THR Anniepops THR Recovery

[Anniepops]

Angie and Poppy...it seems the knee thing is a common problem...but your lump sounds like it needs looked at Poppy...will be asking the PT about knee problems tomorrow.

Thanks Cardie, yep, I have my trainers ready, I deffo think the PT would not appreciate me wearing flip flops for my session

It will be good to learn about the different muscles but I will still have to remind myself which are which afterwards, you know how I struggle with all those fancy terms Cardie.lol.

It will be good to compare my ROM with the results I got at eight weeks, must remember to make a note of that.

Thanks

Ann

 

[Anniepops]

Well I had my PT appt. rhe physio lass was brilliant,she was so lovely and happy to answer all my questions. She said I have a definate curve( can't remember the medical term for it,began with a V) to my operated leg possibly due to the positioning of the new hip and the making of a new socket. She examined my knee and said that my kneecap isn't tracking correctly which will be causing the pain and could account for the inward bend...or this could also have been caused through surgery..need to ask the nurse about this at next appt as it is very obvious. Jo, is this a common isue after THR? Josephine:

She gave me exercises for my knee and put this blue thick plaster on it to be left on for five days max to try and bring it back in line.

As for my foot issues....she could feel that my tendon was very tight but said that this could be corrected with exerises so I got some for that, mainly concentrating with calf stretches, I couldn't do one of them at all as it was pulling too much at the front of my ankle so she said to leave that one for now.

I have to go back in two weeks so so much for the nurse saying I would only get one appt with the PT. I'm pleased I didn't feel like I was overreacting and that I do need help with some things. My appt was for half an hour and I was there for 45 mins so she was late for her next appt but was very nice about it.

 

[Angie]

Hi Ann I'm so gad you had someone that listened to you sorry bout your knee I hope your pt manages to rectify things for you which I'm sure she will
Can I be cheeky and ask what the calf exercises are you've been given sounds as though we have the same problem with our feet
My pt won't do nothing but deal with my hip an I'm so happy one of us has found one that cares
I bet next time you go Ann you will be different again with your knee
Good for you you deserve it after waiting so long

 

[Anniepops]

Thanks Angie, I think I got lucky today

You're not being cheeky, I was planning on putting the exercises on here for you but needed to wait until I had more time to find links showing them rather than me trying to explain them.

Okay, so the first one is the first one on here, calf stretch one. ( drat, link won't work, just tried it! It's 'spinal health.net/stretching).

'Stand in a walking position with the leg to be stretched straight behind you and the other leg bent in front of you. Take support on the wall. lean your body forwards and down until you feel the stretching in the calf of the straight leg. Hold approx 30 secs

This next one is the one I can't do due to the tightness of the front of my foot where my leg meets my foot. I could not bend my knee as it was so tight.

Stand with leg to be stretched behind the other leg.Push your heel down while bending the knee to stretch the achilles tendon(on operated leg to be stretched) .Have your unoperated leg right next to the wall.Repeat ten times.

Stand straight holding into a chair.with unoperated leg straight bring operated leg backwards (like stepping back)keeping your knee straight. Do not lean forwards. Repeat 10 times( this one to me seems really easy and I din't feel any stretching)

Lying n your back with your legs straight bend your ankles(pointing upwards towards your knees) and push your knees firmly against the bed. Hold 5 secs. Repeat ten times.

Lying on your back withoperated leg straight and unoperated leg bent(you can vary the exercise by having your foot pointing either upwards, outwards or inwards) . Exercise your straight leg by pulling the toes up, straightening the knee and lifting the leg 20cm off the bed hold for 5 secs,relax. Repeat 10 times.( try not to arch your back on this one, she said I had a weird way of lifting my pelvis to get my leg up so I need to concentrate on not arching my back and not using my pelvs to lift the leg up)

Lying on your back, bend unoperated leg and put a rolled up towel under your operated leg knee. On operated leg pull your foot and toes up, tightening your thigh muscles and straightening the knee(keep knee n cushion) hold for 5secs and relax. Repeat ten times.

I have copied these instructions from my sheet but I know it is hard sometimes to do an exercise without seeing it dine. I'm sure some of these are in the lbrary so perhaps you coud have a look there to see the pictures to make it more clear.

Good luck

Ann

 

[Anniepops]

Please excuse missing letters in words....it's the Ipad, like to miss out random letters and replace 'o's for 'i's. I'm having problems with my editing being saved so I have just left it.

