broken hip recovery advice needed...............

1…6791112…25

Comments

  • StealTheR
    StealTheR Posts: 195
    Hi, welcome to the club!

    Hope you have a speedy recovery!

    Where did you get this Drynaria 12 from? I've been having a look online and can't see anywhere that stocks it.

    I'd also suggest using comfrey oil aswell or 'knitbone' as it's sometimes called it's very good for cell reconstruction and also for any scar tissue you might have from your surgery.

    Cheers
  • greencurly
    greencurly Posts: 37
    I am trying Cissus Quadrangularis. If nothing else, I seem to have been sleeping better since I started taking it.
  • Scottmike
    Scottmike Posts: 7
    Thank you!

    For the dryneria, here is the direct link from Natural Nutritionals:

    http://www.naturalnutritionals.com/dr12j.html

    I learned about this combination after doing some research and stumbling upon a website from the Institute of Natural Medicine in Portland with some very good info:

    http://www.itmonline.org/arts/femur.htm

    I hope this helps out!
  • cerveloP3c
    cerveloP3c Posts: 11
    Hi all,
    yep 9th jan 2011 broke my left hip, neck of the femur, non displaced, closer to the femur than the ball, I am still reading through here as there are lots of useful info. i have had a dhs, with 2 screws through the plate in the femur. Surgeon is recommending removing the metal work after 9-12 month, I have a bit of arthritis. i have seen pics and the scars look bigger to get them out. don't know if anyone has experience of this and if they have to cut muscle to do it?

    there seem to be huge variance in how long it takes people to get back to riding at the same level. I see luke roberts did and back in the next season

    I am keeping my history relating to the break on my blog http://rouler.blogspot.com/, i'll ref this thread, I have the pick of the xray post op, so you can see the dhs in place

    so the herb listed for improved blood flow, have you been using it long? is this to manage your risk of AVN?

    thanks
  • bookwormhk
    bookwormhk Posts: 33
    Sorry to hear that you have joined the club, as Tim K is said to have...

    It will be for a while but with perseverance and patience, you will be able to get through this eventually.

    "Over the weekend, NASA noted that STS-133 Spacewalker Tim Kopra was injured in a bike accident. Full details have not been revealed by NASA.

    If rumors of a broken hip are true, the retired US Army Colonel may risk yet another slip to the STS-133 mission, given the Shuttle Program no longer has backup crew members in training."
  • guinea
    guinea Posts: 1,177
    I've still got pain when lying on my back 19 months after my break.

    I had the results of my MRI today. Good news, no AVN. Bad news, there's a cyst that'll need monitoring.

    Apparently I can cycle, but not do strenuous exercise.

    Next appointment in 6 months.
  • Scottmike
    Scottmike Posts: 7
    @ cerveloP3c

    Correct, I've been taking the herbs to prevent AVN and have been taking them regularly for the last six weeks. I can't say for sure if they are working, although I can say I haven't had any pain except for a little bit of increased sensitivity by the scar tissue and my strength in my left leg is returning quickly.
  • StealTheR
    StealTheR Posts: 195
    I can't see anywhere in the UK that stocks this Drynaria, bummer :(
  • greencurly
    greencurly Posts: 37
    StealTheR wrote:
    I can't see anywhere in the UK that stocks this Drynaria, bummer :(
    I had a look earlier and found this
    www.healthylicious.co.uk/gusuibudrynari ... -1384.html
    I haven't haven't used them, and this is not the Drynaria 12 which is a mixture of herbs.
    I hope it helps.
  • Scottmike
    Scottmike Posts: 7
    Hi again

    I found out that the herb company does ship internationally. However, you have to call or e-mail to place an order if you're interested: http://www.naturalnutritionals.com/info.html

    Just as a head's up though, it can a bit pricey because the recommended dosage is 2-3 pills, 3 times a day. I know also that ginger, cayenne pepper, and green tea are very good for circulation, while glucosamine sulfate can be substituted for the deer antler found in the pills.
  • StealTheR
    StealTheR Posts: 195
    Scottmike wrote:
    Hi again

    I found out that the herb company does ship internationally. However, you have to call or e-mail to place an order if you're interested: http://www.naturalnutritionals.com/info.html

    Just as a head's up though, it can a bit pricey because the recommended dosage is 2-3 pills, 3 times a day. I know also that ginger, cayenne pepper, and green tea are very good for circulation, while glucosamine sulfate can be substituted for the deer antler found in the pills.

