HHere are 10 things that have helped me during my hip saga and prepared me for surgery!
1. Hospital Essentials List:
- Toiletries
- Eye mask
- Ear plugs - if you've tried ear plugs before and they haven't really worked then definitely give these Snore Calm Elite Foam Ear Plugs a go instead, they are designed specifically to drown out loud noises & snoring and are simply a godsend in hospital!
- Sturdy slippers with a back - mine are 'HOMIES' from Clarks, I lived in these slippers for a couple of months, they are super comfy!
- Loose fitting cotton knickers, pjs, nighties (all a size up), joggers/comfy clothes (get yourself to Primark!)
- Dressing gown
- Lip balm
- Dry shampoo
- Face wipes
- Hand sanitiser
- Bed throw and/or own pillow
- Earphones
- Throat sweets
For Home
- LOTS of pillows or even better a Pregnancy / U shaped pillow - these are amazing for getting comfortable. I got mine from Pregnancy Pillows.Net and it is so soft! This website will help you choose the perfect pillow.
- 1 litre Bobble Water Bottle to encourage me to drink enough each day. Bobble bottles filter your tap water and it's BPA free
- Mepiform Silicone Dressings to help with scar healing. These are simply incredible. They are clinically proven to flatten, fade, & soften scars. You can wear them 24 hours a day, just remove for washing the area, and replace it every 3-7 days. They are pricy but totally worth it if you care about how your scar looks.
- Raised toilet seat with frame - I only used this for a week
- Perching stool (to allow sitting at the sink for a wash or at a kitchen worktop for meal prep)
- Bath board (or shower chair)
The bathroom equipment is sometimes provided by occupational therapy from the hospital so it's worth checking before buying yourself.
- Wheelchair (to get me outside with my friends and family and keep me sane! I got mine off a fellow hippy who had finished using it)
2. Support groups - The Facebook groups have been a lifeline. I've been able to ask all sorts of stupid questions and had answers from people all over the world that have had the same operation. It's amazing how therapeutic it is speaking to people in the same boat as you.It's helped me to be fully informed about this surgery and the long recovery. I've picked up tips for scar massage, diet, aromatherapy oils, mindset, sleeping positions, essential equipment... The list goes on! The other resource that I found very informative was a book called A Guide for Adults with Hip Dysplasia, which my consultant recommended reading. I've also enjoyed reading blogs. This one by Annick Hollins was particularly inspirational - she walked the London marathon in 2010 at 6 months post RPAO and 11 months post LPAO and has ran many since.
3. Hot baths, hot water bottle, and frozen peas - When my hip and groin have felt tight or uncomfortable/achy, I've found heat works best to relax my muscles. When I've been in more acute pain (sometimes deep pain or intermittently sharp) usually after doing too much or if twisted my hip awkwardly, ice seems to give me better relief. Different things work best for different people at different times! Generally speaking, heat works best for chronic pain and muscle spasms and ice best for acute injury to help reduce inflammation. For me, it was often trial and error. Post op, it's all about the ice!
4. Pacing and activity modification - This is the hardest thing to master, but if you get it right it helps with pain control immensely. It's taken me so long to learn about my pain, figure out what aggravates it, and appreciate and honour my limits. I've had to learn how to adopt a slower pace of life and stop many things I love, which has been so frustrating, but worth it as it has made my pain more manageable. I've missed out on so many social events, including a friends 30th in Ibiza, had to have amended duties in work for most of the year, and cut out most forms of exercise. There's been a few times that I've pushed myself on a "good day" because it feels great to feel normal and be productive but then I regret it as it causes more pain the next few days. So it's all about planning and pacing the things you want to do, for instance, I know I can walk around the shops for an hour but any more and il be in pain so I have to prioritise what I want to do in that hour. Anything else I want to do will have to wait until another day.
5. Physiotherapy exercises - I have been doing specific strengthening and flexibility exercises since May 2015. I usually spend between 30-60 minutes approximately 4 times a week. I aim for every day but often life gets in the way or I'm too uncomfortable to do them after work. I foam roll my adductors (inner thigh), hamstrings (back of thigh), and hip flexors (front of thigh) for a couple of minutes each. Then I complete exercises to strengthen my core and transversus abdominis, gluteals, hamstrings, and upper body. These exercises, although they haven't fixed me, have made me physically stronger to prepare for surgery and they have given me a purpose and a focus. I've also just started to practice hopping short distances outside with my crutches, which is so much tougher than I thought!!
