a replacement. She said the key differences
> were: a) if I healed properly, the natural hip could be good essentially
> forever whereas the replacements tend to need replacement again in 20
years
> or so, b) on the other hand, rehabilitation for a replacement is much
faster
> than waiting for the bone to heal on a repair job.
>
> She decided that, since I was in such good shape, she'd go with the
repair.
> I had three huge titanium screws inserted through the femoral head to put
> the hip back together again.
>
> I was not allowed to bear any weight on the left leg until mid-December.
> Then I was only allowed partial weight bearing until mid-January. Much of
> this had to do with the damage to the ankle more than the damage to the
hip.
> But ... I was allowed to begin riding rollers in mid-December! So I rode
> them, and rode them, and rode them. In early January I began a few
trainer
> workouts to start building back some muscle strength. They were pathetic,
> but they were something.
>
> In mid-January, when I was allowed to begin going without crutches or
cane,
> I began physical therapy. At the same time, the doc cleared me to get
> outside for some riding.
>
> At the end of January I did my first "real" road ride with some friends.
I
> rode 38 miles in hilly terrain and averaged 18 mph. I was astounded. So
> were my friends.
>
> In early May I rode a full century that included a mountain climb and
7,500
> feet of climbing. I finished in just under 5 hours with the lead pack and
> recorded my personal best time. I went on to record personal best times
in
> nearly every event I rode all season. These weren't races, but mostly
> centuries where I was always at the front and riding with the racers who
> would show up. My favorite was a ride Memorial Day weekend where I
finished
> second just behind Kurt Garin in an event in Hartwell, GA. (Don't ask me
to
> specify what I mean by "just behind." ;-))
>
> I worked very, very hard on my comeback to cycling. I went through a good
> bit of pain and suffering. Even today, though, I ride better than I walk.
> Your friend should probably have it easier than this. There will be a
long
> time where he'll feel like the restricted range of motion he'll have will
> never go away. It will. It just takes working at it. Lots of stretching
> and exercise.
>
> I hope this helps and offers him some encouragement. God engineered an
> amazing thing in the human body. It has amazing powers of rehabilitation.
>
> He should be flying in no time and his body might benefit from the bit of
> rest.
>
> Bob C.
>
>

spokin

"B. Lafferty" <Magni@Italia.com> wrote in message news:<vN8jc.3184$g31.1434@newsread2.news.atl.earthlink.net>...
> A friend, age 55, has been putting off hip replacement for fear that he
> won't be able to cycle afterwards. However, he's now at the point where the
> hip is severly limiting his cycling and causing other problems with
> "compensation" injuries.
>
> Does anyone here have expreience, direct or a cycling friend, who has had
> hip replacement and cycled afterwards? More specifically, has a return to a
> decent riding level, average pace of 20mph, been possible post-surgery?
>
> Thanks in advance.

Might get in touch with the Memphis Hightailers Bicycle club. Lookup
on the internet. There is an older Hightailer - "Hugh" was the name I
think, who had hip replacements and still rode. He wasn't known as a
hi-mileage or speedy gonzales before, but he was a steady rider for
many many years, and still rode some after.

Regards;
Mark

B. Lafferty

Thanks. I did a ride with them a few years ago while living in New Orleans.
Nice folks.

"spokin" <spoking@bellsouth.net> wrote in message
news:cb8310a2.0404261000.462020a7@posting.google.com...
> "B. Lafferty" <Magni@Italia.com> wrote in message
news:<vN8jc.3184$g31.1434@newsread2.news.atl.earthlink.net>...
> > A friend, age 55, has been putting off hip replacement for fear that he
> > won't be able to cycle afterwards. However, he's now at the point where
the
> > hip is severly limiting his cycling and causing other problems with
> > "compensation" injuries.
> >
> > Does anyone here have expreience, direct or a cycling friend, who has
had
> > hip replacement and cycled afterwards? More specifically, has a return
to a
> > decent riding level, average pace of 20mph, been possible post-surgery?
> >
> > Thanks in advance.
>
> Might get in touch with the Memphis Hightailers Bicycle club. Lookup
> on the internet. There is an older Hightailer - "Hugh" was the name I
> think, who had hip replacements and still rode. He wasn't known as a
> hi-mileage or speedy gonzales before, but he was a steady rider for
> many many years, and still rode some after.
>
> Regards;
> Mark

Mark & Steven Bornfeld DDS

"B. Lafferty" wrote:

> A friend, age 55, has been putting off hip replacement for fear that he
> won't be able to cycle afterwards. However, he's now at the point where the
> hip is severly limiting his cycling and causing other problems with
> "compensation" injuries.
>
> Does anyone here have expreience, direct or a cycling friend, who has had
> hip replacement and cycled afterwards? More specifically, has a return to a
> decent riding level, average pace of 20mph, been possible post-surgery?
>
> Thanks in advance.

