Friday Q&A: Helping a Student with a Hip Replacement
Hip Joint from Behind Q: I am a relatively new yoga instructor that teaches Gentle Hatha to (mostly) seniors. Recently, a gentleman came in with bilat hip replacements from 10 and 12 years previous. He rides his bike and is in pretty good shape for a gent in his 60's. His hips were replaced by a posterior approach. How cautious do I need to be with this man? Do we modify mostly in the early days after the operation? Of course, I've modified the asanas to his ability and told him to not push it to the extreme. So is it fresh post op that we worry mostly about or for decades following? Thanks! A: This is a great question and I am glad you asked it. In most cases, the hip replacement should outlast an individual�s lifespan. The literature states that total hip replacements typically last from 15-to-20 years after the initial surgery, but in some instances they can last over 30 years. But this is neither a guarantee nor assurance, for the simple reason that life is unpredictable....