Am due for hip replacement in very near future.  Have any of you senior yotters had this done or know of others who have and still able to sail their boats.  I am not ready for the model boat lake yet!  Any positive encouragement would be much appreciated.

Hello Mike ,   make sure it is Titanium and they stick it in with Epoxy,

See you on the water at your club on 12May.

Hello Mike ,   make sure it is Titanium and they stick it in with Epoxy,

See you on the water at your club on 12May.

Have replaced a few ribs in the past 2 years(!!) and know a few hip replacemets but no dinghy sailors among them but am sure that it's possible - more strain on knees I guess.  It's a funny place to place the correctors though.  Best of luck - everyone I know has said that it has transformed their lives.

The surgeon is vital, I've not had new hips but I have a new knee that's fantastic. The best hip replacement or resurfacing surgeon is a woman (nowadays)she/he did the Queen Mothers hips. My friends who've had new hips say one at a time is better do not expect too much too soon, do the physio, there is also an excellent man at Frimley Park. Operation to full motility about 3 months.
The track record of the surgeon is vital. Full recovery is twice as fast and twice as succesful in the private sector.

An aunt of mine, age 60, could only hobble, her hip was so bad. Once replaced, she could run for the first time in years. Most amazing was that she had the whole operation done under epidural (i.e. awake) as she was terrified of general anaesthetic!

This guy General Anaesthetic - was he not one of George W's henchmen?

No that was General Factotem and his ADC Major Clanger.

With out naming anyone I know two people succesfully dinghy sailing with hip replacements.

It seems to give people a new lease of life

One of the new hip recipients has won a race at Chichester snowflake this year and was back in a Merlin in no time at all.

Had hip replaced in December 2006 and am now walking (a little slowly so far). Even the week after the op it was less painful than before and it just keeps getting better. It is a real pleasure being able to walk again and I believe that sailing is just around the corner so put that marblehead away.

Truswell could knock u one up in carbon?  I think RS are looking at one, but it would be grossly overweight and most likely a cheap immitation of the orig masterpiece.  The vandercraft hip may be good?  However P&B sell ready made solutions from a wide range of manufacturers.

My friend Charlie has had both hips done, and is sailing as well as ever. He had them done at Frimley Park where his surgeon was an X boat sailor. The surgeon said, on discovering Charie was a dinghy sailor, that he would leave the muscles a little slacker than normal to cater for stretch on sitting out. Don't know if it means anything, but it might be worth mentioning to your surgeon.

Nick

A good dinghy sailor at BSC had this done and sailed on for quite a few years until the big C got him in last autumn.  It all depends on the quality of the surgeon: one guy that my wife worked for had a patient who drove himself to the hospital,had both hips done and drove himself home 4 days later!

I don't think there are any orthopaedic surgeons in the class - they probably all get other people to sail their yachts (come to think of it they are more likely to play golf as more suitable for the intellectual qualities of God's carpenters).  The problem after a hip replacement is dislocation of the artificial hip.  This tends to occur on full flexion of the hip and is the reason why patients are discouraged from taking the thigh up beyond the 90 degree angle.  What you would have to be careful with would be drop hiking, but the Merlin position for hiking is not really that extreme, nevertheless keep the toestraps pretty short and if in doubt perch and get a fitter crew.  As with all bits of the medical profession there is no question that getting it right first time is the best option and there is never any substitute for experience.  I'm sure anyone contemplating having a joint replacement should have a full and accurate discussion beforehand with the surgeon about what they are hoping to be able to do afterwards and if the response is simply to say "you can't expect to be able to do that" then get a second opinion from another surgeon who is more interested.  There are far worse sports for an artificial hip than dinghy sailing, but I would certainly want a fit, agile and experienced crew if I were going to helm a Merlin after surgery.

Before Scroggie Snr has his carbo-hip job he'd never been OCS before. 

Just look at the start line terrior now!

I had mine done in Feb last year and was back sailing in time for Salcombe week. Also competed in the Nationals and the windiest Poole week ever. All without a twinge.Wished I had had it done before.However like the advice you have had, my big worry was risk of dislocation.Having had a consultation, found there was a newish technique of resurfacing, which keeps the ball and socket at the original diameter. Its called a 'sports hip'.Definateley recommend you only have that.Trouble is that you are meant to be under 65.I had to con my way in !
Graham Scroggie