I knew a fellow named Bill Recht. He was very active in the Long Island
Bicycle Club, and also the Bicycle Touring Club of North Jersey. He also
manufactured bicycles under the name Medici.
I was on a ride with him one day maybe 15 years ago. I'd say he may have
been in his 50s at the time. He fell and fractured his hip, which was pinned.
Long story short, they screwed up, and needed a total hip replacement. He was
advised to give up running, but he continued to ride. Within a year or so, he'd
fallen again and fractured his upper hip. I think they successfully pinned that
one, and he continued to ride, reasonably well from what I could see. I would
guess that if anything the technology has only improved since then.

Steve


--
Mark & Steven Bornfeld DDS
Brooklyn, NY
718-258-5001
http://www.dentaltwins.com

B. Lafferty

Small world! I rode with Bill from 1977 through the mid-1980s with the old
LIBC out of Westbury. I helped him promote Medici at the New York Cycle
Show in 1978(?). He also owned a restaurant on the Upper East Side called
the Lion's Rock where he had the kick off dinner for Medici. Bill also had
some involvement with Mario Confente, although I don't recall the specifics.
Still have the Medici tee shirt somewhere (black with Medici in bright
Yellow).

Do you know if Stu Shackman and Ron Karman (?) are still riding? I know
Billy Bauer is still out there.


"Mark & Steven Bornfeld DDS" <bornfeldmung@dentaltwins.com> wrote in message
news:408D66D7.87CA9469@dentaltwins.com...
>
>
> "B. Lafferty" wrote:
>
> > A friend, age 55, has been putting off hip replacement for fear that he
> > won't be able to cycle afterwards. However, he's now at the point where
the
> > hip is severly limiting his cycling and causing other problems with
> > "compensation" injuries.
> >
> > Does anyone here have expreience, direct or a cycling friend, who has
had
> > hip replacement and cycled afterwards? More specifically, has a return
to a
> > decent riding level, average pace of 20mph, been possible post-surgery?
> >
> > Thanks in advance.
>
> I knew a fellow named Bill Recht. He was very active in the Long
Island
> Bicycle Club, and also the Bicycle Touring Club of North Jersey. He also
> manufactured bicycles under the name Medici.
> I was on a ride with him one day maybe 15 years ago. I'd say he may
have
> been in his 50s at the time. He fell and fractured his hip, which was
pinned.
> Long story short, they screwed up, and needed a total hip replacement. He
was
> advised to give up running, but he continued to ride. Within a year or
so, he'd
> fallen again and fractured his upper hip. I think they successfully
pinned that
> one, and he continued to ride, reasonably well from what I could see. I
would
> guess that if anything the technology has only improved since then.
>
> Steve
>
>
> --
> Mark & Steven Bornfeld DDS
> Brooklyn, NY
> 718-258-5001
> http://www.dentaltwins.com
>
>

B. Lafferty

Another Bill Recht story. He did a business trip out to California where
they were building Medici bikes (Gian ?? was his Italian builder/factory
manager). While out there he did a club ride in which a young racer and his
dad were riding. At one point the kid said, time to move and headed up the
road with a very select few. The kid rode for Avocet at the time. Name was
Lemon, Lerman, Lemond something. ;-)

"B. Lafferty" <Magni@Italia.com> wrote in message
news:jOdjc.11913$gH6.8752@newsread3.news.atl.earthlink.net...
> Small world! I rode with Bill from 1977 through the mid-1980s with the
old
> LIBC out of Westbury. I helped him promote Medici at the New York Cycle
> Show in 1978(?). He also owned a restaurant on the Upper East Side called
> the Lion's Rock where he had the kick off dinner for Medici. Bill also
had
> some involvement with Mario Confente, although I don't recall the
specifics.
> Still have the Medici tee shirt somewhere (black with Medici in bright
> Yellow).
>
> Do you know if Stu Shackman and Ron Karman (?) are still riding? I know
> Billy Bauer is still out there.
>
>
> "Mark & Steven Bornfeld DDS" <bornfeldmung@dentaltwins.com> wrote in
message
> news:408D66D7.87CA9469@dentaltwins.com...
> >
> >
> > "B. Lafferty" wrote:
> >
> > > A friend, age 55, has been putting off hip replacement for fear that
he
> > > won't be able to cycle afterwards. However, he's now at the point
where
> the
> > > hip is severly limiting his cycling and causing other problems with
> > > "compensation" injuries.
> > >
> > > Does anyone here have expreience, direct or a cycling friend, who has
> had
> > > hip replacement and cycled afterwards? More specifically, has a
return
> to a
> > > decent riding level, average pace of 20mph, been possible
post-surgery?
> > >
> > > Thanks in advance.
> >
> > I knew a fellow named Bill Recht. He was very active in the Long
> Island
> > Bicycle Club, and also the Bicycle Touring Club of North Jersey. He
also
> > manufactured bicycles under the name Medici.
> > I was on a ride with him one day maybe 15 years ago. I'd say he may
> have
> > been in his 50s at the time. He fell and fractured his hip, which was
> pinned.
> > Long story short, they screwed up, and needed a total hip replacement.
He
> was
> > advised to give up running, but he continued to ride. Within a year or
> so, he'd
> > fallen again and fractured his upper hip. I think they successfully
> pinned that
> > one, and he continued to ride, reasonably well from what I could see. I
> would
> > guess that if anything the technology has only improved since then.
> >
> > Steve
> >
> >
> > --
> > Mark & Steven Bornfeld DDS
> > Brooklyn, NY
> > 718-258-5001
> > http://www.dentaltwins.com
> >
> >
>
>

