6 months post-op but can't seem to exercise

[lizzie66]

Josephine Usually I take 400mg of Ibuprofen. My doc recommended it a while back for the anti-imflammatory part and so i presumed it helped pain and healing. If i take paracetemol it's 1000mg and has little effect for me unless it is for a lighter kind of pain (I have a low pain threshold!). I agree with the huge marketing drive. Whole window displays are given over to a big brand of Ibuprofen at the moment. I hate marketing and go for the cheaper generic....
However I did learn about the Bonesmart cocktail from my first stint post-op and that is what i have taken today. Normally I find it great - it's only okay today as the pain is quite severe when I lean down on my effected leg. But I am getting better working with 1 crutch and avoiding the weight bearing. It's definitely a more serious injury this time as I would normally have improved by now after regular bouts of over doing it a bit. I've now had it bad 4 days in a row. I wonder what my OS will say? I wished he had warned me more about everybody needing different periods of healing instead of just telling me at 6 weeks that all restrictions were off and i should be fine....
thanks too alexthecat and sharonslp for the tylenol explanation. Now I will understand when watching US medical dramas......

 

[lizzie66]

Josephine sorry forgot to mention how often. Usually once in the morning so I can head out the door okay. Maybe again in the afternoon if,like now, I am sore but I don't usually take anything at night because when lying down i'm fine.

 

[Jaycey]

Hi lizzie66 - can you get a referral for physio? They will help you start slow and build up exercises focussing on gaining strength. Don't worry if you have days when you need to rest. They will soon fade and you will start to see the benefit of slowly building up your exercise program.

 

[Kim22]

alexthecat Thank you for the advice.Do you think its ok to try those exercises on the Iliopsosis thread ?

 

[lizzie66]

Quick update for everyone who was kind enough to contact me here and also for anyone else with similar problems.
Saw my OS today and Xrays on knees and hips showed up no problems. (I worry about the other hip but he told me he hopes it will be fine for years...we'll see...). Then when i explained my worries about recent attempts to exercise bringing on pain he was convinced I just overdid it and whatever i did to myself will heal hopefully within 6 weeks. (Today of course I felt a lot better, typical when you visit doctor )He pulled me and prodded a bit and there was no pain while i was lying down so he was happy for me to continue with ibuprofen and rest for a little bit and then as I start to get better to restart the exercise ever so slowly. Just what all my bonesmart friends were saying.
Poppet those books haven't arrived yet but i will use them for advice for water work
I'm so glad i went back to see him before scheduled as he put my mind at rest and also made me more realistic about the timeframe for healing. There I was thinking 3 days would do it!!!
Interestingly he didn't advocate physio right now for me which is fine by me as I can't afford any more bills. I just hope i am lucky with my next foray into the pool. When I think back on it I reckon even the action of pulling myself up onto the ladder was a bit severe and I will enter by the kids' way next time I wish i could move up and down like that smiley guy!
thanks again to everyone!! I feel i have learnt another lesson in patience.....

 

[alexthecat]

Kim22 I am sorry I missed your tag for some reason. Yes, I do think you can try the iliopsoas exercises. Take it slowly though. Some of those exercises are more strenuous than they look.

lizzie66 I'm glad your hip and knee are okay. Too bad about the soft tissue. This is why we always recommend that people progress very, very slowly. It's so easy to overdo and you're not really aware of it until it's too late. Then it takes so long to get back where you were.

Well, you aren't the first person to have this unfortunate experience and you won't be the last. Next time, you can tell a newer member to slow down. In the meantime, stick around here and we'll keep you company. Have you found the Social Room already?

 

[Kim22]

Hi lizzie66 I am glad that you have been reassured by your OS that you have not done any serious damage to you new hip and the pain is due to overdoing things in the pool.There is no way I could get up and down a pool ladder.I hope your pain subsided soon and you will be able to resume gentle water exercises slowly.Good luck.

 

[Kim22]

Thank you alexthecat I have read through the advice you have given to Lizzie recommending doing exercise on alternate days.I started the stretches Firebrand had been given this week but did them twice a day as her physio had advised.I must admit my hips and thighs are very sore today so I should perhaps restrict them to every other day and then add the kneelng hip flexor stretch ( gently ) to help the groin tendinitis.Do you think this is a good idea ?

 

[alexthecat]

Kim22 that sounds like a good plan. All of it. I would also recommend elevating your leg and icing whatever feels sore. Icing is not just for early post-THR people, you know. Most athletes ice, so you can too, even months after surgery.

That kneeling stretch may be a little intense for you right now. Or it may not. Everyone is different. There are standing or supine stretches you can try, if you need something different.