Okay not my final. post...thought I'd pop back in and give anyone who comes along a bit of an update.
Pain? - None really - some minor discomfort in my groin area of the hip. My other hip is tickedyboo as they say. I get some greater discomfort from replacement-leftie regularly when i really use the heck out of it, but I have to remember to stretch it. I will get the odd tweak outside my knee based on tightness of the groin muscles. But its all related. I'm fine. As I sit and write this I can feel a general sense of tightness or whatever, but all in all its no biggy.
Activity? - I walk, pole walk, ride bikes, play bball once a week during fall and winter though not consistently, hockey once a week consistently, played fairly competitive tennis regularly last winter, play masters lacrosse 2x per year (not a good idea with 2 good legs and hips!!), golf and walk the course extensively, but I don't jog anymore, at all actually. I can run in bursts when I get warmed up.
Side effects? - Well, my right knee buggered up a bit last year - could not run on it at all. I figure it was from all of support work it did during my pain years and the post suffering getting back to balance thing (and the fact that I played 3 lacrosse games in 3 days at 54 years old - not smart) . All is good now. Cartilage stuff - sign of aging process I'm told. That's something to watch for. My left (replacement leg and all that it encompasses) is not totally a 100% of what it was but its pretty damn close (97%??) and its pain free. Balance is overall pretty strong. No social issues as a result of my losing out on not being able to run.
Do it all over again? - Yes. Crazy question. And I may one day have to go get my right one done but all is lubricated and good right now.
Final Note- I really recommend pole-walking. I took it up pre-xmas '15 and made a huge difference to my joints, particularly my right knee. It was really giving me trouble. All is well now. The workout I get from the poles is huge - shoulders, forearms, core,... everything. Very good thing to do. So, yes recommend grabbing some.
I figure this is all a state of mind in how you want to go about living your life with the replacement. You've overcome the biggest obstacle - suffering with osteoarthritis - and you got the thing done, now go on out and find things you can still do and things you shouldn't do. Its all part of the deal. Life's good.
Cheers