THR New hip going ok<

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Basset2016

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1 week in. Joint feels great. Better than its been for a long time. Sleeping is a bit of an issue as I hate sleeping on my back but it's not to bad. My right leg is swollen and my knee hurts a bit. Things are settling down though. The worst thing is my right side around the scar. Can't seem to get any respite from the constant ache as I am sat on it all the time. All on all I think it's going OK. Hope to be on one stick mid week. Will keep you guys informed.
 
Hi Basset...I'm giving you some reading material to get you through these early weeks. Make sure you use your pain meds at full dosage and as often as directed so you get full advantage from them. You want to get ahead of the pain and stay there, rather than play catch-up. See if that helps with the constant ache. After you stabilize with good pain control, you can start making very tiny tweaks in dosage or timing to see if your body is ready to taper off. And try taking weight off that side when you sit....get creative with pillows. :)

Sharon

First are the BoneSmart mantras ....
- rest, elevate, ice and take your pain meds by the clock as prescribed
- if it hurts, don't do it and don't allow anyone - especially a physiotherapist - to do it to you
- if your leg swells more or gets stiffer in the 24 hours after doing it, don't do it again
- if you won't die if it's not done, don't do it
- never stand when you can sit, never sit when you can lie down, never stay awake when you can go to sleep!
- be active as much as you need to be but not more than is necessary, meaning so much that you end up being in pain, exhausted or desperate to sit down or lay down!

Pain management and the pain chart
Healing: how long does it take?
Chart representation of THR recovery
Dislocation risk and 90 degree rule
Energy drain for THRs
Pain and swelling control: elevation is the key
Activity progression for THRs
Home physio (PT)
Post op blues is a reality - be prepared for it
Myth busting: on getting addicted to pain meds
Sleep deprivation is pretty much inevitable - but what causes it?
 
I'd like to ask you some questions if you don't mind, and it would be very helpful if you would answer each one individually - numbered as I have done - in as much detail as you can then I'll come back as see where you are ....

1. what approach did you have for your surgery? Anterior, posterior, lateral? You can look here to see the various types THR approaches or incisions

2. what are your pain levels right now? (remember the 1-10 scale: 1 = no pain and 10 = the worst you can imagine)

3. what pain medications have you been prescribed, how much are you taking (in mg please) and how often?

4. are you icing your hip at all?

5. are you elevating your leg, how often and for how long?

6. what is your activity level? What do you do in the way of housework, cooking, cleaning, shopping, etc., and

7. what kind of exercises and physio at home are you doing? How much and how often?
This is the most crucial question so please help me by using the format I have left as an example
(which means please make a list and not an essay!)

Exercises done at home: (how many sessions each day)
enter exercise then enter number of reps and sets
etc., etc.

At physio (how many times a week)
enter exercise then enter number of reps and sets
etc., etc.
 
1 .. looks like posterior. Right side.
2 .. sat down on sofa with legs raised pain is 1 .
3 .. pain meds are 30mg codein. 1000 mg parecetomol . 400 ibuprofen 4 times a day.
4 .. I am not icing my hip at the moment. Worried about the scar becoming wet.
5 .. legs up most of the time when sat down.
6 .. just get up when bored for a stroll round the house. Been on a 5 min walk today.
7.. calf raises. 10 twice a day
Mini squats 10 twice a day
Side leg lifts 10 twice a day and same for rear leg lift. Plus out into the garden to sit in the sun. No physio booked ?. Hope this is OK.
 
Thanks sharonslp have got creative with pillows and managed to ease the ache. Have tweaked my pain killers as well. Can't do with taking 60mg of codeine. It makes me I'll. So taking paracetamol and ibuprofen and not half as much codeine. Thanks.
 
I am not icing my hip at the moment. Worried about the scar becoming wet.
Wrap whatever you are using to ice in a tea towel. You never apply ice directly on your skin. Icing is a natural pain killer and really does help at this stage. Do you have ice packs or even a bag of frozen veg works.
 
I have a bag of ice. Was just worried about putting on the on the scar even in a towel. I will give it a try. Thanks. Will keep you informed how it goes.
 
Loving the ice. How many times should use it thanks.
 
