keeping fit with a wonky hip

[BarneyRubble]

Surgeon said an exercise bike would be ok to keep the joint mobile and gradually build strength. It is not weight bearing or impact, so good all round.

Well just to add context to that - but hopefully being a cyclist you should have some savvy, here, compared with rookies - saddle height on an exercise bike would probably be crucial, given your hip - quite easy, with none ideal setups (bearing in mind many exercise bikes don't have things like fore / aft saddle movement (although spin bikes often do) and the height is often a selectable thing with a pin, rather than exact adjustment.

A recumbent exercise bike may be better option if you're going to use an exercise bike, on a traditional exercise bike, there's still going to be a fair amount of weight on / over your hip - and position may be slightly compromised.

Often, big / chain gyms have hand bikes - issue being most of those types of places you tend to have to sign up for a contract if you want to use their facilities. Is there anything at your hospital / physiotherapy department that could be used? Maybe worth making enquiries?

Thought about this but I'm not supposed to drive, so am limited to my fairly non-existent home gym. I think I'm going to have to accept some loss of fitness and condition, but everything I can do to minimise this will be beneficial when back on the bike.

Thanks for the advice Gents!

 

[Neil]

Surgeon said an exercise bike would be ok to keep the joint mobile and gradually build strength. It is not weight bearing or impact, so good all round.

Well just to add context to that - but hopefully being a cyclist you should have some savvy, here, compared with rookies - saddle height on an exercise bike would probably be crucial, given your hip - quite easy, with none ideal setups (bearing in mind many exercise bikes don't have things like fore / aft saddle movement (although spin bikes often do) and the height is often a selectable thing with a pin, rather than exact adjustment.

A recumbent exercise bike may be better option if you're going to use an exercise bike, on a traditional exercise bike, there's still going to be a fair amount of weight on / over your hip - and position may be slightly compromised.

Often, big / chain gyms have hand bikes - issue being most of those types of places you tend to have to sign up for a contract if you want to use their facilities. Is there anything at your hospital / physiotherapy department that could be used? Maybe worth making enquiries?

Thought about this but I'm not supposed to drive, so am limited to my fairly non-existent home gym. I think I'm going to have to accept some loss of fitness and condition, but everything I can do to minimise this will be beneficial when back on the bike.

Thanks for the advice Gents!

Well if you're not supposed to drive, I can't think a recumbent bike would be suitable, anyways - position is going to be very similar, and you'd be doing more with your feet / legs on the bike.

 

[BarneyRubble]

I think the driving thing is to do with insurance as I'm signed off work, rather than because it's damaging. I have an automatic in any case so my left hip is not needed for driving.