The Hip Replacement Podcast

►To send a question or comment, visit The Hip Replacement Podcast website here. 

Water Slides After a Hip Replacement ►► Download my Top 12 Tips for Hip Replacement Patients here ►Get my book, NEW STEEL here - available in hardcover, paperback, eBook and audio versions ►For more information, or to send a question or comment, visit The Hip Replacement Podcast website Water Slides After Hip Replacement: Can You Still Have Summer Fun Safely? Can You Ride Water Slides After Hip Replacement Surgery? Can hip replacement patients still enjoy waterparks, resorts, cruise ship water slides, pools, lazy rivers, and active summer vacations? In this episode of The Hip Replacement Podcast, Chris talks about one of the more fun — and surprisingly practical — questions many active hip replacement patients may wonder about: Are water slides safe after hip replacement surgery? Summer, warm weather, family vacations, waterparks, resorts, and cruise ships can bring great opportunities to move, play, cool off, make memories, and enjoy life after hip replacement. But water slides also bring real things to consider, including twisting, bending, awkward body positions, slippery surfaces, stairs, shallow splashdowns, fatigue, strength, balance, and how long it has been since surgery. Chris shares his own love of water slides, why he believes fun still matters after hip replacement, and the one time a water slide created an unexpected wardrobe emergency. More importantly, he walks through 10 things hip replacement patients should consider before going on water slides, including getting cleared by your surgeon, knowing your stage of recovery, avoiding risky positions, paying attention to the landing area, starting with easier slides, checking ride rules, watching out for wet stairs and slippery walkways, and having an exit plan at the bottom. This episode is not about scaring people away from waterparks. It is about helping hip replacement patients think clearly, make better decisions, and stay active in a way that fits their current recovery, strength, mobility, and confidence. Whether you are recovering from hip replacement surgery, years removed from total hip replacement, planning a summer vacation after hip surgery, wondering about water activities after hip replacement, or trying to return to a more active lifestyle with a new hip, this episode offers practical tips, encouragement, and a bigger reminder: life after hip replacement can still include adventure, movement, laughter, family memories, and yes, maybe even water slides. After a hip replacement, the question is not just whether you can go on water slides. The better question is whether that specific slide, on that specific day, with your current strength and recovery, feels like the right choice for you.   New hips. New you. Let’s go. Thanks for joining THE HIP REPLACEMENT PODCAST. -Chris   LIKE, SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW If you liked this episode, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review!  Your support helps us reach more hip replacement patients who need these insights and inspiration. Thanks for tuning into THE HIP REPLACEMENT PODCAST!  See you next time.

Ice Skating After Hip Replacement ►► Download my Top 12 Tips for Hip Replacement Patients here Get my book, NEW STEEL here - available in hardcover, paperback, eBook and audio versions For more information, or to send a question or comment, visit The Hip Replacement Podcast website Can You Ice Skate After Hip Replacement Surgery? Hip replacement recovery, ice skating after hip replacement, and why your old activities may not be as “over” as you think. In this episode of The Hip Replacement Podcast, Chris shares a personal story about getting back on the ice years after hip replacement surgery. After his daughters started taking ice skating lessons in Central Florida, Chris agreed to take them skating — even though, as every hip replacement patient knows, ice is slippery, falls are scary, and confidence after hip surgery does not always come rushing back immediately. This episode is not a recommendation that every hip replacement patient should go ice skating. Instead, it is a real-life reminder that hip replacement recovery is not only about walking, rehab exercises, physical therapy, or getting through the early weeks after surgery. It is also about asking a bigger question: What parts of your active life do you still want to return to when your body is ready? Chris talks about his long history with ice skating and hockey, from growing up playing hockey in the Chicago area to working as a rink guard and playing late-night hockey at outdoor and indoor rinks in Houston. That background mattered. He was not learning to skate for the first time after hip replacement. He had years of skating experience, which helped him manage the risk, take it slow, avoid crowds, stay aware of his balance, and enjoy time with his daughters. The bigger lesson is for anyone preparing for hip replacement surgery or living years after hip replacement: do not be too quick to throw away the equipment, identity, or activities you think you may never need again. You may return to golf, tennis, hiking, cycling, skating, dancing, fitness classes, or another activity you once loved — maybe at a different pace, a gentler level, or for a completely new reason. Hip replacement surgery can feel like the end of certain activities, but for many people, it may become the beginning of a smarter, more intentional active life. Your recovery timeline is personal. Your risks are personal. Your return to activity should be discussed with your doctor or physical therapist. But your future may be bigger than you think. If you are a hip replacement patient, preparing for hip surgery, recovering from total hip replacement, or wondering what life after hip replacement can look like, this episode offers encouragement, perspective, and a little ice-rink reality check. New hips. New you. Let’s go.   Thanks for joining THE HIP REPLACEMENT PODCAST. -Chris    LIKE, SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW If you liked this episode, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review!  Your support helps us reach more hip replacement patients who need these insights and inspiration. Thanks for tuning into THE HIP REPLACEMENT PODCAST!  See you next time.