    +1 for the cayenne pepper, I've been taking that twice a day, about 1-2 heaped teaspoons in half a cup of warm water and drink in one.

    Seems to be very good, I can feel it straight away near the heart so it must be doing something good, and I have read positive reviews online about it.
  • StaceyA
    StaceyA Posts: 2
    Hi All

    I'm sorry to say I'm a new member of the "Broken Hip Club", came off on ice 12 days ago and broke neck of femur right under the ball. I've had 4 screws and a plate. :(

    Have been searching the net for info thats suited to a 36 year old cyclist, rather than all the other 80 something rubbish. Finally I have found something thats useful.

    I was hoping that things weren't that serious...but having read this thread it seems the road to recovery is going to be a long one, Bugger!

    Has anyone got any suggetions for supplements or dietary things that can help with improved bone growth etc... to help speed the recovery?

    I'll keep posting progress... I've got my first Pyhsio on Monday so we will see what he has to say and what I can do to get the recovery going.

    Laters...StaceyA
  • greencurly
    greencurly Posts: 37
    Hi StaceyA,
    Sorry to hear you have joined us.
    On the exercise front I found the turbo great to get things moving, along with the physio's routines. I suspect you will be pleasantly suprised with your rate of progress, the problem is as you have already found out, total recovery takes a long time.
    I am only 13 weeks in and my physio is about done with me as I can function perfectly well on a day to day basis in normal activities. I have had to enlist the help of a sports therapist to take things onto the next stage.
    I have my 3 month checkup tomorrow, fingers crossed the bones will have knit now and I will be given the all clear to take the bike outside. I have used calcium+vit D, Zinc and cissus quadrangularis, I will keep taking the calcium and zinc as hopefully it will reduce the chances of a recurrence of this.
    Good luck and stay positive, we will get through this.
  • 753forme
    753forme Posts: 59
    Cervelo - yes I would have thought they would have to cut through the quad from the outside but i'm no surgeon. One of the people on this thread is so he will know for sure. Some people have had pins removed and others not - I've got loads of metal work in and it will stay in. It's not causing any bother. They cut through the muscle to do the op in the first place and it healed fine, though you can get a bit of surface numbness where the nerves do not align right when you are sewn up. Sorry that you've joined the thread but good luck and keep asking quetsions - lots of people on here have many different experiences and some one will have been in a similar boat to you. Good luck with the recovery.
  • 753forme
    753forme Posts: 59
    Hi stacey A - my injury was the same as yours though I was 47 at the time though I had a plate and 14 screws (the femur was in bits). I was non weigh bearing for 6 weeks and off work for 3 months. Are you non-weighbearing? Assuming you are the same then the recovery should be similar time (sorry but possibly up to 12 months). AVN is the real danger and take it a day at a time - greencurly is right - you'll get there in the end but it does take time. If you are weighbearing then the prognosis would be for a quicker recovery based on peoples experience on here. The physio is key. Keep us posted and good luck.
  • greencurly
    greencurly Posts: 37
    I am pleased to say that my 3 month consultation went well.The fracture line was no longer visible and there was good callous growth around the site. I have been signed off for 6 months and given the all clear to go out on the bike :D
    I will get a copy of my final x-rays in due course but here are the ones pre and post op;
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/58607126@N08/[/url]
  • Scottmike
    Scottmike Posts: 7
    @greencurly Good to hear. I'll give the Cissus a go - found it at my local co-op.

    I figure I'll wait until every last square inch of ice has melted before going on the bike. Since I am in upstate New York, I'll have to wait until May :D Today I took my first steps without the crutches and it is a weird feeling after being on the sticks for so long.

    The doctor was telling me also that putting weight on the leg and light exercise sometimes helps the bone to heal faster. Has anyone else heard something similar? Although I'm anxious to get going, I don't want to overdo.
  • bookwormhk
    bookwormhk Posts: 33
    Scottmike wrote:
    The doctor was telling me also that putting weight on the leg and light exercise sometimes helps the bone to heal faster. Has anyone else heard something similar? Although I'm anxious to get going, I don't want to overdo.

