Bilateral THR Made it!!

[stellaluna]

@Alitm Yeah it's a pretty intense stretch esp where you are at right now. But when the time comes it is a good one. I do it lying in bed in the morning before I get up and again at nite.
It's so great about the somatics isnt it?? Keep me posted on how you do!

My Mother in law passed last nite -she was 89 and pretty much wheelchair bound in a nursing home the last few months. I loved her dearly- IDK if everyone can say that about their in-laws- I was very lucky to have great ones. Her health declined pretty rapidly after a major stroke last summer and she'd been spending the last few months in a nursing home. I am glad that at least she is no longer suffering. But I'll miss her.

 

[Mojo333]

So sorry for your loss @stellaluna

 

[Jaycey]

So sorry for your loss @stellaluna ! At least you have good memories and your MIL is no longer suffering.

 

[Alitm]

I am so sorry for your loss @stellaluna. What a blessing for your MIL to be at peace. As @Jaycey says, you will have the good memories. Please know we are thinking of you at this very sad time.

 

[Debru4]

I am not familiar with Active Release Therapy, muscle release, or somatic work. Is this something that is helpful for everyone recovering from hip replacement, or primarily if you have a specific area of pain?

 

[Alitm]

@Debru4

I am not familiar with Active Release Therapy, muscle release, or somatic work. Is this something that is helpful for everyone recovering from hip replacement, or primarily if you have a specific area of pain?

These are all therapies that can help individuals recovering from hip replacement, but my experience is they aren't things I would look into until at least after six weeks post op, and you should run it by your OS and/or your physio first. My physio does what I think @stellaluna is talking about with the active release therapy...it is a way of releasing tense muscles. Somatic work is is another way to release and sore muscles, and also re-earn correct patterns of movements. It is very gentle. Hope that helps. I'm sure @stellaluna will be along at some point to comment A good massage therapist who is well versed in THR can also be helpful.

 

[stellaluna]

@Alitm pretty much summed it up. ART is intense and I’d clear it with surgeon first but it has helped me tremendously. I’m 5.5 mos lost op- started this roughly a month ago - the ART that is. It breaks up scar tissue and “clumps” in muscles , enabling blood flow to improve and this decreasing stiffness. Somatics is very gentle movement; it reawakens proper neuromuscular movement patterns that may have been compromised due to injury or just activities of daily living .

 

[Debru4]

Thanks for the background info. Since I am feeling great now, it isn’t something I’d want to start at this time. But it’s always good to be aware of options that are out there. How did you decide to try it? Previous experience, doctor suggestion, or???

 

[stellaluna]

Previously was doing it pre-surgery-somatics, that is. My Dr is not familiar with it.
ART was suggested by a PT who runs a hip replacement forum on FB. I ran it my my Dr's PA who has had it and agreed it could possibly help.
On a side note- anyone else notice that their hips get achy if it's super cold? It's been Artic like here the last few days. Only achy when walking. Someone said it might be scar tissue-the achiness is near the incision sites but it is deeper than superficial. Not bad, more annoying than anything.

 

[Layla]

Hugs, stellaluna, Just catching up here.
I'm very sorry to hear of the loss of your MIL.
I hope the memories you hold dear help ease your pain.
Wishing you comfort and peace.
@stellaluna

 

[Debru4]

@stellaluna---If you look on my recovery thread you will see that I also had a question about pain during the cold, near my incision as well. Several people weighed in on it, so rather than repeat what everyone said, you might want to read some of the comments

Quick version---I had two days of terrible pain when the barometric pressure changed and the cold weather moved in last fall. When the weather changed again, the pain abated. I have had some twinges with weather changes since then, but nothing like that time. The pain seems very similar to yours in terms of location.

I will be curious to see what happens as the winter progresses here in Colorado. I am speculating that since the internal swelling has lessened, there will be less pain in that area. Let's continue the discussion as our surgeries were quite close in time. What state are you in?

