THR Ache radiating down to knee after THR

lilpep

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Hi, new member here. I am about 7 weeks post left anterior THR which was done using Makoplasty robotics. I am doing great, except about a week ago I started having pain that begins mid thigh and radiates down to my knee and sometimes, my ankle, when I put weight on it. It is more of an ache, not a sharp or shooting pain. It does subside a little after I've been up a bit and after i"ve stretched. I had a follow up with my Doc last week (actually his physician's assistant) and I think she misunderstood. I think she is thinking it's a new and seperate issue from the hip replacement. She advised to just go back to taking an anti inflammatory and wrote me an order for an xray of the knee and to seen her back in two weeks. I am assuming this is just all apart of recovery, but why more pain instead of less at week seven? Anyone also experiencing this?
 
@lilpep Welcome to BoneSmart! What is your activity level now? Have you started anything new lately? Done any lifting or pushing anything heavy like furniture? Still early days out of surgery at 7 weeks.
 
Hi Jaycey, thanks for your reply.

No heavy lifting or moving furniture. I am cleared, and have been cleared since week four, to go back normal activities (other than the heavy lifting), but to "listen to my body". I went back to work two weeks after surgery, I only used my walker for less than two weeks. I have a set of exercises and stretching that I do (non wieght bearing), my usual house cleaning, running errands, etc. With robotic placement, anterior, there are less restrictions on activity and, in general, much less painful recovery, which is why I am concerned over this little set back. It started the day after I took a pretty leisurely stroll in an outdoor mall (with my cane). As mentioned it is worse upon first standing, like first thing getting out of bed and getting up after sitting awhile, but it can also start after I've been on my feet for awhile, like while grocery shopping.
 
Welcome. It's like a secret in this THR deal that you'll have pain, strange pain in strange places that you've never had before. Also that these pains will continue for some time afterwards no matter how or where they went in to do the surgery. My OS was pretty straight forward and so were some of the people I know that had the surgery. The time line to get over all of it is about a year for most. I can easily have more pain at 4 mos than I had at 2 mos if I push my limits.
 
Eman85, I agree (I work in ortho). And I expect the aches and pains to come and go for quite awhile. My initial thought, and I'm hoping I'm correct, is that the thigh muscles are still just "waking up" and losing the numbness, thereby making me feel an ache that was masked by the anesthetic in that area. My big concern when this started, was that maybe I had done something to compromise the recovery, but after discussing with the PA, she explained that everything I told her I was doing, such as sleeping on the surgical side, crossing my legs, would not effect recovery (or cause any displacement of the hip). So I was glad to hear that. I really was just curious if anyone else, who had anterior surgery, had experienced this particular issue.

Thanks so much for your quick reply!
 
Hi - Welcome to BoneSmart and Recovery :welome:
Sorry you're struggling and somewhat concerned. Wondering if you overdid it?
You may have entered the ODIC (Over Did It Club) as we fondly refer to it here.
You mentioned it began after a leisurely stroll at an outdoor mall. Something to consider...
I understand you work in Orthopedics but if interested you could tag our forum Nurse, Josephine and have her weigh in on your pain. She'd most likely post a graph to pinpoint your pain and ask a series of questions.
It's up to you...

I'm leaving the Recovery Article even though you're 7 weeks out, some may still apply.
Take notice of The Activity Progression for THR as a rough guideline.
Stop by often, we'd love to follow your journey!

Please provide your exact surgery date to be added as your signature. Thanks in advance!

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
5. At week 4 and after you should follow this

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. @lilpep
 
I had posterior for what it's worth. I get a kick out of all of the concern about the position. It all still has to get disassembled and reassembled, just possibly working thru a smaller hole.
 
Tell me the site of this pain using these charts

aa hip-references-horz.jpg


aa knee-references-horz.jpg
 
Pain is LF3, LF4, BC&D and LB3, LB4, C &D. It hurts to put weight on it.
 
So about here then?

lilpep.jpg


Must say I'm a bit stumped here. So I shall need to ask you some questions - are you willing for me to do that?
 

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