    My Physio said the same. Gravity helps but one needs to be able to bear weight before doing this.
  • greencurly
    greencurly Posts: 37
    Scottmike wrote:

    The doctor was telling me also that putting weight on the leg and light exercise sometimes helps the bone to heal faster. Has anyone else heard something similar? Although I'm anxious to get going, I don't want to overdo.
    Cissus certainly won't do any harm.
    When my consultant first saw how securely the surgeon had fixed my hip he said he was worried that there may not be enough movement at the fracture site to stimulate healing, fortunately it appears that there has been. I think that is why the weight bearing helps.
    The surgeon in his notes gave the all clear for me to be fully weight bearing after 36 hours, so I was able to start the process of soft tissue repair and stimulate the bone repair.
    I was put on Heparin(blood thinner) for a full month, probably because I have the lovely pronounced if unattractive cyclists veins in my legs. I am convinced that the wretched stuff played havoc with my body. firstly I never felt right whilst taking it, I had a hormone check and the figures were all over the shop, my weight continued to fall until the week after I finished the course and finally one of the contra-indications is that it should be used with caution with osteoporosis. Still I suppose blood clots would have been worse.
  • granola girl
    granola girl Posts: 6
    hey scottmike, I am in upstate NY as well! It's now been 4 and 1/2 months since I broke my hip but noticed a HUGE improvement about a month ago. Able to jog about 3 miles now (when the roads are clear from snow! ), spin on a stationary bike a couple times a week and i snowshoe up and down the mountain 4 mile steep roundtrip where i work everyday. Started cross country skate-skiing a couple times a week as well in order to strengthen the muscles.And i work a lot on balance on that leg. Hoping to be cleared for alpine skiing next week. I swear that sleeping with a heating pad on the hip helped dramatically. Up until then it would get really achy with the cold weather, and sore . Also i "fired" my physical therapist. Everytime i went for therapy i ended up either limping worse or else back on crutches so I completely rested for a week and then went back to just doing what i like to do- being outside, started walking more and more, and then jogging a step or 2-a tiny bit at a time-and now I feel almost normal. I think the constant exercises 3x a day working specifically on the weak muscles just completely overtaxed them. (But i did learn some good stretches from him that helped with pain at the surgical site when i initially started walking without crutches) Also i completely stopped taking Motrin ( aka Advil or ibuprofen) and just took tylenol when i really needed pain relief. But it hasn't hurt at all since i started using that heating pad.Hey works for me...........!
  • bookwormhk
    bookwormhk Posts: 33
    Congrats for a full recovery! A speedy one as well.

    A friend of mine who broke his hip also feels achy & sore whenever it gets cold.
  • greencurly
    greencurly Posts: 37
    bookwormhk wrote:
    A friend of mine who broke his hip also feels achy & sore whenever it gets cold.
    I have been told this by a few people as well, I have got some extra warm bib tights just in case.

    @granola girl, great to hear you have progressed so well. Interesting that it came about after sacking your physical therapist, mine have all sacked me now :wink:
  • Scottmike
    Scottmike Posts: 7
    granola girl wrote:
    Everytime i went for therapy i ended up either limping worse or else back on crutches so I completely rested for a week and then went back to just doing what i like to do- being outside, started walking more and more, and then jogging a step or 2-a tiny bit at a time-and now I feel almost normal.

    I haven't been to a physical therapist yet, but as you wrote, it seems like some of the best exercise is just to get out walking again. I went for my first long walk outside today with the help of crutches and did some stretching and now feeling pretty good. In fact, I feel more progress has been made in this past week weightbearing compared to the last couple of months. I bet XC skiing will help to build the muscle back up without adding too much strain.

    I did experience a dull ache from the cold weather though. -20 tomorrow in our area so I will probably threaten to move somewhere without winter once again. :D

    Seems like there is a consensus among us bikers to push a little too much at first so I might want to be careful about that also.
  • cerveloP3c
    cerveloP3c Posts: 11
    StaceyA wrote:
    Hi All

    I'm sorry to say I'm a new member of the "Broken Hip Club", came off on ice 12 days ago and broke neck of femur right under the ball. I've had 4 screws and a plate. :(

    Have been searching the net for info thats suited to a 36 year old cyclist, rather than all the other 80 something rubbish. Finally I have found something thats useful.

    I was hoping that things weren't that serious...but having read this thread it seems the road to recovery is going to be a long one, Bugger!

    Has anyone got any suggetions for supplements or dietary things that can help with improved bone growth etc... to help speed the recovery?

    I'll keep posting progress... I've got my first Pyhsio on Monday so we will see what he has to say and what I can do to get the recovery going.