I iced almost around the clock post THR. Even took an icepack to bed at night. I had 3 gel icepacks that I rotated constantly. Just as long as you don't apply anything direct to your skin you are fine to ice regularly. Glad you found it helped!
 
Yeah it's great. Just walked down the kitchen and although my feels tight it didn't hurt. Thanks again for the advice.
 
My foot is really swollen. Any idea on how to deal with it. Only came up today. Thanks
 
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My foot is very swollen too but I'm only 5 days postop. Very uncomfortable feeling. If I keep it elevated above my heart for a couple of hours that seems to help. But as soon as I get up and move around it seems to swell right back up. I tried an ice pack on it tonight and while it didn't appear to reduce the swelling it sure did feel good.

Hang in there I'm swollen with you!


Sent from my iPad using BoneSmart Forum
 
My foot is really swollen. Any idea on how to deal with it.
Not unusual at all. Use ice on that foot as well. It does reduce internal swelling that is causing the discomfort.
 
Is it because I've done to much or just what happens. Just seems like I did more yesterday and then my foot came up. Will use the ice . Thank you .
 
Yeah jaymo it's a weird feeling. How's your hip feeling. I am ten days post opp now and the joint feels amazing. It's just everything else around it that hurts. Time is a healer they say. I am a little impatient. Hope your healing well.
 
It can be a combination of too much time on your feet and the trauma of the op. Don't worry - it's temporary. Ice and elevate. And lots of patience prescribed!
 
My new hip is feeling great! The swelling is slow to diminish but I'm seeing small improvements every day. Most of my pain is in the buttock right where I sit so it's challenging icing the backside but I'm dealing with it. I've started PT and that's going well. The only thing that's concerning to me is leg length discrepancy - even the therapist noticed that one hip (operated hip) appears higher than the other. It's going to take some work to get those muscles strengthened and we will definitely be doing lots of gait training.

I took a few steps outside with the walker on an incline today. This same stretch of road caused me horrible pain just last week and today there was no joint pain, and I walked right up without missing a beat! Truly incredible !

Slow and steady is my mantra and it's working!!


Sent from my iPad using BoneSmart Forum
 
The only thing that's concerning to me is leg length discrepancy
Worry not! Nearly every new hippie feels LLD. In most cases this feeling just fades away. Give it 3-4 months. You have been walking all wrong trying to stay off that sore hip. The pelvis often tilts to compensate. Give it time to balance back.
Slow and steady is my mantra and it's working!!
Well done!
 
Yeah mine felt the same but it's feeling more normal now. I am now walking ease although still on two sticks. I am putting less and less weight through them. Hip feels great and pain is OK. Glad your on the mend .
 
sat down on sofa with legs raised pain is 1
Only 1? What about the "constant ache"? Did you factor that in?
pain meds are 30mg codeine, 1000 mg paracetamol, 400 ibuprofen 4 times a day.
You're taking ibuprofen 4 times a day? That's very unwise. Three times or even better twice is more than enough. Or better yet, none at all. Read this Medications: acetaminophen (Tylenol, paracetamol) and NSAIDs, differences and dangers.
I am not icing my hip at the moment. Worried about the scar becoming wet. I have a bag of ice.
I really wouldn't recommend bags of ice. For one thing they do tend to get wet, they thaw quickly and aren't a comfortable thing to put on a new wound. Much better to get 2 or 3 large gel packs and rotate them in the freezer. Much nicer. And do as Jaycey said, wrap them in a tea towel.

gel packs mine.jpg


legs up most of the time when sat down.
good but are they elevated "toes above nose"? Read this Elevation is the key
just get up when bored for a stroll round the house. Been on a 5 min walk today.
jolly good! But don't over do it. Read this Activity progression for THRs
calf raises. 10 twice a day
Mini squats 10 twice a day
Side leg lifts 10 twice a day and same for rear leg lift.
Plus out into the garden to sit in the sun.
No physio booked
Hips actually don't need any exercise to get better. They do a pretty good job of it all on their own if given half a chance. Trouble is, people don't give them a chance and end up with all sorts of aches and pains and sore spots. All they need is the best therapy which is walking and even then not to excess. So quit the ones I've emboldened and no physio is good! Read this BoneSmart philosophy for sensible post op therapy
Loving the ice. How many times should use it thanks.
Ice for at least 40-60mins and more than 4 times a day.
 
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