Abduction/Aduction

[LuvANurse26]

I am at 6 weeks, and have just started my out patient physical therapy. I am having problems doing the abduction excercises. My doctor wanted me to wait until this week to start them.

I would like to know if anyone has had problems with abd/aduction before surgery, and was it hard to complete those excercises after surgery. I would also like to know how it improved after surgery.

 

[beachcomber]

I found the ab/ad exercises to be painful early on--- if I was doing them right! It got better with time and healing.

 

[UTdave]

Some surgeons ask their patients to wait 6wks to begin the ab/aduction. Mine said go from the beginning and I agree with beachcomber - painful. I think maybe I got discouraged and have only recently gotten more serious about rehabing that muscle group. I also have a terribly poor range of motion pre-op and those muscles were likely weak to begin with. Stick with it!

 

[LuvANurse26]

UTdave, is your ROM any better now? And, how long ago was your surgery?

 

[JudyS]

My range of motion is awesome and much much improved in my operated hip side. It was not good before surgery and very painful. No pain at all now and considerably better than the non operated side.
My surgery was June 6th. I would say for at least 3 months it has been in great shape. I tell everyone I attribute a lot of it to my swimming. I started at 4 weeks post op and also did a lot of stretching in the pool. I did not break my restrictions, but the range is awesome.

Muscle strength is not awesome, but I also have a bad knee on that side.
Judy

 

[Laurie]

I do remember when lifting my right leg was painful and hard to do. What was most difficult was lying on my back and lifting my whole leg up slowly--an exercise that the PT's loved. It does gradually get better and now I have no problems at all. For me, strength has come back totally, and stronger. However, the flexibilty is still not as good as I would like it. Know that if I did my stretching exercises more that it would help. I am working at sitting comfortably "Indian style". Haven't done that with right leg since after my 1st born over 30 years ago. Getting there with practice. (I am at 3.5 months)
Laurie

 

[UTdave]

UTdave, is your ROM any better now? And, how long ago was your surgery?

Sorry, should have clarified!

I'm 2 months out and my surgeon made those comments two days ago. My ROM pre-op was flexion - 70 degrees, extension - negative 10 degrees (meaning I couldn't actually straighten my leg out all the way, much less extend it behind me), adduction - none, abduction - maybe 10 degrees. Now I can flex to about 90-100 degrees, extend about 10 degrees (my back already feels better!), adduct about 20 degrees (or more? I try not to push that direction), abduct about 20 degrees. I feel very strong (but not strong enough) in all directions except abduction - which I why I'm trying to focus more on it. I'm already noticing results. It's not terribly limiting, but I don't want to get back on the mountain bike, climbing cliffs or hiking trail without feeling the ROM will be immediately available if needed to keep me out of a bad situation.

I'm a little limited in how much stretching I do as my other hip still needs to be fixed and limits me. Your results may be far better if your other hip is good.

Hope that helps.

 

[LuvANurse26]

It does help. I will just continue to try and work on those muscles. When I lay on my side and try to lift my leg up, I can't even get it up. Thats so frustrating. I will keep working on it. Thanks.

 

[Josephine]

You're still in the early days yet, nursey. Things will improve with time.