01-30-2013 | #11 |
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Chester, Virginia
Posts: 457
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Re: Help Getting Back in my Z's
Two artificial hips, two artificial knees here at age 69. I get in and out of mine easier with the top out and just drive it on sunny days..easier to at 6'4" reach out to get the opened door.
when I get in I put right leg in and my butt against the door frame and seat and slide down until I hit the bolster and over and in. In order to keep the bolster from bothering me I have a 3/16" 1' x 1' closed cell foam pad I put over the bottom side bolster and it keeps it from pressing into me. Once I'm in then I can pick my left leg up and over the sill then in. To get out, I get my legs out, spin on my butt and scoot to the top of the sill, put my left hand half way up on the seat side nearest the door and the other on the door frame and push myself up. With artificial hips you are not supposed to ever have your knees higher than your hips as an angle so it's hard to get up without using your arms as a mild lever to minimize that. Joint is not as solidly in the socket as it might be at an angle of less than 90 degrees though I have no issues with knees or hips other than to be proactive and not stress them. I love to drive the Vette but it looks like a series of ballet moves getting in and out with my height. Hope it helps. Get well soon....don't rush the vette either...be sure you are healed. Lance P. |
01-31-2013 | #12 | |
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Portland Oregon metro area (Washington side)
Posts: 3,207
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Re: Help Getting Back in my Z's
Quote:
how is it going through the airport?
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Scott Vett owner since 1979._It's about the car and the people |
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01-31-2013 | #13 |
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Posts: 449
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Re: Help Getting Back in my Z's
Have posted this up at least once before but not sure if this will help you or others. Being fat, six foot and having a near fatal accident a while back getting in and out of the vettes did become an issue. I have no sensation above my eyebrows so was/am always banging my head. The accident broke all my ribs, collar bone gave me issues with my neck as my head was snapped back when the vette went under the dual barrier divider which basically shaved the car off just below the outside mirror base. Took the top of my head with it and then snapped it back. So have issues with twisting upper body and neck too far. OK this probably too much information but I think it might be near what some of you with lower back issues experience getting into and out of the vettes.
I get in and out just like many of your have stated. Butt in first then bring legs in. Getting out was painful and difficult due to the tender ribs, neck and lack of twisting ease. Struggled with this for a while and used it as sort of a "therapy" to help me develop the required motions to get in and out of my toys easier. Then "The Boss" (my lovely bride of the past 25 years) who is an Occupational Therapists suggest several improvements to my problem. The best one she came up with was a cane or walking stick. I had several as the immediate post op I had to use the wheel chair and cane. Being a cantankerous old fart it took me several canes to find one I could live with. As my healing progressed I needed the cane less and less and eventually not at all. The Boss suggested I cut the top horse shoe portion off and replaced it with a second rubber end tip. Using this to help stabilize me while trying to twist my upper body around helped greatly giving me two lift points one being my left arm and the second being the short stick in my right hand to help lift my bulk up easier to rotate outward and not bother any of the interior items like bolsters, steering wheel etc.. This really helped me. Later I figured out that after I was sitting on the door sill I could use the targa top edge to help me lift up to a standing position as sometimes not being able to twist meant that I would sort of rock back into the seat. Again the shortened stick would let me push the stick against the car's floor to help push me out and upward. Works great and helped build up some un-used muscles over time to make this chore easier. Only later did I figure out that two sticks might be an advantage if one was longer that the other so I put a metal hinge and slide/twist lock on the hinge. Now getting into and out of the vettes is an easy fluid motion and unless you are really paying attention and looking you won't even see the little helper stick as I let it drop back into the seat as I leave. Getting into the car I do just bout the same procedure but with the left hand/arm with little stick to stabilize and keep me off the bolster when sliding in. Hope this hasn't been too confusing and that it may help anyone in similar situations. Yeah, yeah I know I talk too much. But don't think that personality fault will change too much at age 64 eh? Wayne Last edited by captcorvette; 01-31-2013 at 02:56 AM. Reason: lousy vocabulary, proof reading and clarity |
01-31-2013 | #14 |
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Chester, Virginia
Posts: 457
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airports and artificial joints
Scott,
I'm headed for England in early April to see the Red Devils play Man City at Old Trafford then Denver in late June by airplane again so you are right...they notice titanium hip joints which are all metal and the metal and bearing surfaces of the two knee joints. When you get an artificial joint the orthpedic surgeon usually gives you a card saying what you have for situations like that but the TSA in all its infinite room temperature wisdom completely ignores it figuring you could have printed it on your home computer if you give them credit for even that much thinking. I don't even show it anymore. I do everything anyone else does and just walk right to the xray machine, tell them what I have, go through quickly. If no x ray then I do the hand scan. Going through a metal detector you make lots of lights go on and off! Considering living an active life and wearing all the cartilages out it's great that I could get all new joints. Hips were three years apart and the two knees done the same day in early 2009. That took almost a year to get back to normal but the pain from bone on bone was gone that day. Not completely as good as normal at age 40 but 95% of that without pain or any noticeable restriction is terrific. I kayak, Corvette, sail my Flying Scott, just sold my motorcycle (too many toys) and walk with my two greyhound girls so I'd say it's been a success. Just grease my joints and I'm good for another 300,000 miles. Scars are noticeable but I wear shorts all summer anyway. Heck with 'em if they don't like it. If anyone asks I just tell them it was special ops in Pakistan and shut up and let them speculate. That, of course, is not true, it was a Virginia surgeon! Wonderful that these choices were available. I'm 69 btw. Lance Pearson. |
01-31-2013 | #15 |
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Westminster, Md.