 

[Anniepops]

broken link removed: https://www.wmt.com/hipsite/patients/postopex.asp

Here's a few pictures. I already do the standing and lying side abductors, also the buttock tensing one, this link also shows the towel one.

 

[Angie]

Oh thanks Ann il be trying them I know what you mean about missing letters etc on the iPad mine keeps doing it too thought it was just me
It makes such a difference when you get a good pt who listens I think you walk away feeling so good about yourself don't know why unless that's just me ha a might be
Good luck with your exercises

 

[Poppyfields]

Interesting how our different health authorities start the physio at different times Anniepops and Angie......... I have been doing all those exercises plus more since the day after my op!!!!!! Now down to once a day from the four times a day post operatively........wishing you well with them...... now down to once a day and have been told need to do them for a year but only once a day!

 

[Josephine]

Well I had my PT appt. The physio lass was brilliant,she was so lovely and happy to answer all my questions. She said I have a definite curve (can't remember the medical term for it,began with a V) to my operated leg possibly due to the positioning of the new hip and the making of a new socket. Jo, is this a common isue after THR?

It would have been either varus or valgus and if it has happened to you, you need to speak to the surgeon about it as it is not an expected event.

She examined my knee and said that my kneecap isn't tracking correctly which will be causing the pain and could account for the inward bend...or this could also have been caused through surgery. She gave me exercises for my knee and put this blue thick plaster on it to be left on for five days max to try and bring it back in line.

That's called patellar maltracking and the plaster is a Mackintosh technique to keep the patella in place. You can read more about that here Patello-femoral pain syndrome (PFPS), fat pad impingement (Hoffa's Syndrome)

I have to go back in two weeks so so much for the nurse saying I would only get one appt with the PT.

need to ask the nurse about this at next appt as it is very obvious.

This being the same nurse that said you only get one appt with the physio? Why bother?

As for my foot issues....she could feel that my tendon was very tight but said that this could be corrected with exercises so I got some for that, mainly concentrating with calf stretches, I couldn't do one of them at all as it was pulling too much at the front of my ankle so she said to leave that one for now.

I'm pleased I didn't feel like I was overreacting and that I do need help with some things. My appt was for half an hour and I was there for 45 mins so she was late for her next appt but was very nice about it.

She should be 'very nice'. The way her clinic is run is up to her so she was the one responsible for over-running, not you. Don't give it another thought.

the first one is the first one on here, calf stretch one.
Stand in a walking position with the leg to be stretched straight behind you and the other leg bent in front of you. Take support on the wall. Lean your body forwards and down until you feel the stretching in the calf of the straight leg. Hold approx 30 secs

Also known as Hamstring stretches

Stand with leg to be stretched behind the other leg. Push your heel down while bending the knee to stretch the Achilles tendon (on operated leg to be stretched). Have your unoperated leg right next to the wall. Stand straight holding into a chair with unoperated leg straight bring operated leg backwards (like stepping back) keeping your knee straight. Do not lean forwards. Repeat 10 times

Lying on your back with your legs straight bend your ankles (pointing upwards towards your knees) and push your knees firmly against the bed. Hold 5 secs. Repeat ten times.
Lying on your back, bend unoperated leg and put a rolled up towel under your operated leg knee. On operated leg pull your foot and toes up, tightening your thigh muscles and straightening the knee, hold for 5secs and relax. Repeat ten times.

There are a variety of ways you can do these exercises Extension: exercises for improvement

Lying on your back with operated leg straight and unoperated leg bent (you can vary the exercise by having your foot pointing either upwards, outwards or inwards). Exercise your straight leg by pulling the toes up, straightening the knee and lifting the leg 20cm off the bed hold for 5 secs, relax. Repeat 10 times.

Otherwise known as a straight leg lift or SLR

I'll also get Alex to come and add to this for you alexthecat;

 

[Anniepops]

Thanks Jo, much appreciated.x.

It would have been either varus or valgus and if it has happened to you, you need to speak to the surgeon about it as it is not an expected event.

Yes, it was one of those, can you tell me why this is such a problem please, can this cause me some problems in the future and will I have to have more surgery if this is the case? Josephine:

I will see what the PT says in a fortnight, I will be seeing a different one as the one today said she is leaving this week, it will be good to get another opinion and be ready with the info for when I see the nurse at my check up.

 

[Josephine]

Annie, I have just reread your thread from the beginning and from all that you have said and described, I am more and more inclined to think this issue is in your knee and nothing to do with your hip. I know of no reason that you could have a varus/valgus deformity arising from the hip but you can from the knee. Even more so why you should be seen by your surgeon again.

