THR Numbness of the leg

[delacrra]

I am almost 3 months post op left THR. I still feel pain where the incision was, especially when I touch it. The wound has already completely healed. Also I have difficulty standing on my operated side after around 15 minutes and my back hurts as well. I am also scheduled for TKR on both knees. I also noticed that after long walk which I don't normally do, I feel more pain on my left hip. The pain subsides after taking pain medicines such as tramadol and paracetamol, using ice plus rest. Is the pain normal? By the way I am still using a cane but was using a crutch previously. Lastly I am still having difficulty putting on my sock.

 

[Mojo333]

Hi @delacrra
to the forum.

Would you please give us the date of your left hip replacement?
We will add it to your signature and add you to a team recovery group so you can check out the progress of others who had surgery close to yours.

At 3 months, my incision site was still extremely tender along with some residual numbness, so sounds very normal to me.
Also, 3 months is still very early in a recovery process that can take up to a year and after.
Your hip itself is likely strong but all that soft tissue takes time to heal and the period of bad gait and posture from your bad hip also plays into recovery time.
All sounds very normal and common on the site, where you can get feedback from those who have been there-done that.

I still iced and rested after an activity that came back to cause discomfort so I hope you still baby that hip when it cries.
I also had to toss my old shoes, as the bad wear pattern was not helpful.

I'm going to leave you our recovery guidelines.
Some are obviously for earlier days, but you will find some useful info in these short articles.
All Temporary, friend.
Patience is the hardest part!

 

[Mojo333]

Here you go.
Following these guidelines can help you have a less painful recovery.

Just keep in mind all people are different, as are the approaches to this recovery and rehab. The key is, “Find what works for you.“ Your doctors, PTs and BoneSmart are available to help, but you are the final judge as to the recovery approach you choose.

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​

2. Control discomfort​

rest​

elevate​

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​

BoneSmart philosophy for sensible post op therapy​

5. At week 4 and after you should follow this ​

Activity progression for THRs​

6. Access to these pages on the website​

Oral And Intravenous Pain Medications​

Wound Closure​

​

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 a 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 history before providing advice.

 

[Klassy]

Hi @delacrra , and welcome to the forum. My sympathy for your ongoing issues. As Mojo says, it’s all pretty normal.

I am someone who has had 2 hip replacements, both uncomplicated but slower recoveries than some folk. To respond to one of your issues, I first put on my left sock 8 weeks and 2 days after the left hip replacement. I think I was much the same for the second hip, but I was told off by my surgeon at my follow up appointment at 10 weeks for doing so! I would say, if your leg doesn’t feel comfortable getting into the position to change socks, don’t push it. I found that things like this just came when my hip was ready.

My right hip was doing really well at 3 months, but then got sore again, and I was back to using a crutch. It is just now, at 4 months, coming good again. So recovery is a slower process than I would wish, but the success of my first hip gives me confidence that after a year or even two, I will be as active as I want and not even remembering I had the replacement.

 

[delacrra]

Hi @delacrra , and welcome to the forum. My sympathy for your ongoing issues. As Mojo says, it’s all pretty normal.

I am someone who has had 2 hip replacements, both uncomplicated but slower recoveries than some folk. To respond to one of your issues, I first put on my left sock 8 weeks and 2 days after the left hip replacement. I think I was much the same for the second hip, but I was told off by my surgeon at my follow up appointment at 10 weeks for doing so! I would say, if your leg doesn’t feel comfortable getting into the position to change socks, don’t push it. I found that things like this just came when my hip was ready.

My right hip was doing really well at 3 months, but then got sore again, and I was back to using a crutch. It is just now, at 4 months, coming good again. So recovery is a slower process than I would wish, but the success of my first hip gives me confidence that after a year or even two, I will be as active as I want and not even remembering I had the replacement.

My hip replacement was done last February 14,2022.I guess you are right. Patience is the key to complete recovery. It might take longer for others. Everyone is different. I was active before my surgery. I do a lot of swimming and I am wanting to get back to it. What is preventing me is the covid situation.

 

[spaniel]

Hi- I am also three months post THR . I think part of the issue for me is some lack of conditioning prior. I did swim 7 days a week prior to the THR but I stopped doing major walking well before that, With that said my right hip that was replaced feels pretty good but we all vary I think. I tend to really really overdo it. And then I do have some pain. But not over incision site.

 

[delacrra]

Hi @delacrra
to the forum.

Would you please give us the date of your left hip replacement?
We will add it to your signature and add you to a team recovery group so you can check out the progress of others who had surgery close to yours.

At 3 months, my incision site was still extremely tender along with some residual numbness, so sounds very normal to me.
Also, 3 months is still very early in a recovery process that can take up to a year and after.
Your hip itself is likely strong but all that soft tissue takes time to heal and the period of bad gait and posture from your bad hip also plays into recovery time.
All sounds very normal and common on the site, where you can get feedback from those who have been there-done that.

I still iced and rested after an activity that came back to cause discomfort so I hope you still baby that hip when it cries.
I also had to toss my old shoes, as the bad wear pattern was not helpful.

I'm going to leave you our recovery guidelines.
Some are obviously for earlier days, but you will find some useful info in these short articles.
All Temporary, friend.
Patience is the hardest part!