Wayne

> Does anyone here have expreience, direct or a cycling friend, who has had
> hip replacement and cycled afterwards? More specifically, has a return to a
> decent riding level, average pace of 20mph, been possible post-surgery?
>
> Thanks in advance.

Yes. Although he was relatively young (30's) compared to your friend.
He had to have his hip replaced approximately 2 years after breaking
it in a cycling crash and subsequently developing avascular necrosis
of the femoral head. He's back to riding now at the level he was
prior to breaking his hip.

Tony Rall

"B. Lafferty" wrote:
> My understanding is that they now use a
> high grade ceramic in the replacement joints that works quite well over a
> fairly long period of "normal" use---like 30 years. So if he's 55 and gets
> 15 years of cycling before another replacement, that won't be so bad.

I got a hip replacement last June. Since I was younger (56) than the
usual patient, my doctor suggested a new (at least in the US) metal on
metal hip joint (see http://www.activejoints.com/mom.html). Current
experience shows that this type is likely to last my full life (a big
advantage - these operations are not a walk in the park), but it has a
disadvantage that it raises the level of metallic ions in the blood.
The level reached is well below the warning point, but it might be a
concern for some folks (since I, to treat an unrelated high iron
problem, am tapped for a pint of blood per month, I'm not worried
about bad stuff building up).

My post-op experience with cycling is pretty minimal. Certainly my
hip is much better than before, but I unfortunately have 3 other
decrepit joints (although not yet as bad as the first hip was).

--
Tony Rall

Mark & Steven Bornfeld DDS

"B. Lafferty" wrote:

> Small world! I rode with Bill from 1977 through the mid-1980s with the old
> LIBC out of Westbury. I helped him promote Medici at the New York Cycle
> Show in 1978(?). He also owned a restaurant on the Upper East Side called
> the Lion's Rock where he had the kick off dinner for Medici. Bill also had
> some involvement with Mario Confente, although I don't recall the specifics.
> Still have the Medici tee shirt somewhere (black with Medici in bright
> Yellow).
>
> Do you know if Stu Shackman and Ron Karman (?) are still riding? I know
> Billy Bauer is still out there.

I'll answer privately so as not to bore the others by tripping down
memory lane.

Steve--
Mark & Steven Bornfeld DDS
Brooklyn, NY
718-258-5001
http://www.dentaltwins.com

Mark & Steven Bornfeld DDS

"B. Lafferty" wrote:

> Another Bill Recht story. He did a business trip out to California where
> they were building Medici bikes (Gian ?? was his Italian builder/factory
> manager). While out there he did a club ride in which a young racer and his
> dad were riding. At one point the kid said, time to move and headed up the
> road with a very select few. The kid rode for Avocet at the time. Name was
> Lemon, Lerman, Lemond something. ;-)

Oh, there's a lot of Bill Recht stories...

Steve
--
Mark & Steven Bornfeld DDS
Brooklyn, NY
718-258-5001
http://www.dentaltwins.com

Mark & Steven Bornfeld DDS

Tony Rall wrote:

> "B. Lafferty" wrote:
> > My understanding is that they now use a
> > high grade ceramic in the replacement joints that works quite well over a
> > fairly long period of "normal" use---like 30 years. So if he's 55 and gets
> > 15 years of cycling before another replacement, that won't be so bad.
>
> I got a hip replacement last June. Since I was younger (56) than the
> usual patient, my doctor suggested a new (at least in the US) metal on
> metal hip joint (see http://www.activejoints.com/mom.html). Current
> experience shows that this type is likely to last my full life (a big
> advantage - these operations are not a walk in the park), but it has a
> disadvantage that it raises the level of metallic ions in the blood.
> The level reached is well below the warning point, but it might be a
> concern for some folks (since I, to treat an unrelated high iron
> problem, am tapped for a pint of blood per month, I'm not worried
> about bad stuff building up).
>
> My post-op experience with cycling is pretty minimal. Certainly my
> hip is much better than before, but I unfortunately have 3 other
> decrepit joints (although not yet as bad as the first hip was).
>
> --
> Tony Rall

Interesting. I assume the part of the prosthesis actually inserted in the
bone is titanium.
There is a lot of shared technology between orthopedic and dental implants.

Steve


--
Mark & Steven Bornfeld DDS
Brooklyn, NY
718-258-5001
http://www.dentaltwins.com