Week 15

have made definite improvement in hip flexion thanks to deep wall squat hold, lying leg pull, recumbent bike and forcing my leg higher on the assisted pullup machine.  I have to be at least 100 degrees now.  External rotation is still my issue.  It has improved and I started doing the bad girl machine 4 days a week, went back to clamshells, and a newer exercise where I lay in my op side and use my ext rotators to left my leg up with my knee bent.  I also can lay on my back now and get my foot on good knee with a little cheating.  I think ext rot strength is weak and it needs to get stronger rather than more flexible.  But I stretch anyway.

Week 14

Been back to work for a week now so I don't have as much time to focus on my hip plus I have a newborn baby girl in addition to my son.  I been going to gym 4 days a week and doing stretching 3x a day focusing on deep wall squat and pulling my leg to chest.  I stretch with weight at the gym.  Progress does not come as quick as it did in the first month post op but slow and steady.  Strength continues to grow and I am confident I will be stronger than ever in a year.

Week 13

sleep has sucked the last week in a half due to my newborn baby girl.  It is worth it and hopefully gets better in a few weeks.  My time has been limited.  I try to sneak in pt exercises and stretches when I get a chance.  Last week I barbell squatted for the first time post op and had no pain and it felt good.

Week 12 green light

I saw the dr yesterday and he said I have no restrictions and can do what I want.  X-ray is perfect.  He wants me to focus on wall squat holds as low as possible and lying knee pull stretch to increase flexion.  My flexion is 90+ degrees and external rotation is 40.  Not perfect but much better than along time.  I barbell squatted for the first time in forever 135x5x5 and had no issues. My form is not perfect yet but it was not bad either.  It will take sometime to get it right.

Week 11

Progress is occurring and I feel more limber than I have in a very long time.  I'm getting back to doing more lifts that I haven't been able to do in Along time.  Still need more flexion and external rotation but I've seen a good improvement in the last two weeks.  I can get my foot on opposite knee if I pull on my sock.  If I do high knees I'm close to even on both sides.  My main pt focus at this point is to stretch scar tissue.  I started doing the child's pose, dangle, foot on knee, and pull good leg to chest and straighten op leg 3-4x a day.  Hopefully, next week putting on my socks will be more normal.

10 weeks post op

I'm ahead of schedule on most attributes such as strength, endurance, speed and power.  Flexibility has improved drastically.  I'm starting to get my socks on with a little wiggling.  I am riding the bike on the lowest seat level and my hip flexion is much better.  I make it a point to stretch the hip flexors and external rotators multiple times a day.  I can go up the stairs 2 at a time with ease now and I did stadium stairs for 15 minutes yesterday and was doing 2 at a time for the last 3 minutes.  My whole body feels more limber and I don't have the tight back I had presurgery.

9 weeks (almost a normal hip)

Strength is getting much better on the operated leg.  Mobility is getting better too.  External rotation is getting better and with a towel I can get my ankle on opposite knee with a slight bend backward.  I'd say I'm about an inch away from getting my sock on.  I can squat lower than I coukd in two years and my stuff legged deadlift nearly touches the floor.  I'm focusing on my loaded high range of motion leg exercises and moving away from machines.  Today I was able to break concrete with an axe (took hundreds of powerful swings to destroy it) which was a great conditioning bonus workout.  My cardio is the best it has been in years.  I think in another month I'll be doing awesome.