6. Hot Pilates - Pilates is the only form of exercise I've been able to do without flaring my hip up too much. I have been going most weeks for 4 months and even though I have to adapt each exercise so that my right leg is comfortable, I love it. It's great for your core and I enjoy zoning out to the chilled music. It's been the perfect place to go after work to escape the real world for an hour. I've realised it's best not to push myself and just work at my own level. I also love that it's in a heated studio as I sweat loads and it releases exercise endorphins :)
7. Diet and meal preparation - I have started looking into nutrition and fracture healing online. I usually take a multivitamin and the supplements magnesium, calcium, and zinc- which I will carry on taking post op as they have their benefits in the healing process. I'm going to aim to drink 2-4L of water a day and make sure I eat lots of green leafy vegetables, protein, calcium rich foods (yoghurt, salmon) and nuts. It's advised to increase calorie intake post surgery because your body will be using a lot of energy in the healing process. I'm going to avoid salt, sugar, and caffeine. I've been trying to cut down on sugary treats the past couple of months but then Christmas happened! I'm now getting back on track for the last 2 weeks before my op. These are two useful websites I came across:
- http://draxe.com/heal-broken-bones/
- https://www.hss.edu/files/Nutrition_for_Healing.pdf
8. Relaxation and meditation - Finding the time to relax is so important when dealing with chronic pain. Mood and pain are closely linked and I've found relaxation techniques can ease my anxiety. I'll have a bath with relaxing music then il do a full body moisturise, taking my time. Me and my boyfriend give each other massages with aromatherapy oils and we light incense sticks most nights, which I find helps me sleep better. I also have an adult colouring book. If you want to try meditation - find a quiet time, put a chill-out playlist on (YouTube/Spotify) and focus on controlled, relaxed breathing. You can repeat a personalised mantra out loud if you wish. Because I'm new to this, I don't know how much benefit I have got yet, but I'm certainly finding it relaxing and it gives me positive vibes for my recovery which is only a good thing :)
9. Positive mindset - It's taken me so long to accept that I need this operation. I tend to overthink things and this has made me anxious about everything related to my diagnosis, operation, and recovery. Being open about my thoughts to my boyfriend, closest friends, my family, and fellow hippys online has helped me stay on top of things but it has still been tough. I realise now how important a strong mentality is to having a successful recovery. I know there will be ups and downs but i am determined that I will remain positive and keep reminding myself that things will get better. It's a long rehabilitation but I WILL get there. A couple of months ago, I started to screenshot positive success stories from the Facebook groups so now I have a collection of encouraging words for when I'm feeling low to remind me what the future holds.
10. Another thing that has helped me recently is reading a book called The Secret (there's also a documentary on Netflix) which has inspired me to be mindful of my thoughts. The principles of the book are based on the law of attraction - basically "like attracts like". Although not strictly philosophical, Buddhism echoes some of the themes, for instance the quote below. The Secret encourages visualising what you want and feeling the emotions that go with your thoughts, for example taking my first post op steps comfortably and feeling relief or crossing the line of a 10k run in the future and feeling pride and happiness. Most people are understandably sceptical that "thoughts turn into things" but if it helps to give me a focus and a positive mindset then I'll give it my time.
1. Hospital Essentials List:
- Toiletries
- Eye mask
- Ear plugs - if you've tried ear plugs before and they haven't really worked then definitely give these Snore Calm Elite Foam Ear Plugs a go instead, they are designed specifically to drown out loud noises & snoring and are simply a godsend in hospital!
- Sturdy slippers with a back - mine are 'HOMIES' from Clarks, I lived in these slippers for a couple of months, they are super comfy!
- Loose fitting cotton knickers, pjs, nighties (all a size up), joggers/comfy clothes (get yourself to Primark!)
- Dressing gown
- Lip balm
- Dry shampoo
- Face wipes
- Hand sanitiser
- Bed throw and/or own pillow
- Earphones
- Throat sweets
For Home
- LOTS of pillows or even better a Pregnancy / U shaped pillow - these are amazing for getting comfortable. I got mine from Pregnancy Pillows.Net and it is so soft! This website will help you choose the perfect pillow.
- 1 litre Bobble Water Bottle to encourage me to drink enough each day. Bobble bottles filter your tap water and it's BPA free
- Mepiform Silicone Dressings to help with scar healing. These are simply incredible. They are clinically proven to flatten, fade, & soften scars. You can wear them 24 hours a day, just remove for washing the area, and replace it every 3-7 days. They are pricy but totally worth it if you care about how your scar looks.
- Raised toilet seat with frame - I only used this for a week
- Perching stool (to allow sitting at the sink for a wash or at a kitchen worktop for meal prep)
- Bath board (or shower chair)
The bathroom equipment is sometimes provided by occupational therapy from the hospital so it's worth checking before buying yourself.
- Wheelchair (to get me outside with my friends and family and keep me sane! I got mine off a fellow hippy who had finished using it)
2. Support groups - The Facebook groups have been a lifeline. I've been able to ask all sorts of stupid questions and had answers from people all over the world that have had the same operation. It's amazing how therapeutic it is speaking to people in the same boat as you.It's helped me to be fully informed about this surgery and the long recovery. I've picked up tips for scar massage, diet, aromatherapy oils, mindset, sleeping positions, essential equipment... The list goes on! The other resource that I found very informative was a book called A Guide for Adults with Hip Dysplasia, which my consultant recommended reading. I've also enjoyed reading blogs. This one by Annick Hollins was particularly inspirational - she walked the London marathon in 2010 at 6 months post RPAO and 11 months post LPAO and has ran many since.
