I’m a 37 year old male who had a Right posterior THR 8 weeks ago. I have a question regarding limping. I had a decent limp about 2 years pre op because of my bone on bone arthritis. Now that I have had the surgery I do feel a lot better and I notice that I walk normal and when I get tired and am on my feet a lot I start to resort to limping. I do use the ge to toe method but even when I am tired and my operated leg gets sore I still limp. Basically my question is will the limp go away eventually? Because I am getting super frustrated with it. Thank you all in advance!
THR Worried about Limp PostOp
- Thread starter Kdk1784
- Start date
Hello @Kdk1784 - and 
Please will you tell us the full date of your surgery, so we can put it into your signature for easy reference?
Yes, what's happening to you sounds completely normal. For a long time you were trying to protect your arthritic, painful hip and you developed a limp because of it.
I's good news that you can walk normally, heel-to- toe, already and it's quite common to revert to limping when your body gets tired.
As you continue to heal and regain strength, you will gradually find yourself getting tired less easily and limping less.
Hip replacement is major surgery and recovery does take a long time - a full year for a lot of people - so try not to expect fast results. If you think of this recovery as a race, it's a marathon, not a sprint, and you need to pace yourself.
Here are our recovery guidelines, with lots of helpful and informative articles:
Hip Recovery: The Guidelines
1. Don’t worry: Your body will heal all by itself. Relax, let it, don't try and hurry it, don’t worry about any symptoms now, they are almost certainly temporary.
People are all different, as are the approaches to this recovery and rehab. The key is, “Find what works for YOU.“ Your doctor(s), physiotherapist(s) and BoneSmart are here to help, but you are the final judge as to the recovery approach you choose.
2. Control discomfort:
3. Do what you want to do BUT
4. PT or exercise can be useful BUT take note of these
5. Try to follow this
6. Access these pages on the website
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
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?
BIG TIP: 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.
We try to keep the forum a positive and safe place for our members to talk about their questions or concerns and to report successes with their joint replacement surgery.
While members may create as many threads as they like in the majority of BoneSmart’s forums, we ask that each member have only One Recovery Thread. This policy makes it easier to go back and review the member’s history before providing advice, so please post any updates or questions you have right here in this thread.
Please will you tell us the full date of your surgery, so we can put it into your signature for easy reference?
Yes, what's happening to you sounds completely normal. For a long time you were trying to protect your arthritic, painful hip and you developed a limp because of it.
I's good news that you can walk normally, heel-to- toe, already and it's quite common to revert to limping when your body gets tired.
As you continue to heal and regain strength, you will gradually find yourself getting tired less easily and limping less.
Hip replacement is major surgery and recovery does take a long time - a full year for a lot of people - so try not to expect fast results. If you think of this recovery as a race, it's a marathon, not a sprint, and you need to pace yourself.
Here are our recovery guidelines, with lots of helpful and informative articles:
Hip Recovery: The Guidelines
1. Don’t worry: Your body will heal all by itself. Relax, let it, don't try and hurry it, don’t worry about any symptoms now, they are almost certainly temporary.
People are all different, as are the approaches to this recovery and rehab. The key is, “Find what works for YOU.“ Your doctor(s), physiotherapist(s) and BoneSmart are here to help, but you are the final judge as to the recovery approach you choose.
2. Control discomfort:
rest
ice
take your pain meds by prescription schedule (not when pain starts!)
3. Do what you want to do BUT
a. If it hurts, don't do it and don't allow anyone - especially a physical therapist - to do it to you
b. If your leg swells more or gets stiffer in the 24 hours after doing it, don't do it again.
4. PT or exercise can be useful BUT take note of these
5. Try to follow this
6. Access these pages on the website
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
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?
BIG TIP: 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.
We try to keep the forum a positive and safe place for our members to talk about their questions or concerns and to report successes with their joint replacement surgery.
While members may create as many threads as they like in the majority of BoneSmart’s forums, we ask that each member have only One Recovery Thread. This policy makes it easier to go back and review the member’s history before providing advice, so please post any updates or questions you have right here in this thread.
Eman85
big-cheese
Might not seem it but 8 weeks is still early in recovery. Sounds like your muscles just get tired and that's when the limp comes back. On your feet a lot sounds like you've already gone back to work. One of the post op recommendations is to start with a new pair of shoes. Our old shoes can have a wear pattern from a pre-op limp or irregular pattern due to limited ROM when we walked pre-op.
- Joined
- Jun 26, 2017
- Messages
- 39,079
- Country
United States
- Gender
- Female
Hello and Welcome! Thanks for joining us.
If it’s any consolation, I limped pre-op and also post op when I was tired, just as you’re doing. My post op limp wasn’t as pronounced as pre-op. I was usually unaware until asked by someone why I was limping.
