Look no hands!!

At my 6 week review Jit was really pleased with my progress. Scans which were taken a few days earlier showed initial stages of bone growth and he was very optimistic that the bone would continue to grow over the next 6-8 weeks restoring strength to my pelvis. From a functional point of view he seemed surprised.. He did mention at one stage during the review that he has never seen anyone move as well as I do at the 6 week post op mark before.. so I was extremely chuffed!! I believe that being fit and healthy prior to my surgery has played a large role in the speed that my muscles have switched back on, that and the fact that I have a super physiotherapist who has guided me through which exercises to do and so on.

At the appointment I told Jit that I was mainly getting around on a single crutch but occasionally I would hobble a few steps at home without any support. He gave me the all clear to progress to full weightbearing and told me to use pain, fatigue and limping as a guide to when I am over doing it and when I should return back to one crutch. The first day after my post op appointment I felt like I was "breaking the rules" when I rocked up to Physio... It felt foreign to have the use of both arms while walking.. I could now do simple tasks such as tie my hair up in a pony tail while on the go.. little things like that which had really frustrated me over the previous 6 weeks! The more I walked the more my hip freed up however I still fatigue very easily, needing my crutch in the afternoon and evening to stop me from looking like a penguin while I walked around the house. Slowly over the past week I have progressed to being 100% gait aid free. The only time when I notice the hip changing the way I walk is first thing in the morning when I am a bit stiff, but after the initial 10 steps the hip loosens up and I'm off walking without any hassles.

My dog Jessie is loving the fact that I am now free to walk. Being a Labrador she loves her walks and the past week I have ventured to a local lead free park on a couple of occasions much to her delight. She he still however looks back at me while on the lead with a sad face until we arrive at the park where she is allowed off the lead - almost like she is saying "come on mum... why are you still walking so slow?!? You no longer need to use those sticks to help you walk so lets pick up the pace a little bit!!".

The past week I have also started back up at the gym, being able to increase the load through my legs and hip. I feel great being back in the gym environment, it really is a stress release for me. My program consists of low impact cardio such as bike, stepper or cross trainer and then weights training aimed at improving the strength of my muscles, not only around my hip - but throughout the body. In just over a week I can feel and see a big difference in my strength. My left thigh is now only 1cm smaller than my right (no longer a 2.5cm difference) indicating hypertrophy (which is the increase in the volume of a muscle or organ due to increased size of the cells, often as a result of use). I can now stand on my left leg without dropping the right side of my pelvis and my balance is improving so that I can close my eyes without falling over.

Although I am moving around without crutches and exercising at the gym I am still far from my destination. Rehabilitation from a surgery such as a periacetabular osteotomy takes place over years and not months, but I am willing to maintain my drive and hopefully reap the rewards with a strong and functional hip in the longrun.

Change of pace.

I have been a bit slack with keeping you all posted with how I have been travelling the last few weeks but my days of lazing on the couch watching DVDs have been limited!! I now attend physiotherapy three times per week: on Mon, Wed and Fri. After my hands on treatment session (or should I say torture session) I spend a good hour completing my strengthening program in the gym and then in the pool. Although my exercises are still relatively basic and gentle, I can already feel a huge difference in my muscle strength, and my chicken leg is starting to get some meat on it again!!

Being a physiotherapist I love that I am able to assist people in many different ways and often through a difficult time in their life.. For example I may be able to help reduce a retiree's back pain which allows him to return to his love of gardening, alternatively I might watch a new mum being able to lift her son or daughter for the first time without grimacing following treatment. I believe it is these small "wins" which give me job satisfaction and keeps me loving what I do. But unfortunately as many of you would be able to relate to, in this day and age of faster passed work with higher expectations and pressures, sometimes the daily grind and work demands shift the focus purely to getting the job done and moving onto the next thing without ever being able to "stop and smell the roses".

The last 5 weeks have forced me to slow down and really step back and observe the world from a different perspective. Prior to the surgery I was concerned about being bored with nothing to do and feeling like I had no purpose because I was used to having a long to-do list for every day. However I have surprisingly enjoyed the change of pace, especially having the time to spend with friends and family. Feeling the physical and mental changes after each physiotherapy session has also reinforced the impact that treatment can have on someones life. refreshing my love for physiotherapy and restoring my belief that I am lucky to work in the health industry.

I have my 6 week review with Jit next week so fingers crossed that my xray shows good bone growth around the screws. I have signed up to a gym with a hydro pool for 3 months which will allow me to continue my rehabilitation while progressing from hydro exercises to harder land based exercises.