Surgeon and specialist physio visit - 24 days post-op

Drove down to Melbourne with my son Tom for my post-op appointment with my surgeon, John O'Donnell. An hour each way in the car leaves me sore, especially in the left hip and groin. 

Fortunately, we were driving past the Collingwood footy club's training facility in Swan Street, Melbourne and got to stop in for 10 minutes to see them training.

Both the surgeon and physio were very happy with my hips. John believes I will make an excellent recovery while the physio, Amir Takla, is happy where I am at this stage. He checked my mobility and showed me some simple quadratus muscle isometric exercises.

Seems the surgery was well timed and got to me before arthritis took hold. I look like I'll be sore for 6-8 weeks post-op and John is optimistic of recovery in 3 months. However the physio is not so confident.

He said he didn't know how I played cricket with it for so long. The major concern is the micro fracture work done in the right hip where loose cartilage was removed and tiny fractures were made in the underlying bone. This causes new cartilage to develop from a so-called super-clot.

The physio urged me to not squat, pivot or lift from ground for 6 more weeks. He wants me to slow up as he thinks I am doing too much. He believes I am very sore in my left hip as I am unconsciously compensating for my right leg.

He asked me to continue my anti-inflammatories (Meloxicam) until the course is completed and to not miss any days. He also said to take Panadol Osteo (a larger dose paracetamol) every day and ice the hip. I had discontinued the pain relief and icing but will get back onto it now.

I’ll be doing 4 of the simple quadratus muscle exercises for a minute each day for the next 4 weeks, stationary bike riding 3 times a week for 15 minutes with a high seat and minimal resistance, and I’ll continue to get my back loosened up by my local physio.

I feel like I am in great hands. John O’Donnell is an internationally renowned guru and Amir Takla is very experienced with the management of arthroscopic hip surgery patients.

I am to see Amir in 4 weeks for a final check from him where he will give me a long-term program.

Here are the physio's notes.

Here are the surgery photos from my left hip.

And the surgery photos from my right hip.

On the way home I discovered that Tom likes Mudhoney and Metallica. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree!