THR 6 weeks post op- thigh/muscle pain

Amy99

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Hi!
I am 23 and just under went my first hip replacement! (Severe inflammatory arthritis)
My recovery has been fine so far and have just passed the 6 week mark.
Just wondering has anyone at this stage still got outside thigh muscle pain when walking? It’s not and enough to stop me walking but is very noticeable and I keep worrying I’ve done something to the hip!
Been doing my physio exercises, most just moving the leg outwards and lifting my knee up. Also walking daily about 1.5 miles through the entire day.
Just looking for some reassurance, due to my age I don’t really know any others who have underwent this surgery!
 
Hello and Welcome to BoneSmart. Thanks for joining us!
Please share the date of your surgery and which hip was replaced so we're able to create a signature for you.
Good to hear your recovery has been going well to this point. I am wondering if any of the exercises you're engaging in is causing the pain you describe. It is not uncommon to be dealing with some discomfort or pain at this point, but if it's new, I'd first look to my activity level and exercises. Try icing any / all areas that are bothering you and see if it helps.

It is not necessary to exercise your injured hip to promote healing. The controlled trauma sustained through THR will heal on its own. Often though, we're impatient and want to move the process along. In doing so we run the risk of struggling with pain and setbacks stalling the healing process. The best therapy for recovery is walking, but not to excess. Start slowly increasing time and distance incrementally in an effort not to overdo it. Give yourself the TLC you deserve and reap the benefits of a successful recovery.

I will leave our Recovery Guidelines and advise that you consider stepping back from the exercises, aside from walking, for a couple weeks and see if you notice a difference. Stop back often, we're here for support.
A great Thursday to you!

HIP RECOVERY GUIDELINES

As you begin healing, please keep in mind that each recovery is unique. While the BoneSmart philosophy successfully works for many, there will be exceptions. Between the recommendations found here, your surgeon's recovery protocol and any physical therapy you may engage in, the key is to find what works best for you.

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
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. At week 4 and after you should follow this

The recovery articles
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.
 
Thank you!
My op was on the left hip on the 17th august 2022.
I’ve had the same exercises since the beginning however have added resistance bands to them the last week or so so that may have something to do with it.
I had my post op check a few days ago and the surgeon wasn’t concerned by it but always so anxious when it comes to my health!
 
Stop the resistance bands. And stop the other exercises. They worsen the soft tissue problem. You are not recovering from muscle weakness. You are recovering from major surgery with blood loss, cutting, pulling stretching, cutting, sewing up and on and on.

Just walk--and actually cut back the walking. The pain is a sign that you are pushing things beyond what your body is ready for.

You'll get to many miles eventually, but back off the walking for a couple days and then cut it down to say a mile ... and stop the exercises ... and see how your body feels ... could take a week or so of cutting back before that outside pain goes away.

And are you icing?
 
I am icing, probably not as often as I should as the cold makes my other joints really angry.
I think my problem is I feel so full of energy and wanting to get back to ‘normal’ im not actually realising how much I am doing
 
6 weeks I think you're asking a lot of your muscles to be using resistance bands. It's hard to believe but 6 weeks is very early on as far as the healing process from a THR. You are young and I'm sure will heal faster than many but from previous members that were young it still follows the timeline in the guideline. Once we get to feeling better we all have a tendency to over do.
 
Hi Amy,

I thought I was young at 37 to have my left hip replaced 3 days ago. I will be very interested to see how you progress and if your muscle pain improves. Wish you the best.
 
Thanks everyone, I think it’s just a hard balance between being mentally ready to get back to everything and physically!
My physio gave me the resistance bands but did say if there were too much to just leave them be so think I’ll be doing that until I see them next.
My surgeon has actually told me that because of my age I should be more careful which I wasn’t expecting but think it’s also to do with the fact the rest of my joints are also very unstable from my arthritis
 
Hi and welcome! Please know that you can trust the information here, provided within various articles to be accurate. I had my right hip replaced in 2021 and left 7 weeks ago today. With my first hip surgery, I assumed the physical therapist knew what he was doing, and I complied with all I was asked to do - even if it hurt. I joined BoneSmart back then and read, if it hurts don't do it, and don't let anyone else do it to you - I ignored that to some degree, assuming I didn't tolerate pain as well as others. That proved to be a mistake and one I have not repeated with this left hip. The "no pain, no gain" therapy approach does not apply to hips, and can cause problems/damage!
 
My surgeon has actually told me that because of my age I should be more careful which I wasn’t expecting but think it’s also to do with the fact the rest of my joints are also very unstable from my arthritis
That, or simply because at your age you probably aren't as short on vim, vigor and vitality as some of us older hippies and he doesn't want you going at it that hard :wink: You ->:dancy::spin: vs us ->:walking: Haha!
You'll get where you want to be soon enough, just take it s-l-o-w.
 
I still have upper hip pain at 8 weeks and take tylenol before my walks. Everyone heals at a different rate and age doesn't make a difference always. A lot depends on how you walked before you THR as you used different muscles and protected different areas. Be patient. My new motto is I am healing not training!!!
 
Thanks everyone, I think it’s just a hard balance between being mentally ready to get back to everything and physically!
My physio gave me the resistance bands but did say if there were too much to just leave them be so think I’ll be doing that until I see them next.
My surgeon has actually told me that because of my age I should be more careful which I wasn’t expecting but think it’s also to do with the fact the rest of my joints are also very unstable from my arthritis
@Amy99 I have felt the exact same way. I have osteoarthritis which is why I had my right hip replaced 5 weeks ago. Prior to that, I wasn't able to do much because I was bone on bone. My mind is so eager to get out in the world and make up for lost time. There have been nights when I was in tears because either I was frustrated or I was in pain. I have received such great advice from everyone on here. They made me slow down and realize that I had expectations of healing based on what I had heard of others. Everyone is different, and patience is key. I am happy to say that I have let all that go and it took a big weight off of me. There are days when I feel great and days that are harder...and both are okay. I have always been worried that I will do something to "mess up" my hip and injure it. I have learned that if I have pain, then stop and rest/ice etc. I have also come to realize that overthinking it makes it worse. Long story short...there is a balance and you will find yours.
You have a huge group of people here for support!
 
Thanks everyone, I think it’s just a hard balance between being mentally ready to get back to everything and physically!
My physio gave me the resistance bands but did say if there were too much to just leave them be so think I’ll be doing that until I see them next.
My surgeon has actually told me that because of my age I should be more careful which I wasn’t expecting but think it’s also to do with the fact the rest of my joints are also very unstable from my arthritis
@Amy99 I have felt the exact same way. I have osteoarthritis which is why I had my right hip replaced 5 weeks ago. Prior to that, I wasn't able to do much because I was bone on bone. My mind is so eager to get out in the world and make up for lost time. There have been nights when I was in tears because either I was frustrated or I was in pain. I have received such great advice from everyone on here. They made me slow down and realize that I had expectations of healing based on what I had heard of others. Everyone is different, and patience is key. I am happy to say that I have let all that go and it took a big weight off of me. There are days when I feel great and days that are harder...and both are okay. I have always been worried that I will do something to "mess up" my hip and injure it. I have learned that if I have pain, then stop and rest/ice etc. I have also come to realize that overthinking it makes it worse. Long story short...there is a balance and you will find yours.
You have a huge group of people here for support!
Thank you! This is exactly how I’ve been feeling, I can already do so much than what I was before. My hip was bone one bone as well by the time it was done and I couldn’t even physically lift it up so the fact I can even move it to the side it amazing!
 
@Amy99 exactly! That is the hard part...being anxious to do all the things you couldn't before. I am trying to preserve my left hip as much as I can. Eventually it will have to be replaced. There is still cartilage and I have done 1 PRP injection. So, I have to be mindful of that....but we have a Disney trip next year and I am hoping to be able to brave that without a scooter. (It's a year away and we went this June and I had a scooter the entire time...which was actually nice) :heehee:
 
@Amy99 exactly! That is the hard part...being anxious to do all the things you couldn't before. I am trying to preserve my left hip as much as I can. Eventually it will have to be replaced. There is still cartilage and I have done 1 PRP injection. So, I have to be mindful of that....but we have a Disney trip next year and I am hoping to be able to brave that without a scooter. (It's a year away and we went this June and I had a scooter the entire time...which was actually nice) :heehee:
That’s the same as my right hip..waiting for that to be replaced now:heehee:
 
Well..I had my 6 week follow up this week. My right hip looks good. Then I was told that my left hip is bone on bone :nah: (I was told earlier in the year that I still had a few years) The Doc said that he would follow up with me in 6 months and we would see how am doing. I don't have any pain in the left hip.
Today however, my right thigh is on fire. The muscles are burning and I have a shooting pain down to my knee. I have been doing pretty well considering and am progressing slowly..but today OUCH!
 
Sorry to hear about lefty. I was in the same boat — both hips were pretty bad but after the left was done, the right deteriorated fairly quickly. I managed to eke two years out of it but probably should have gotten it done sooner. Still have your ice packs? Your thigh will thank you.
 
@Woodstockhip I'm literally icing it right now. The funny (or not that funny) thing is, it wasn't really bothering me until a day after I had my appointment. :chinstroke: I won't go as long as I did with the right. Its not worth it. I'll probably do it around this time next year. I'm still strengthening my muscles in my right side, but great time to work on the left side muscles and get them ready.
Was the recovery any different the second time?
 
Was the recovery any different the second time?
Well, the jury is still out. They say no two hips are the same and I’m only a week into my second recovery but so far it seems fairly similar. I’m 2 years older and a wee bit crankier but body-wise, not that much is different. I was able to spend two summers doing a bunch of swimming (walking hurt) and I think that helped.
 

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