Well, intermittently, the answer is “yes”. I’m still on crutches and yes, it’s annoying me! I find myself at the strange post-surgery stage where I’m more stable than I was before, but less mobile. I meet other people who’ve had a knee replacement after me, or know someone who has, and they’re off crutches and back to full fitness which is a little deflating.
It’s not pain that leaves me still in need of walking aids. It’s 50 years of weakness in my left hip and leg due to hip dysplasia; which of course is what caused my right knee to erode so much in the first place. My surgery has restabilised the knee but hasn’t fixed the root cause. Nor can it be fully fixed. As my physio said to me a few days ago “some muscles on the left side don’t work and never have, so we can’t rely on those like I might with other patients.” It will also take the full year to build up more functional movement.
So where does that leave me right now?
My new knee has less range (bend) but is much more stable (my own knee joints are hyper-mobile so move more than they should and wear more quickly). My orthotics mean I stand much straighter. I’m not in much pain but my muscles start to ache if I stand still for a long time, or walk for too long, and so that strength needs building. I’m weaning off the crutches based on each situation; the types of movement and duration for which it’s required.
- At home I don’t use the crutches at all. The stairs are OK as we have a rail on both sides and as long as I don’t have to hold anything in either hand, so I always have to wear clothes with pockets. If I have a mug of tea I have to place it on the step in front of me and work my way up the stairs 2-3 at a time following the cup. Over the last 6 weeks my physio prescribed an outdoor obstacle course to help me find my ‘centre’ and to move sideways, around or over them (see demo by my cat). So I’m able to walk around the garden with no sticks and do some gentle gardening but without bending or squatting.
- Around the local area I’ve now progressed off crutches and onto walking poles. This has two benefits; they take less weight, so it forces me to use my legs more whilst still allowing a natural rather than lurching gait. And they are also light enough to carry – my goal for the next six weeks is to alternate 1 minute with them, 1 minute off and then build up the time off the poles incrementally.
- To travel into London for my weekly choir rehearsal, I still have to take my crutches. The main reason for this is to get off a train. We still haven’t found a way of getting off a high step down to a platform whilst also traversing a horizontal gap. Next idea is to try stepping off backwards (I’ll let you know how that one goes!). The crutches also help at train stations or other places which for someone like me, is a huge moving obstacle course, every person a trip hazard. The crutches signal to them to avoid me. What I most long for is the chance to buy a coffee at the station and be able to carry it – target #freehandsday!
- I’m now back to working 3 days per week and on set days. I’m very grateful to have a six-month contract that allows me to work from home 99% of the time. Not only does this remove a commute or more trains but also it means I can swim every morning and still be at my desk for 9am (the pool is in walking distance). Sitting is not easy – with one hip 2.5cm higher than the other, a very crooked pelvis, and flat glutes – I lean to one side, balancing either on my hip bones or coccyx. So I try to adjust with my spine and upper body which leads to lots of shoulder and neck pain. The other advantage of WFH is that I can control the environment, desk and chair setup, no boxes, no trip hazards. Never has this been more important. And I don’t work on Mondays which means I have the energy and time to get into London for Choir – singing is my endorphine boost but getting there takes energy!
- The combination of orthotics and external shoe-raise is working well to address my leg length discrepancy. The sad thing is I have to wear something on my feet all the time (see adapted cosy shepherd slippers in the photo) so I can’t walk barefoot without one foot being on pointe! I’m also developing some pain in my left toes so the orthotic needs some adjustment (in progress). I do now have four pairs of shoes adapted so at least I can have some variety!
Don’t get me wrong. In many ways and overall life is good. I’m confident that my surgery will pay off. And I’m not in chronic pain which is not the case for so many people with DDH.
I’m just impatient. I want to progress more quickly. I want to get back out into the hills and do some walking, and that feels like a very distant goal.
Living with hip dysplasia is a ‘one step at a time’ challenge. Most steps forward, some backwards and all steps a little bit wonky! DDH is a lifelong challenge that many people like me face – 1-2 people in a 1000 to be exact. My story is just one of them.
Jill Pringle was born with bilateral hip dysplasia in Sheffield in 1971. She has had several surgeries including open reductions, leg lengthening and hip and knee replacements. She writes this blog to raise awareness of CDH/DDH and undertakes walking challenges to raise money for Steps Charity Worldwide who you can support here.