Posts: 436
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Re: Help Getting Back in my Z's
You guys made me look up today. Here I thought I had a lot of issues.Maybe latter today I will sneak into my garage to see if I can push in the clutch.
Have a good one, Nelson 007 |
01-31-2013 | #16 | |
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Chester, Virginia
Posts: 457
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Re: Help Getting Back in my Z's
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Also, owning a 4 speed 76 L48 I road raced for one day on a track in controlled circumstances I can assure you that the clutch on the ZR-1 is much, much easier to push in than the 76. I had to shift that puppy about 650 times the day at the track which is a road track and that clutch is real work compared to the Z. I trained my legs ahead of time knowing it would be work over 4 25 minute on track sessions. You'll do fine. Just don't rush it...be patient and do the work the doctors want you to do. Not always fun but long term it pays off. Lance Pearson |
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01-31-2013 | #17 |
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Lake Bluff, IL
Posts: 2,096
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Re: Help Getting Back in my Z's
Sheesh! I fell like I am reading the AARP bulletin :-). But it certainly is a legitimate ZR-1 topic. It is a real issue with many of us who like to keep playing with our toys. I have a couple of friends who have had similar joint replacements and everyone stilll finds a way to enjoy their cars. All good info!.--Bob
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2016 Long Beach Red Z06 #10281 "POPS Z" 1995 Polo Green #409 "WARP TEN"--Haibeck 350/510 package, 4.10s, Hurst, Stock Exhaust with QTP Cutouts --Sold but still running strong 1993 Quasar Blue #161 "HIL KING" --Sold but still running strong, now with more than 120,000 miles 1967 Marlboro Maroon/Saddle Corvette Coupe 300 hp/4-spd --Sold a long time ago ZR-1 Net Registry Founding Member #95 NCM Lifetime Member Favorite Quote--Attributed to Mickey Thompson: "Too Much Horsepower is Almost Enough" |
01-31-2013 | #18 |
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Chester, Virginia
Posts: 457
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Re: Help Getting Back in my Z's
AARP starts sending you crap at age 50...for whatever it's worth. Life without these toys is not nearly as much fun. Getting in my 76 is easier than getting in my 91. More like a pilot's cockpit, down lower, over a higher sill as well in the 91. Have not tried a C6 but if they keep getting lower and smaller then it's likely to be a car for mid sized and smaller guys. I never saw a big race car driver and you know why after a couple corvettes!
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01-31-2013 | #19 | ||
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Portland Oregon metro area (Washington side)
Posts: 3,207
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Re: airports and artificial joints
Quote:
Quote:
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Scott Vett owner since 1979._It's about the car and the people |
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01-31-2013 | #20 |
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Chester, Virginia
Posts: 457
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Re: Help Getting Back in my Z's
No problem.. hip joint parts in titanium are long..both ball and socket and bone grows into their exterior..no plastic at all. Knee joints are substantial as well....big guy so they use big size for my bones. Good to have big healthy bones for this. Maybe you will never need any of that. I just lead a sort of busy life to this point. Good luck!
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