The date of my operation was last February 14,2022.

 

[Layla]

Happy Three Month Anniversary!
Wondering how you’re doing since we last heard from you? I hope you’re feeling stronger and steadier on your feet. This recovery can take awhile, but you’ll get there.
Wishing you a nice weekend!
@delacrra

 

[delacrra]

Thanks, I'm still feeling pain where the incision was done. I wanted to go for a long walk but my right knee is bothering me a lot. I'm due for a replacement soon. My left knee is also due six months after. I have stopped some of my exercises and I am following the bone smart philosophy that the hip will heal by itself and doesn't have to be forced if you feel pain. Patience is also the key to complete recovery. I am still using cane to assist my right knee. I still cannot stand for a long time on my operated knee. I am also planning to go back to regular swimming tomorrow which I did before my left hip operation. I hope this will also help in easing the pain which is tolerable.

 

[delacrra]

Correction :It should be operated hip instead of knee.

 

[Layla]

Tenderness in the area of the incision can last for a long time. I’m sorry your knees are bothering you. Wondering is you have surgery dates scheduled for TKR? If you do, please share the dates and we’ll add them to your signature. Also, please join us on the Knee side of the forum, if interested. Take it slow and easy while in the pool today, it’s easy to overdo it. I hope you enjoy!
@delacrra

 

[myglasshalffull]

Hello all you 3 month anniversary hippies, me too, today is my 3 month anniversary and I feel so much better reading all these updates cause I'm just about where you all are, makes me feel not so abnormal! LOL!
I'm heading out to dog kennel now, just going to fold some blankets, empty dishwasher and get a few dog kisses, light grocery shopping then home. My partner puts my socks on for me and my shoes when I wear shoes. Actually just had him do that for me about 10 minutes ago.
Stay strong and let's keep communicating.

 

[Snoopy55]

Hi @spaniel @myglasshalffull and @delacrra we are all 3 months post op! I didn't have a full hip replacement but rather a hip pinning but I think we are all on the same kind of post op journey and it really helps to have you all to talk to! I went swimming today also and tonight I am feeling very tight and achy. Still walking ok without the cane but definitely I start limping to the side especially at night when I am obviously tired. I usually don't take anything for pain other than extra stength tylenol here and there and mobic at night. I find myself fighting with myself about taking OTC meds as I don;t really love taking medication but when the pain and tighness and achiness take over I just give in. I also still ice ALOT. Especially when the hip feels hot. I have three pins holding the bone together while it heals and sometimes I feel like I can feel the pins-which is wierd. I start PT again in a week and hoping it will help with pain although I am scared as hell that it will be more painful and I just want the pain to stop. Anyone still in pain? Or are you just powering through? Is it normal to still have pain at 3 months?

 

[THR#55+1]

I am also 3 mos out from THR. I was starting to feel like a hypochondriac with my aches and twinge. After reading posts here, I feel like I am healing normally

 

[sistersinhim]

@Barb8683, I have started a new recovery thread for you. It is located at: https://bonesmart.org/forum/threads/barb8683s-new-hip.70249/

 

[myglasshalffull]

Snoopy,
I call it more discomfort than pain, but still icing and doing extra strength Tylenol before bed.
I'm getting more steps in each day, head back to ortho on Tuesday.
I can feel (and see) pins and rod in my left ankle. When I head to ortho on Tuesday I am going to make an appointment with surgeon that did my ankle three years ago. He wanted to remove hardware but I wanted no more surgery as well as wearing a boot for 2 weeks. So I'll have it X-rayed and see if the hardware has shifted. It's my left ankle and right hip so the joints are battling each other. I'm sure I'm placing more pressure on left foot when I'm walking and this may be issue of hardware feeling like it's moving.
THR55, my surgery was 2/16 so we are all close on dates, I'm still using cane, I'm driving, cooking, making bed, light housework but not walking freely yet, and you are not a hypochondriac, we are just healing differently from others. I had a "friend" tell me she was walking two weeks after her hip replacement so of course we compare ourselves to those that heal quicker.
Yesterday I felt very strong, but it's a day to day recovery.

 

[THR#55+1]

Thank you for your kind words. I still fear every ache and twinge. Now I am battling two bad teeth. How can I get an abcess while still on anibiotic( going on 12 weeks)! I go back to see my hip surgeon in a couple of weeks. I am still needing to get the left hip done...ugg

 

[Layla]

Ladies,
While I understand you’re all recovering together we need to be mindful / careful not to take over the OP’s thread with personal updates. It’s beneficial to share and support others, but this thread feels like it’s going a bit wayward.
Wishing ALL of you the best as you continue healing.

 

[THR#55+1]

Sorry, I guess I didn't understand the purpose of this "community". I thought it was a safe space to share our healing, or lack thereof. A place of support and to find possible answers to questions.

 

[Layla]

No worries, no apologies necessary. Please let me explain, it is a community and we do encourage you to interact with one another. At times though, easily enough, the flow of conversation can get off track, no longer involving the OP, or relating to what the thread originator last posted about. In those instances we leave a gentle reminder that the thread is beginning to derail. Please continue to support others on their threads as you have so generously done and feel free to pose any questions you have on your thread where I’m sure you’ll receive feedback. I hope all is going well in your recovery!
@THR#55+1