    Laters...StaceyA

    Hi Stacy, sorry to hear your news, it was a bad few days for ice. I would suggest you research AVN and the risks. You need to talk to your surgeon about this, I would recommend you don't start any exercise too early. The upper neck of femur you will note has arterial supply from the femoral artery, with a break higher up there is a risk to blood flow. I would consider things that promote blood flow. I an sure things will be fine, there is ore info out there all the time and this thread is very usefull, try and find someone who has had the same break type, good luck.
  • StaceyA
    StaceyA Posts: 2
    Evening All

    Just a quick update on my early progress after my first Physio. Physio chap seems ideally suited for my recovery, about my age, and into biking, so understood my eagerness to get back on the bike in the coming months. Got some simple stretching exercises to get the thigh working again. II Need to find some patience, cos it's going to take weeks and weeks and weeks.

    I'll post again after the 6 week consultaion at the end of Feb. in the meantime it's of to the health shop for Cissus, Calcium and Vit D supps.

    Laters... :wink:
  • Valowitz
    Valowitz Posts: 15
    Hi everybody,
    Not been on the thread for while but today, 3 months, after my accident and broken hip I have seen my consultant and its all good news :) .
    The x-ray showed good bone healing and more important no signs of AVN!
    After 3 long frustrating months he told me to ditch the crutches and to start fully weightbearing again!
    Woohoo!
    I am over the moon after all this good news and I can now start planning some rides outside again when the weather improves.
    For the moment I will continue on the turbo which has kept me going over the last 2 months.
    I'll be seeing my physio this afternoon and I think it will be the last time.
    My next appt with my consultant is in 3 months and then again 6 months later which will be about 12 months after my accident.
    Hope that everybody is doing well and the most important lesson for me and I suppose for many others has been to be patient and in the end we all will make a good recovery,be it in 6,12,24 months or a bit longer.
    I also think taking Vit D and calcium has helped.
    Best wishes to everybody and keep yur chin up!
  • Valowitz
    Valowitz Posts: 15
    Hi Stacey,
    CerveloP3c is right in finding somebody who's got a similar fracture and who's about your age. If your fracture was just below the head it's probably a subtrochanter or intracapsular fracture. Those fractures are the more tricky ones re AVN.
    I am 49(just) and sustained a subtrochanter fracture 3 months ago. My consultant was very cautious(perhaps because of my age) and told me initially not to weightbear for 6 months. That was fortunately shortened by 3 months when he saw the X-rays this week. When I saw him 1 month after the fracture he did allow me to drive again and do some pedalling on the turbo. The turbo has helped me with preserving my legmuscles and I really recommend doing some 2 or 3 times a week.
    Seeing a physio and getting some specific exercises I also found helpful as well as taking some vitD and calcium everyday.
    I hope you are well and wish you a speedy recovery but be patient.
    PS. I think Scottmike has got a similar fracture as us 2.
  • bookwormhk
    bookwormhk Posts: 33
    The closer one's break to femur head, the higher the risk of AVN, as my doctor advised me.

    Subtrochanteric break has much lower risk of AVN...

    http://www.orthopaedia.com/m/view-page. ... +fractures
  • Valowitz
    Valowitz Posts: 15
    You're absolutely right bookworm. I got subcapital mixed up with subtrochanter. The fracture just below the head of the femur is called subcapital or intracapsular and carries the most risk of AVN. The further away the fracture is from the femur head (intertrochanter and subtrochanter) the smaller the risk of AVN.
    Thanks for pointing that out. At least I now got all those fractures correctly in my head .
  • WilfW
    WilfW Posts: 5
    Hi Joined your club on 24th December 2010 aged 49, displaced fracture neck of femur, 3 screws to fix, more of a climber than a cyclist, but have found this site very useful and encouraging. Am none weight bearing for 6 weeks but my next appointment is'nt until 15th February, which is closer to 8 weeks. Persuaded my GP to sort out abit of physio for me as I didn't want to vegitate. Simple lower leg raises and a few others, been helpful as movement in leg quite good and not too much muscle wastage. Iv'e been taking a few homoeopathic remedies namely Arnica (for bruising) and Hypericum (for nerve endings) took these for first 2 weeks, laterly i've been taking Symphytum (for bone growth). The bruising certainly went really quick, but obviosly not sure about nerve endings and bone growth. Wish everyone lots of luck, I hope to be climbing/ riding in the summer, will make a further post after my Feb 15th appointment.

Categories