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Revision THR AJ’s LHS THR

Hi there my fellow Aussie pal :spin:

I am 9 weeks post op and am walking fine unaided and didn't do a single ounce of rehab. I barely even exercised because i noticed that i was constantly aching and in pain. I just walked and got on with the "rehab of life". I wouldn't be surprised if you need aids only because you are overdoing the rehab and you have fatigued yourself. Don't be disheartened. Less is more.
 
I’m getting so down about how my progress seems to have ground to a halt. My surgery was eleven weeks ago and I still can’t walk unaided. I have pain and stiffness through my thigh and knee and glutes. At nearly three months, having gone into this fit and healthy, having done weeks of prehab, and plenty of rehab, surely I should be off aids? I haven’t made any progress in the last two weeks.

Sorry to whinge, but really starting to affect me mentally.
I am about the same time in recovery. I still need walking aids for long walks - yesterday I had to do a lot of walking and fell it a little today. I don't use them indoors or for short walks outside. I am probably nowhere near as fit as you.

I am keeping the walking aids for now as I do still tend to limp without them and I do NOT want to have this as a bad habit long term.

You are doing great but, no doubt, busy days are going to catch up with you for a while yet. On good days it is easy to forget the operation ever happened.
 
It's a great feeling when you have several days in a row where you feel almost normal. Then you begin to enjoy more & more days like that.
I'd gauge my hip each AM when I'd first get out of bed. What an accomplishment when you get up & feel totally fine. Hip? What hip??? Then you begin to string many of those days together.
Now when I get up & just walk out of bedroom into my kitchen & begin my AM ritual of grabbing coffee pot & making my coffee it's a very distant memory, but a memory nonetheless.
And I'm hoping for everyone beginning recovery, or even in middle recovery realizes you will get there. Took me a little longer than I thought it would but all is fine now.
I wish all of you an amazing recovery!!!
 
It’ll be 13 weeks this Monday. My pain is worse, particularly in the lower back. I get sharp, painful twinges when sitting down, getting into bed or into the car. The joint feels stiffer than it did a few weeks ago. I’m still using a stick.

I know recovery times differ from person to person, according to previous fitness etc, but I went into this as a surfer and cyclist and as someone who walked everywhere. I also did prehab at the gym in the lead up to surgery. I’m not overweight nor do I have any other health issues.

X-rays show that the implant is good.

What I would love to know is, what exactly are the possible reasons for a prolonged recovery?

I’m seeing my surgeon on Tuesday and hope to get further insights.

I’m really struggling to remain positive.
 
Please let us know what insights your surgeon has to offer. At 13 weeks it's still early. Are you icing your back/hip? Do you rest when you are in pain?
Even though I was 70 when I fell & fractured my hip I was in excellent physical shape & an avid walker & exerciser but my recovery still took longer than I expected.
But certainly bring a list of your issues & concerns with you when you see your doctor.
All my best.
 
what exactly are the possible reasons for a prolonged recovery?
At 3 months, your recovery isn't really "prolonged." It takes a full 12 weeks for the soft tissue like ligaments and tendons to heal from the surgical trauma.

That said, one thing that can definitely slow our recovery is trying to do too much too soon. Aggressive exercise during the first month can delay the healing of those soft tissues. Since you know the implant is fine, could that be what happened?

Please do let us know what your surgeon says.
 
If you're engaging in any PT, that is overly aggressive...it may be hindering your progress. If it applies, you may want to step away since 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.

I will leave an article on healing from the Recovery Guidelines in case you haven't read through all of them.

Please try to remain positive, three months into the healing process is still very early in a recovery that lasts most a full year and many even noticing improvement into their second and third years post op.

Best Wishes for your appointment on Tuesday. Let us know how it goes.
@AntJ
 
What good news! You must be very relieved to know that the issue is not the implant, @AntJ.

It takes some time, but muscles can be reactivated and strengthened. Do you have a good physical therapist to work with you?
 
Yes, it's good to have a diagnosis so that I know what I specifically need to work on. I have been recommended a good physio, who specialises in this area. Time to set up a plan!
 
Happy Three Month Anniversary, Ant!
I hope you find the Physio easy to work with and notice results quickly.
Keep us posted and enjoy the rest of the week!
@AntJ
 
I know that it’s been just under a week since seeing my surgeon, and also the new physio, but I wanted to post where I’m at.