As a matter of interest, who is your surgeon and at which hospital were you treated?

 

[Josephine]

BTW, the Deltamotion hip is the ball and cup and the Exeter is the stem. A really good combo, tried and tested.

 

[Anniepops]

So Jo, does that mean that I have always had this problem with my knee. I was confused as I googled varus/valgus and all the results are regarding the knee so that figures now. It's just that the day after my op when they got me out of bed it was my knee that was extremely painful, so painful that I almost fainted when trying to get out of bed. This made me think it was because of the operation. Could the op have exacerbated it? I must say that I never noticed a problem with that knee pre op but saying that, I didn't ever look at myself in the mirror when trying to lift my knee up whilst standing so don't know if it's always been like that.

I have started a conversation with you

Thanks

Ann

 

[Anniepops]

And thanks for the reassurance about my hardware, that's good to hear

 

[C Mac]

Hi Ann,

Ok, it sounds like your physio. has found some different things to help you with. As Angie said, you are fortunate to have someone that is looking at other parts besides just your hip!

I wonder if some of the issues that you are experiencing are at all related to the length that was added to your leg at surgery and the ongoing adaptation of your body to those changes? Josephine;

Take care,
Cardie

 

[Anniepops]

Hi Cardie, yes I think I am very lucky that the PT addressed my other problems but really everyone should get the same attention. After all, if these problems have only arisen after our operations then it should be automatic that all our issues should be looked at. It's very annoying that everyone isn't treated the same.

I agree that the problems could be because of the leg lengthening. My left knee still protrudes much more than my right when sitting, is this because they have gave me a longer stem to even up the leg length? This would make me think this is why I am all off kilter. If I can get the muscles in good shape and get rid of the foot pain I could live with the twisted lower leg thing. Things are still much better now than post op and at least I am not limping so obviously now which I am very happy about. 'It's all about the confidence' as one of our British fashion gurus, Gok Wan, would say.lol

 

[Josephine]

So Jo, does that mean that I have always had this problem with my knee. I was confused as I Googled varus/valgus and all the results are regarding the knee so that figures now.

Well, they will be! It's a deformity which is almost exclusively confined to the knee.

It's just that the day after my op when they got me out of bed it was my knee that was extremely painful, so painful that I almost fainted when trying to get out of bed. This made me think it was because of the operation. Could the op have exacerbated it?

Indeed hip surgery can exacerbate a pre-existing condition in the knee. Even a normal knee can get a bit battered during hip surgery as they have to pull on the leg and twist it to dislocate and reduce the hip joint. And some hips are more difficult to dislocate/reduce and the only place we can hold onto with any secure grip is somewhere between the calf and the foot!

I must say that I never noticed a problem with that knee pre op but saying that, I didn't ever look at myself in the mirror when trying to lift my knee up whilst standing so don't know if it's always been like that.

I think if you'd have a varus/valgus deformity for some time it would have made itself known to you long before this. Therefore - and I could be totally wrong about this - I would hypothesise that this is a fairly recent development, maybe even the start of arthritis in the knee.

I agree that the problems could be because of the leg lengthening. My left knee still protrudes much more than my right when sitting, is this because they have gave me a longer stem to even up the leg length? This would make me think this is why I am all off kilter.

LLD doesn't cause varus/valgus deformities in the knee.

BTW, which way is it bent? With knock knees or bow legs?

 

[Anniepops]

Thanks Jo, it's Valgus but it's not evident, to me anyway, when my leg is straight but very evident when I raise my knee. It sticks out from the knee so much it looks really weird.

 

[Angie]

Morning Ann how's your knee and ankles are the exercises helping hope so

 

[Anniepops]

Hi Angie,I'm doing okay thanks. Trying to do my exercises a couple of times a day, those hamstring stretches really hurt my achilles but if it means it wil improve then it's all good. I forgot to mention to you, the PT told me to put a bottle of water in the freezer and when frozen, roll it under my affected foot for about two minutes.....it is really soothing although I do have to have breaks as two minutes is too long to do in one go, just because of the freezingness.lol. perhaps you could give this a go, see if it gives your foot some relief.

I'm finding the lying down and lifting my leg off the bed really hard going, I can feel it al the way up my leg and the pulling in my inner thigh. I done this before but only up and down quickly, leaving it up for 20 secs is a killer but as I said before, these things do get easier the more you do it.

I must be feeling a bit better as I made a couple of lemon drizzle cakes today, the first time I have felt like baking since my op.

Hope you are feeling okay today Angie and managing to do a little bit of the exercises.

Ann.x.