Hip Arthroscopy 4 weeks PO ... recovery...what is your 4 wk recovery like?

Sieben7

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Hi,,, i had hip surgery 4 weeks ago.. superior lateral tear, bone shaving due to cam impingement.. been doing PT at home via PT instructions phone/email.. been icing hip during the day... as of this Tuesday I’m off of crutch, walking slowly but good. Today is the first day i noticed the difference in my good leg hip verses the surgery hip .. my surgery hip feels swollen still very obvious to the touch.. is this normal to still have swelling at 4 weeks ..
Thank you in advance
 
Hello @Sieben7 - and :welome:

Please will you tell us the full date of your hip replacement and which hip it is, so we can make a signature for you? Knowing the exact date will help us to advise you appropriately in the future.
Thank you.:flwrysmile:

It sounds as if your recovery is going well and everything you're experiencing is normal. Recovery does take a long time, even as long as a full year for complete recovery of all your tissues. You should be able to do most things long before that year is up, but don't try to rush things at this early stage.

Swelling at 4 weeks post op is normal. You can help that by spending as much time as you can resting, icing and elevating your leg.
There are articles about how to do that in the recovery guidelines I'll post you in my next message.
 
Here are the promised recovery guidelines:
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
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

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.
 
March 5, 2020 was my surgery
had arthroscopy done to repair anterior-superior labral tear extending to the posterior superior labrum..also bone shaving of bone spur of the femoral head neck junction..
 
Sorry it’s my right hip
 
@Sieben7 Welcome to BoneSmart! Recovery from arthroscopy can be a bit more difficult than from THR. At only 4 weeks out - swelling is very normal. Ice and elevate for at least 45 minutes several times per day. Take medication for pain if you need it. And don't be in a rush to get off any walking aids. A crutch or cane will keep some weight off that sore hip and help you avoid limping.
 
:hi: Hi...Happy One Month Anniversary!
I hope you had a nice weekend.
Best wishes for a pleasant week ahead. Take care and stay well!
@Sieben7
 
Ty ty so much...we are blessed.. hope all is well with you and your family
 
I have another concern.. prior to surgery about a month before, my good leg started feeling tingling and some soreness on the outer thigh part down thigh on side.. im a side sleeper for many years and had to sleep strictly on my left side due to right hurting to sleep on for years.. I’m not sure what’s going on.. i now been sleeping on my back since surgery and have noticed the good leg has issues on and off ... now it bothers me just sitting down too.. what could it be... the feeling is different than my pain i have had on leg that had operation on.. just feeling frustrated.. got one leg recovering and now dealing with the other .. any idea or suggestions ...
 
@Sieben7 sometimes our non-op leg gets a little angry with us. We developed a way of walking prior to surgery to keep pain at bay as best see could, so our other leg was picking up a lot of slack. Then, after surgery, we're kind of learning how to walk again, hopefully properly, and the leg is complaining because it got used to the old way.
 
I see.. ty for being so helpful and encouraging to all of us and for answering in such a quick time.. hope you are keeping healthy during this crazy world
 
Sieben7,
It is possible the tingling and soreness on your left leg may be caused by: Meralgia Paresthetica
I had it on my right side, it went away when I lost weight.
 
I’m not sure .. need to read about that .. to see what that is ,... ty for your suggestion
 
Question... i have a ice machine that been my lifesaver.. but the other day i started to have itching on my hip/butt.. when i asked my husband to look at it.. he said looked like it was a small blister and red spots on that area... the cold machine has round pattern on cooling pad... so I’m guessing it was cold pack burns from keeping on too long at a time... the area itches ... what can i do for this.... any suggestions
 
:hi: Happy Thursday to you!
I never used a cold therapy ice machine but I’m wondering if you didn’t have fabric with enough thickness protecting your skin. I‘ve read that icing over the fabric should feel “cool at best”. Personally, I’d give it a rest until you notice the area has cleared up and then begin slowly again. Hopefully it clears up soon.
Wishing you a good day. Be safe and stay well. :)
@Sieben7
 
Ok ty so much for your advise.... just wanted to see if anybody have experience with that
 
So my doc wants me to spot icing the area that has a rash and is itching .. yesterday was my full day without the ice machine.. i did find myself going to freezer for the ice pack instead, my tailbone/ lower butt still aches and hurts. is this area common after surgery to be hurting..
 
I don't know anything about arthroscopy. As far as post THR I used my ice machine, a Breg, for over 3 mos both times. I did have a rash with my L hip and used hydro cortisone cream to clear it up. Never had any problems leaving the ice machine on for hours at a time, but always had some material between the pad and my skin.
 
Many people ice for quite awhile post op. As everyone has already advised - always put some type of fabric (towel, pillowcase) between the ice pack and your skin.
 
:wave: new hippy pal.
my tailbone/ lower butt still aches and hurts. is this area common after surgery to be hurting..
This was an uncomfortable part of my recovery also.
Perhaps with elevating and sitting a good bit kept mine aggravated and I found some raising my arms to the sky stretching when rising was somewhat helpful.
I also put a heating pad on my lower back sometimes while I had ice on my front...:shrug:
A pillow under my knees when sleeping in the bed helped my lower back/SI issues some but honestly...Time was the biggest soother...one month out was an uncertain time for me in recovery.
Trying to work out what was recovery hiccups or what may be real issues was very disconcerting.
Lots of improvement yet to come.

Sending healing mojo your way:friends:
 

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