3. Hot baths, hot water bottle, and frozen peas - When my hip and groin have felt tight or uncomfortable/achy, I've found heat works best to relax my muscles. When I've been in more acute pain (sometimes deep pain or intermittently sharp) usually after doing too much or if twisted my hip awkwardly, ice seems to give me better relief. Different things work best for different people at different times! Generally speaking, heat works best for chronic pain and muscle spasms and ice best for acute injury to help reduce inflammation. For me, it was often trial and error. Post op, it's all about the ice!
4. Pacing and activity modification - This is the hardest thing to master, but if you get it right it helps with pain control immensely. It's taken me so long to learn about my pain, figure out what aggravates it, and appreciate and honour my limits. I've had to learn how to adopt a slower pace of life and stop many things I love, which has been so frustrating, but worth it as it has made my pain more manageable. I've missed out on so many social events, including a friends 30th in Ibiza, had to have amended duties in work for most of the year, and cut out most forms of exercise. There's been a few times that I've pushed myself on a "good day" because it feels great to feel normal and be productive but then I regret it as it causes more pain the next few days. So it's all about planning and pacing the things you want to do, for instance, I know I can walk around the shops for an hour but any more and il be in pain so I have to prioritise what I want to do in that hour. Anything else I want to do will have to wait until another day.
5. Physiotherapy exercises - I have been doing specific strengthening and flexibility exercises since May 2015. I usually spend between 30-60 minutes approximately 4 times a week. I aim for every day but often life gets in the way or I'm too uncomfortable to do them after work. I foam roll my adductors (inner thigh), hamstrings (back of thigh), and hip flexors (front of thigh) for a couple of minutes each. Then I complete exercises to strengthen my core and transversus abdominis, gluteals, hamstrings, and upper body. These exercises, although they haven't fixed me, have made me physically stronger to prepare for surgery and they have given me a purpose and a focus. I've also just started to practice hopping short distances outside with my crutches, which is so much tougher than I thought!!
6. Hot Pilates - Pilates is the only form of exercise I've been able to do without flaring my hip up too much. I have been going most weeks for 4 months and even though I have to adapt each exercise so that my right leg is comfortable, I love it. It's great for your core and I enjoy zoning out to the chilled music. It's been the perfect place to go after work to escape the real world for an hour. I've realised it's best not to push myself and just work at my own level. I also love that it's in a heated studio as I sweat loads and it releases exercise endorphins :)
7. Diet and meal preparation - I have started looking into nutrition and fracture healing online. I usually take a multivitamin and the supplements magnesium, calcium, and zinc- which I will carry on taking post op as they have their benefits in the healing process. I'm going to aim to drink 2-4L of water a day and make sure I eat lots of green leafy vegetables, protein, calcium rich foods (yoghurt, salmon) and nuts. It's advised to increase calorie intake post surgery because your body will be using a lot of energy in the healing process. I'm going to avoid salt, sugar, and caffeine. I've been trying to cut down on sugary treats the past couple of months but then Christmas happened! I'm now getting back on track for the last 2 weeks before my op. These are two useful websites I came across:
- http://draxe.com/heal-broken-bones/
- https://www.hss.edu/files/Nutrition_for_Healing.pdf
8. Relaxation and meditation - Finding the time to relax is so important when dealing with chronic pain. Mood and pain are closely linked and I've found relaxation techniques can ease my anxiety. I'll have a bath with relaxing music then il do a full body moisturise, taking my time. Me and my boyfriend give each other massages with aromatherapy oils and we light incense sticks most nights, which I find helps me sleep better. I also have an adult colouring book. If you want to try meditation - find a quiet time, put a chill-out playlist on (YouTube/Spotify) and focus on controlled, relaxed breathing. You can repeat a personalised mantra out loud if you wish. Because I'm new to this, I don't know how much benefit I have got yet, but I'm certainly finding it relaxing and it gives me positive vibes for my recovery which is only a good thing :)
9. Positive mindset - It's taken me so long to accept that I need this operation. I tend to overthink things and this has made me anxious about everything related to my diagnosis, operation, and recovery. Being open about my thoughts to my boyfriend, closest friends, my family, and fellow hippys online has helped me stay on top of things but it has still been tough. I realise now how important a strong mentality is to having a successful recovery. I know there will be ups and downs but i am determined that I will remain positive and keep reminding myself that things will get better. It's a long rehabilitation but I WILL get there. A couple of months ago, I started to screenshot positive success stories from the Facebook groups so now I have a collection of encouraging words for when I'm feeling low to remind me what the future holds.
10. Another thing that has helped me recently is reading a book called The Secret (there's also a documentary on Netflix) which has inspired me to be mindful of my thoughts. The principles of the book are based on the law of attraction - basically "like attracts like". Although not strictly philosophical, Buddhism echoes some of the themes, for instance the quote below. The Secret encourages visualising what you want and feeling the emotions that go with your thoughts, for example taking my first post op steps comfortably and feeling relief or crossing the line of a 10k run in the future and feeling pride and happiness. Most people are understandably sceptical that "thoughts turn into things" but if it helps to give me a focus and a positive mindset then I'll give it my time.