Hip replacement and the BRZ
 

A good friend of mine shattered his hip in a fall on Friday. He had complete hip replacement surgery Saturday and is coming home today.

Does anyone here have real life experience getting in and out of our cars with hip replacement?

Thanks for your input.

I didn't even try to get in it until about 6 weeks out. However, I had both hips replaced at the same time. I have a Chevrolet Colorado that is automatic and I road in it until I felt I could get in and out of my BRZ. My wife drove me around until i was cleared to drive. Then I drove it until I felt I could drive my manual BRZ.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

Would be dictated by his doctors post op restrictions. Is he able to sit at, or bend to less then a 90 degree angle?

I will need one sooner rather then later but when I broke my acetebelum I was not allowed to sit or bend at less then 90 degrees for 4 weeks.

It really depends if it was an anterior or posterior approach.

I'd advise him to focus on his range of motion long before he tries risking getting in and out of a low vehicle.

I don't know if it was anterior or posterior approach. But it is a complete replacement. I am familiar with the 90 degree rule. My mother has a hip replacement. I wouldn't let her sit in my car when I drove her up to see her a couple years ago. Her's had popped out a few times. It was replaced and hasn't happened since . But I didn't want to risk it.

It will be some time before he can ride and drive. We'll probably just take his Mercedes or maybe my wife's NX200 SUV.

Appreciate everyone's responses!

Also depends if the car is MT or AT. I went through major heart surgery two years ago and i wasnt allowed to drive my car for about 3 months after i was able to start walking on my own as the act of putting in the clutch and shifting could potentially put extra strain on my body.

Not an exactly direct experience. For me at my late 40s with physically fit and flexible (regular exercise/ jogging/ HIIT 3-4 times a week), I still have problem getting in and out of my BRZ. I have regularly hurt my hip joint from getting in my BRZ when I lower myself down to the seat. It hurts my left hip join pretty bad.

I adjusted my in and out gesture/procedure and i find it helps a lot. My hip pains during getting in is much alleviated.

If I were in your friend's position, I would surely avoid getting in-out of the FRS/BRZ for the sake of my hip's health.

I've also adjusted the way I get in the car even without any injuries. While I'm over 70, I'm a weight lifter and in excellent physical shape. To enter a car, I usually put one leg in, put my butt in the seat, and then bring in my second leg. Getting out, I usually twist around, put both feet on the ground, and push myself out. I used to own Porsches, and they were easier to enter. However, if you have the car for a long time, you eventually start wearing out the leather on the outside bolster by rubbing in when getting in and out. So I've change the way I enter on the BRZ to the reverse process of how I get out of the car -- I put my butt in first and then swing over both of my legs. My other car, and SUV, is still entered the old way. All I can say is that this works. This takes the stress off of my hips, but you need a bit more flexibility.

Agreed. I used the same "one leg in, slide down the seat" approach for low cars, and it destroyed my side bolsters on my Corvette. Now I do the "Sit down facing out, the swing legs in" entry. It's easier and doesn't kill my seat. Probably doesn't look as cool, but it fine with me.

casual observation but most people twist their left knee and hip when they enter a vehicle, mount a motorcycle, get on a fork lift, ect. the tell is the ball of the left shoe will show the most wear.


eat more dirt. minerals are good for ya