Didn’t realize I was, but apparently so. The limp gradually disappeared. I don’t recall how long it took, but it was several months. Be patient, give it time and one day you’ll realize you’re no longer limping.
A great week to you!
@Kdk1784
If it’s any consolation, I limped pre-op and also post op when I was tired, just as you’re doing. My post op limp wasn’t as pronounced as pre-op. I was usually unaware until asked by someone why I was limping.
Didn’t realize I was, but apparently so. The limp gradually disappeared. I don’t recall how long it took, but it was several months. Be patient, give it time and one day you’ll realize you’re no longer limping.A great week to you!
@Kdk1784
I did go back to work and also got new shoes: work boots. I think the boots may be a factor. Also is it normal for the actual joint to be sore after constantly being on my feet? I went from doing pt 2 x a week and moderate walking to being on my feet in boots 8-10 hrs a day.Hello and Welcome! Thanks for joining us.
If it’s any consolation, I limped pre-op and also post op when I was tired, just as you’re doing. My post op limp wasn’t as pronounced as pre-op. I was usually unaware until asked by someone why I was limping.
A great week to you!
@Kdk1784
@Kdk1784Glad you joined the forum.
The answer to your question is yes this would be normal and not great for recovery from hip replacement.
At two months out there is still alot of healing happening.
Yes, your hip joint was "fixed" but in order to get to it, there was a lot of trauma caused to the surrounding muscles, tendons, and soft tissue.
Don't know how long you have been back to work for long days up on your feet, but this is definitely stressing the healing process.
Hope when you get home you are assuming the position...icing and elevating.
I went back to work to early from bilateral THR and even though I COULD, didn't mean I should.
Recovering from self induced tendonitis could take months so take any opportunity you can to sit when at work or shorten days.
I bought several pairs of new shoes and boots (even over the last few years) as my job requires alot of walking also.
Some worked well, some didn't. Don't know exactly why some didn't...perhaps the sole and the way I was walking.
I have to have good arch support and some cushioning on bed.
Please try to edit all the standing and walking where you can, because you want to let this new hip settle so you can have this be a trouble free recovery.
Hey, please check out this rather elementary but great explanation of how constant stress affects tendons.
Did you have a limp pre-op on your bad hip? And also how long did that take to go away? It’s definitely frustrating me.
Glad you joined the forum.
The answer to your question is yes this would be normal and not great for recovery from hip replacement.
At two months out there is still alot of healing happening.
Yes, your hip joint was "fixed" but in order to get to it, there was a lot of trauma caused to the surrounding muscles, tendons, and soft tissue.
Don't know how long you have been back to work for long days up on your feet, but this is definitely stressing the healing process.
Hope when you get home you are assuming the position...icing and elevating.
I went back to work to early from bilateral THR and even though I COULD, didn't mean I should.
Recovering from self induced tendonitis could take months so take any opportunity you can to sit when at work or shorten days.
I bought several pairs of new shoes and boots (even over the last few years) as my job requires alot of walking also.
Some worked well, some didn't. Don't know exactly why some didn't...perhaps the sole and the way I was walking.
I have to have good arch support and some cushioning on bed.
Please try to edit all the standing and walking where you can, because you want to let this new hip settle so you can have this be a trouble free recovery.
Hippielife
senior
- Joined
- Oct 13, 2016
- Messages
- 452
- Age
- 74
- Country
- United States
- Gender
- Female
Yes the limp will go away the strongER you become and the soft tissues completes healing and the bone grows on to the implant to secure the implants . Yes in time it will get better the 
limping and tiredness will be in the past.
limping and tiredness will be in the past.Did you have a limp pre op?Yes the limp will go away the strongER you become and the soft tissues completes healing and the bone grows on to the implant to secure the implants . Yes in time it will get better the
It was Both my hips and Yes, I limped horribly. I also had several years before I got a correct diagnosis and by then I was tight and had very reduced range of motion...but kept working and mostly when I stopped at end of day, was a mess!
You will eventually lose the limp, but it may be quite hard to do this since you are back to work full time.
Not giving that leg time to rest and heal is likely prolonging the process.
You aren't limping because you are weak, your leg was injured and needs recouperation time more than anything, in my opinion.
I had both my hips done at once and now I'm good to go...
When I went back to work and began overdoing it...I joined the Overdid It Club and had to start getting back on track by babying my hips more and staying with the ice and resting whenever possible.
You will eventually lose the limp, but it may be quite hard to do this since you are back to work full time.
Not giving that leg time to rest and heal is likely prolonging the process.
You aren't limping because you are weak, your leg was injured and needs recouperation time more than anything, in my opinion.
I had both my hips done at once and now I'm good to go...
