Post-Surgery Joy: Motorcycle Riding Again After Hip Replacement

I took a deep breath and asked the question out loud that I had been asking for months in my head.

“When can I ride my motorcycle again?”

I had really behaved myself with post-surgery restrictions for the last three months.  I’m not sure the word “compliant” had ever before been used in the same sentence as my name, but I had definitely been what can be described as a “compliant patient” for the last 90 days.  After having assessed my progress at this follow-up meeting, my surgeon looked at me and said, “you can ride now.”

I tried really hard to continue to listen to the rest of the words coming out of his mouth, but I had heard all I needed to hear. 

I CAN RIDE!

He proceeded to remind me that the bone was not fully adhered to the titanium shaft implanted into my femur yet, and that I needed to keep in mind that my hip muscles were much weaker than previously.  But what I heard the loudest, was that the risk of riding a motorcycle was now what it had always been – a pastime with inherent risks, but ones that could be mitigated.

Woohoo! 

I got home from that medical appointment giddy with anticipation for taking the bike out for a test ride. 

I changed out of shorts and flip flops into appropriate riding attire.  To make sure I had adequate ankle support and good traction, I pulled out my favorite motorcycle riding foot wear; my old military boots.  I gazed down at the laces.  For the first time in three months, I was allowed to break a 90-degree bend at my waist and could now don shoes with laces. 

Hell yeah, I can tie my own shoes!!

As I opened the garage door and moved toward a machine capable of producing 94 horsepower, I felt a little apprehension.  I was nervous that I had lost the feel of the bike.  Would I be able to manage my motorcycle at stops?  Hell, would I even be able to back it out of the garage and across the gravel driveway? 

All geared up, I sat on my Harley and felt a ball of nervousness in my stomach as I pushed my weight through my surgical hip to stand the bike upright off the kickstand. 

 OK, that felt pretty good.  I didn’t even have to throw my body weight over to the opposite side for momentum, I stood it up with just my own strength.

I put the bike in neutral and engaged the start button.  Engine vibrations channeled through my body, ending in an enormous perma-grin on my face.

I navigated the reverse push, and traverse across the gravel, without incident.  Once through the neighborhood stop signs and cruising down the road, my uneasiness was replaced with joy.

I’m riding!!

I stopped for a red traffic light and recalled how difficult it had been before my surgery to pick up my left foot from the road and replace it onto the footboard after a stop.  The light turned green and I picked up my leg while my foot mindlessly found its home right behind the shift lever like it had for over 100,000 miles of previous riding.  I was so surprised at how naturally, and painlessly, the motion was that I put my foot down, then raised it to the footboard, several more times at the next red light, even though once was all that was required.

I figured the prudent thing to do would be to ride just a short distance for this first outing.  Oh, and maybe to a place where I could get help if I wasn’t able to ride further for some reason.  I headed south towards my favorite local motorcycle shop, and where I volunteer turning wrenches a few times a month, Burnout Alley in Aberdeen, NC. 

The thought of finding sure footing on gravel was still making me nervous, so I pulled right into an open bay, instead of parking in the unpaved parking lot when I arrived at the shop.  Mike, the owner, and Steve, one of the mechanics, looked over to see who had the cajones to pull right into the garage without asking first.  I turned off the motor and flipped up my visor.  I’m pretty sure I was beaming with the joy I felt.  It was so great to see their genuine happiness at their realization that I was riding again.  If you are a biker, then you understand.

I learned a few things while going through this medical marvel. First, compliance pays off! I adhered pretty strictly to medication dosing and timing, icing recommendations, movement restrictions/allowances, and a high anti-inflammatory dietary intake. Second, total hip replacement is a major trauma to the body. With the help of wearable physiological monitoring technology (an Oura ring), I was able to reconcile what I was feeling with what was happening in my body. I was well past the 6-week post-surgery mark before my resting heart rate, heart rate variability, sleep quality, and other physiological markers were back to pre-surgery levels. It wasn’t until just the last week or so (around 3 months post-op) that I’ve felt better than I did before my hip really started to deteriorate about 4 years ago. And lasty, be patient and give your body some grace. Everyone heals on different timelines, so focus on staying positive and taking it one day at a time.

Although my first ride after total hip replacement was only a dozen or so miles, it felt incredible!  I know the day when I will have to take a break from riding again, this time for total shoulder replacement, is quickly approaching.  But on this day, I revisited an activity I truly love and was rewarded with a new sense of amazement at how much the mind influences the body, and recovery and how riding heals the spirit.