After hip replacement: some questions

[Awsmile]

I had both hips replaced 11 years ago - a medical miracle if there ever was one! I started cycling seriously three years ago, so can't compare what it was like before. I've had a fit from a reputable bike shop (Fit Squared) and the fitter pooh-poohed the artificial hip question. "Shouldn't make a difference." He's an exercise physiologist so should know. But it's so strange. My husband (a skinny dude)can ride twice as far as I and never have to stand up to give his sit bones a rest; I feel as though the ends of my sitbones are wedges pointing out of my skin after about 20 miles. I found a great saddle in the Specialized Lithia that ended the numbness in the lady bits, and it's a gel so should be helping, but even after a season of riding at least 50-70 miles a week, those sit bones still ache. Once I'm off the saddle, I feel fine - no chafing and no residual discomfort. So my question is: are there any women here who rode before hip replacement as well as after? Did you find a fit or gait difference? What was your experience? I'm going to get another fit in two weeks and would like to hear some experiences. Thanks!!

[Crankin]

Are your legs the same length? A good friend of ours broke his hip 6 years ago and although he has no pain, the side with the replacement is shorter, by 9 mm, which is a lot. He has a custom shim for his cycling shoe. Even a small difference could affect fatigue, etc.

[rebeccaC]

Your fitter will be able to see your body position and movement on the bike. They can also take into account things like your chamois and saddle. That’s probably the best way to find a solution. Have you measured your sit bones?

I stand to relieve pressure, improve blood flow, stretch my back and use pedal strokes to stretch my legs often on longer rides. Always standing or lifting yourself off the saddle over any bumps helps too.

congrats on getting into a healthy exercise like bicycling!!!!!...hoping the fitter finds a solution for you.

[ny biker]

So, looking back at other threads you've posted, this is a problem that you've been trying to solve for a while, to no avail.

http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=55765

http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=54695

Are you still riding the Cannondale hybrid? Are you upright when you ride or leaning forward? If you lean forward, are you bending at the hips or higher up your back? I know that a fitter has measured you for your saddle, but do you know the actual sit bone measurement?

[Awsmile]

Thanks for the reply, ny biker! I lean forward somewhat, and find that a very slight upward tilt of my saddle keeps me from sliding forward. That wasn't the case until I found the Lithia saddle with the large cutout; it lets me lean into my handlebars a bit more than maybe necessary on a hybrid, but I seem to get more power that way. Somehow, that straight-up position makes me think of Miss Gulch. I can relieve the sit bone pressure by sliding my fingers under my sitbone on one side or the other, but that's obviously only practical for a short period on a straight, flat ride - we don't see many of those here in western PA unless it's a rail trail. The discomfort goes away within minutes of getting off the saddle. I don't recall my sitbone measurement but will get that again in another fit. I was measured by a woman fitter in Burlington, VT who steered me to the lithia after measuring me. Maybe it's fitting, maybe it's saddle, but I just was wondering if the artificial hips mean my fit would be somehow different because of them. Thanks for ANY insight you can give!