I now have quite sharp, intense pain at the top of my left buttock. Sort of where the cheek meets the lower back. It has become worse and each step I take is very painful.

Could it be the gluteus medius?

The pain makes it difficult to do the exercises that are designed to reactivate my glutes. I always thought that walking was good, so for about three days I did between four and five thousand steps. My physio friend told me not to do that and to, instead, focus on the exercises for the specific muscles.

Doesn’t seem to matter what I do, it aggravates soft tissue. Out of desperation, I have booked an acupuncture session this morning, even if only for some pain relief.
 
My right had pain in the glutes in recovery, could not tie my shoe for quite some time because of the pain back there if I bent my knee in any way. I still get pain back there even after all of these years and exercises. I'd say it's got a lot to do with the date on my driver's license. Once we're disassembled, I don't think it all ever goes back the way it was from the factory.
 
@AntJ I had issues with piriformis syndrome after my THR. Seeing a massage therapist who did deep muscle work help. I hope the acupuncture session gives you some relief. Do let us know.


Also, I want to encourage you to join the Insiders Club so you can have access to the best that BoneSmart has to offer. As you might have read, we have a new Membership Program with two levels – Basic Membership and Insiders Club.

Basic Member is free and allows you to post only on existing threads (no starting new threads) and search the forum to read any of the threads there. You are currently a Basic Member

Our Insiders Club offers all the personalized guidance and support available from our experienced staff you're used to plus access to much more detailed information in our BoneSmart Library articles. And there are many more additional services we're just beginning to put in place that will become live in the next month or so for Insiders.

The small service fee for these premium services will ensure a stable funding source so BoneSmart remains the Number One site for joint replacement support. You can find out the details here and see the subscription options here.

If you find all of BoneSmart's features valuable, we encourage you to join the Insiders Club so you can make the most of what BoneSmart has to offer as you continue your recovery journey.
 
@AntJ …. As benne68 mentioned we just implemented our Insiders Club with premium services not available to Basic Members. In your case, with the specific pain you are experiencing, it might benefit you to have the additional information that can be provided to our Insiders. Since you were already a BoneSmart member when we did the launch on January 29th, I am able to offer you a month of Insider benefits for FREE. If you’d like to register using a special discount code, please post your acceptance of the offer here and I’ll DM you the code for registration.
 
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I had a CT scan yesterday and met with my surgeon today. He advised that my cup is loose. It started off well, but due to arthritic bone, it didn’t ultimately take.

In for revision surgery this Tuesday. At least I know the drill.
 
Sorry to hear this. Praying your revision is successful
 
e I’m having at the moment is groin pain. It’s the one thing that seems to be holding me back. It feels like an impingement. I try stretching it but I’m not that’s helpful as it hurts to do so.

Any insights, observations or advice is welcome!

Thanks,

Anthony
Sorry about the weird quote thing

I literally am six or so days behind you. I was October 22. I went for my six week check up with my doctor and I told her that I was having this weird pain every time I stood up. Right in the groin, i pointed to it and she said oh that’s your psoas, sometimes in the healing process it can sort of get wrapped around the device and feel stiff and tight. She told me the next time I went to PT ask for exercises to address just the psoas. I did, they did and then at the end of session the therapist did some deep pressure point ‘massage’ or really just pressed the heck out of it and guess what?!!!!

I didn’t have the pain again!!! I swear I felt like I hoped I would!

Now, over the last three weeks, I have been preparing for a big party and was down on the ground sitting indian style a lot, and after “doing the party” the pain came back right in the groin.

Funny, I just left the physical therapist to is moment, with the pain gone because he did the release again!!!

He said I can do the deep pressure for myself now

It’s worth a try

(I will admit I have not read through all of the replies and comments, so maybe somebody already did this or shared this with you, but it totally resonated with me and it almost explained exactly what my recovery journey has been like so I thought I would share anyway…. I hope it helps. Talk to your physical therapist about it. They’re actually the ones that make all the difference for me)
 
Thanks lv_pupluver. Unfortunately, the scans and x-rays show the gap between the cup and the bone and the degree to which it has widened over the last month or so. I wish it was as simple as that, though!
 
Best of luck for Tuesday.
At least you have a plan now and know what you are dealing with.
 

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