 

[stellaluna]

thx @Debru4 just found your thread. It's better today. What @Josephine said makes alot of sense- as usual! It is better today- the temp has warmed a bit around here.
I am in Mass- but would not mind moving to Florida if this rotten weather keeps up! I am getting tired of the cold weather in general....

 

[Debru4]

I hear you! A couple weeks after my terrible two days with the weather change, I went to visit my son in the Dominican Republic. Being in the tropics was so wonderful after the cold we'd been having in CO. If I hadn't lived here all my life, and had my friends and most of my family here, I'd live somewhere that was warm year round, where I could garden all year and not have to deal with the cold and ice! We have had next to no snow however---just lots of cold temps and wind. You guys have been slammed out your way!

 

[lovesstars]

@stellaluna I am so sorry for your loss. Please accept my condolences.

Here in Wisconsin lots of annoying achiness from the cold. Waking me at night, even. Had five days in Southern California — all pain gone...walking a ton. As soon as I returned to the Midwest pain returned....and then some.
Soaking in hot salt bath relieves it for a few hours and then it returns.
But alas, it is halfway through February so I feel I am just powering through at this point.
I have also increased my turmeric to help deal with it. And black pepper.

 

[Lea61]

@stellaluna I am very sorry to hear about the loss of your mother in law. It sounds as if you had a wonderful relationship with her. Hope your memories bring you comfort and peace.

 

[Debru4]

@lovesstars--I also find epsom salt baths relieve pain. How often do you take them? I love my baths--typically filled with bubbles, but when my hip started acting up prior to surgery, I began taking epsom salt baths. I was taking them almost daily, and then was told that was too often.....that you could overload your system with magnesium. Have you heard that? I never felt any weird symptoms, but did cut back. Now I take them 2-3 times a week.

And yes, yes, yes to the Tumeric/Curcumin with Perine (black pepper). I am unable to take NSAIDS, so have to rely on acetaminophen and things like tumeric to reduce inflammation. It helps with a wide range of inflammation in your body.

 

[lovesstars]

I use “kosher salt” — the box is about 2 and a half dollars. It is a stronger mineral than epson salt. Some weeks I take them four nights a week. No more bubbles for me....it’s all about function, baby. I need the pain to go away. If you have too much magnesium, you would know...you would develop a loose stool.

 

[Scarab]

Hello all,
This thread reminded me to pull out some books. When I was pre-op and struggling to relieve my hip pain I purchased a couple of books on Hanna somatics, as well as the hip-healthy asana book mentioned here. I am taking them off the shelf to reread, as perhaps I can find ways to manage the very low back (maybe SI joint) pain I am having post-op.
Can't wait to take a bath. Not there yet.

 

[luvsibes]

Hello @stellaluna - It's been a long while since I've posted anywhere on Bsmart. I'm sorry to hear about your MIL. We spent NYDay in ER with our 98 y.o. aunt who passed away on 1/11 after we got her back to her facility on hospice. She had done pretty well up to that time.

I see some posts about weather, barometric pressure, and scar tissue pain. I'm almost 9 months post-THR now and back on a yoga mat as well as teaching my chair yoga classes. I started back with a gentle mat work and am so happy to see my ROM and function return. I can walk as fast as I used to pre-hip deterioration and feel 10 years younger! We've had cold and wet in SoCal and I find I still have some aches also in the scar area especially in low pressure and windy weather.

I'll be posting again soon with the 9 month update. It's nice to see you again on-line!

 

[stellaluna]

Hi everyone it’s been a while. I’d love to run something by the fellow smarties. I woke up this morning with numbness and tingling on the sole of my left foot. It worked it’s way up back of left calf. Concerned, I placed a call to the dr's office. I have yet to hear back

I decided not to go to work today but took a sick day an am chilling out. Lay down for a couple hours seems to help a bit but here I am seven hours later and foot still tingles. Has anyone experienced this?

@Josephine - any ideas of this could be nerve related post surgery? But my surgery was in August. Other than that everything has been ok. I will add work has been extremely stressful and this week in general was really stressful both work and home. Not really sure if that factors in.