A Glastonbury return 🎵🎵

LIFETIME HIP & KNEE

Read on: lifetimehip.com

Read time: 2.5 minutes

🎵🎵 Glastonbury..!! 🎵🎵

We’re in a fallow year.

And if festivals are your thing..

Perhaps this is a good year to think about that joint replacement you've been putting off..?!

(FWIW, that's NEVER the way to think about joint replacement!)

I always ask my patients what they want to get back to..

What they’re passionate about..?

The question is not just about motivation.

It gets to what’s really important in life.

And Glastonbury emerged as one patient’s passion during one such post-op conversation.

It’s not the usual answer, but it got me thinking how best to meet that goal..?

So, I did the natural thing

And asked ChatGPT..

Putting the Boom, Boom, Boom into Physical Activity and Health

Avoid 'Absolute Lunacy'

Always good advice... thanks ChatGPT

And let's look up the timescale..

Next Glastonbury: Wed 23rd June to Sun 27th June, 2027.

Imagine undergoing joint replacement 2 weeks ago.

What 's a realistic expectation / goal for next June.

I'd argue the 'Typical day' is just out of reach next summer.

15-25,000 steps /day might be pushing it..

It's always good to rein in expectations..

That Typical day' target can be the target in 2029 👏👏

I hear the line up is stronger in 3 years time anyway 😁

I'm going to suggest..

An aim: 10-12,000 steps per day.

5 Miles

It sounds a lot..

And if most people head straight out and do that anytime after joint replacement.. their hip or knee is going to scream at them..!

Worth remembering that most people undergoing joint replacement have been in significant pain for 6, 12 or 18 months. AND their activity level- and therefore overall strength- will have taken a hit.

So let's set a series of targets

Essentially drawing a straight line between now + then..

So, while 5 miles next summer sounds a lot

5000 steps /d by end of the year
10,000 steps /d by May

..sounds do-able, right?

Getting Going

Starting to move more needs thought.

At the 2 week stage our wound has healed

BUT deeper tissues are still healing

So, we want a gentle, predictable movement

That we can scale up slowly and steadily.

I recommend getting back on the exercise bike

..for 2 minutes /day in week 2.

Building to 20 minutes cycling most days pre-op builds in a useful head start

BUT we now need to rein that back in at the start of recovery.

So, let's build from there..

Build that low impact exercise bike cycling from something like

2 minute daily in week 2, to
3 minutes daily in week 3, to
4 minutes daily in week 4 etc.

..until doing 30-40 minutes on most days.

This is what that looks like..

So, we hit that target naturally in May.

Without even thinking about it.

Other Key points..

Scaling up slowly is important.
Get in good recovery days in between.
A mix of exercise gets you in good condition
Pausing or checking back if there's a flare up..
(back to the previous stable level)

We want to keep any inflammation stable and under control.

=> Always listen to how the knee (or hip) feels

Glastonbury is one of the best goals I've heard.

And it's fully do-able with the right targeted approach.

Good luck to any and all of you heading out to a festival next summer. Be lovely to hear how you get on 😁

Best wishes as always

Dan

Mr Dan H Williams MSc FRCS

Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon

https://lifetimehip.com

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Duchy Hospital
Truro
TR1 3UP
United Kingdom