When I went back to work and began overdoing it...I joined the Overdid It Club and had to start getting back on track by babying my hips more and staying with the ice and resting whenever possible.
rkoldschool@com
junior member
- Joined
- Aug 9, 2020
- Messages
- 53
- Age
- 52
- Country
- United States
- Gender
- Male
If its any consolation, my Surgeon said to expect things to become sort of normal at about the 1 year mark and that gait correction is one of the longest things to accomplish. Good luck!!!
- Joined
- Jun 26, 2017
- Messages
- 39,079
- Country
- United States
- Gender
- Female
Is this amount of time on your feet at work negotiable? Eight to ten hours is a long time to be on your feet so early on. It‘s uncomfortable to think about doing this so soon into the healing process.
Personally, I’d be more concerned about any issues the prolonged standing / excess walking causes over worrying about a limp at this point. With any luck you’re able to rest once you’re back home, not doing much else, for at least another month.
Hope today is an easy one for you.
ForumUser
senior
My first was at 45 - and it was wonderful to be fully mobile, again ... but ...
Your new hip is not as strong, or resilient as your organic hip - there are things you cannot do as well, or for as long.
Your strength will increase over the next 6-12 months.
You should work on your gait - have someone follow you a few times a day and tell you what to correct.
March in a military way, make sure your shoulders are back and heel-toe.
Be careful - you are still in recovery.
Your new hip is not as strong, or resilient as your organic hip - there are things you cannot do as well, or for as long.
Your strength will increase over the next 6-12 months.
You should work on your gait - have someone follow you a few times a day and tell you what to correct.
March in a military way, make sure your shoulders are back and heel-toe.
Be careful - you are still in recovery.
Eman85
big-cheese
[/QUOTE]
I did go back to work and also got new shoes: work boots. I think the boots may be a factor. Also is it normal for the actual joint to be sore after constantly being on my feet? I went from doing pt 2 x a week and moderate walking to being on my feet in boots 8-10 hrs a day.
[/QUOTE]
You don't have a joint that can be sore any longer. I'd say all of the pain/soreness is soft tissue. I really can't imagine being on my feet 8-10 hrs. a day at the 8 week mark in recovery.
I did go back to work and also got new shoes: work boots. I think the boots may be a factor. Also is it normal for the actual joint to be sore after constantly being on my feet? I went from doing pt 2 x a week and moderate walking to being on my feet in boots 8-10 hrs a day.
[/QUOTE]
You don't have a joint that can be sore any longer. I'd say all of the pain/soreness is soft tissue. I really can't imagine being on my feet 8-10 hrs. a day at the 8 week mark in recovery.
Sheila-Seattle
junior member
You've had plenty of great advice. I just wanted to say hello because we're only 5 days apart. I had anterior on January 6. Now that you're at 2 months I bet someone here will invite you to join the BoneSmart app which monitors gait and gives you targeted PT based on what they see. I'm so impressed with the program. I was not bone-on-bone so was not limping pre-op. When I was trying to stop using the cane I thought I'd never be able to but focusing on the heel-toe made a huge different and suddenly I didn't need the cane anymore. As someone who was very active pre-op the patience is the hardest for me, and finding the middle ground of doing enough but not too much. I'm up to 6K steps every other day, PT daily, and 20 minutes with low resistance on a spin bike every now and again. So it feels like good progress. But I do have a lump under my scar that hurts and makes it so I can't sleep on my preferred side. And I have shin splint type pain in both legs. So it's not all rainbows and unicorns. But overall impressive what our bodies can do.
Good morning, my hippy friend.
I think you may have underestimated the time it takes to come back from this major surgery and not sure how long you've been back to work full-time, but there is alot of healing still happening.
I have given your surgery date to administration so you can be added to the recovery group where you can see other members who had their surgery close to yours.
We always say "don't compare recoveries" as we all have different bodies and often different circumstances that led to THR, but it is helpful to see how other January Jackpots are progressing.
Here is the link.
@Sheila-Seattle is one active member who had her THR in January.
Maybe she can lend her thoughts.
I think you may have underestimated the time it takes to come back from this major surgery and not sure how long you've been back to work full-time, but there is alot of healing still happening.
I have given your surgery date to administration so you can be added to the recovery group where you can see other members who had their surgery close to yours.
We always say "don't compare recoveries" as we all have different bodies and often different circumstances that led to THR, but it is helpful to see how other January Jackpots are progressing.
Here is the link.
@Sheila-Seattle is one active member who had her THR in January.
Maybe she can lend her thoughts.
Thanks! This forum is great, as down as I was feeling the comments really made me feel better!
BoneSmart #1 Best Blog
Staff online
-
lovetocookandsewStaff member since June 5, 2019 -
Hip4lifeStaff member since January 6, 2022 -
mendogalStaff member since November 10, 2023