Hip Replacement Costs, HSA Benefits, FSA Rules, and Medical Expense Tax Tips ►► Download my Top 12 Tips for Hip Replacement Patients here Get my book, NEW STEEL here - available in hardcover, paperback, eBook and audio versions For more information, or to send a question or comment, visit The Hip Replacement Podcast website Tax Accounts that Can Benefit Hip Replacement Patients How Health Savings Accounts and Flexible Spending Accounts Can Help Hip Replacement Patients Tax Benefits of a Health Savings Account (HSA) After Hip Replacement Hip replacement surgery can come with more than physical recovery. It can also bring medical bills, recovery equipment, physical therapy costs, prescriptions, mobility tools, and other expenses that add up quickly. In this episode of The Hip Replacement Podcast, Chris talks about how hip replacement patients in the United States may be able to use tax-advantaged accounts like a Health Savings Account, also known as an HSA, or a Flexible Spending Account, also known as an FSA, to help pay for qualifying medical expenses connected to hip replacement surgery and recovery. If you are preparing for hip replacement surgery, recovering from hip surgery, or years removed from surgery and still managing recovery-related expenses, this episode explains why your situation may qualify you for certain tax benefits. Chris shares how an HSA or FSA may help pay for medical expenses such as crutches, walkers, canes, prescriptions, pain medication, physical therapy, raised toilet seats, shower chairs, ice machines, compression boots, compression stockings, orthotics, shoe inserts, and other recovery tools. This episode also explains the important differences between an HSA and an FSA. A flexible spending account is usually set up through an employer and generally follows a “use it or lose it” rule during the plan year. A health savings account is different because it can roll over from year to year, may be used long after the original medical expense was incurred, and can even become a powerful long-term planning tool for future healthcare costs. Chris also discusses why hip replacement surgery may change the definition of what counts as a medical expense for you. Something that might not qualify for one person could potentially qualify for someone recovering from major hip surgery if it is medically necessary and supported by proper documentation. That is why keeping receipts, asking your doctor or surgeon about a letter of medical necessity, and speaking with a tax advisor can be so important. This is not tax advice, but it is a practical reminder: if you qualify for tax benefits, use them. Hip replacement recovery is already challenging enough. If an HSA, FSA, or other tax-advantaged account can help reduce the financial pressure of hip replacement surgery, recovery equipment, physical therapy, or long-term medical care, it is worth understanding your options. New hips. New you. Let’s go. Thanks for joining THE HIP REPLACEMENT PODCAST. -Chris   LIKE, SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW If you liked this episode, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review!  Your support helps us reach more hip replacement patients who need these insights and inspiration. Thanks for tuning into THE HIP REPLACEMENT PODCAST!  See you next time.