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THR Bumblebee in Recovery

@Bumblebee I'm happy to hear you are doing better. My pains seem to be gradually going down. I realized at 9 last night that the last time I'd taken a tylenol was 5 that morning. :yes!: That was a huge stride for me. Still working on my gait (Strange: I hear @Layla saying heel toe in my head too :loll:). There's hope!!
 
Hi! Following this thread - I do remember that show (63 here.....) and totally feel it at times. Heel-toe. Being mindful all the times is hard! Started PT last week and she has me doing the "tightrope" thing for balance and that's pretty helpful short term. Some of the stretches has me wincing but in a good way (I hope). At 10 weeks I'm probably expecting too much, but it still hurts like heck to get up from sitting more than a few minutes (and I have a desk job) so I feel like a "whack-a-mole" popping up and down at at regular intervals throughout the day! Only use the cane when I need to - the therapist reminded me that it doesn't do any good to walk "through the pain" and should use it even if for a couple of steps before the pain stops. I also should be icing more which I forget constantly. Onward and upward!! Have a great day (may be 90 in NJ today :yikes:)
 
I have pretty much divorced the cane although on my longer walks I take and carry it, using it a bit if I find I start to ache in the groin or noticeably limp. YES, getting up from sitting still requires a certain pause to get going just like pre op, but no longer have the catching sensation or feel like I'm about to fall over which is why I decided on THR in the first place. That's a good thing. Yesterday I just realized I no longer had aching knee pains that I had pre surgery, none (ssshhh..don't waken it)...so if any of you pre ops wonder if your knee pain is coming from hip arthritis...yep! My recent symptoms now include burning, prickling pain that comes and goes in the incision area which is probably nerves regenerating as I still have some numbness and tenderness there. ROM still not good, but I will not give up even if it takes months. Groin inner thigh pain that I get walking comes and goes now NOT constant and I am beginning to wonder if it's caused by bending over as that does seem to trigger it more. Will be monitoring that. The pain in my lower buttock, at the crease line as @anny so aptly described for me is also no longer constant (ssshhhh, don't waken it either).
What a recovery journey this has been. :tennis2:
 
You will continue to see improvement many months from you op date - even years. After all, we limped around for so long how can we expect instant recovery. Sounds like you are really doing very well @Bumblebee ! Long may it continue!
 
When I was unrestricted after wk 6 I could really trigger pain when I tried to cut my toenials. It scared me at first but it was just tight muscles. I don't get that strange feeling when I reach for my feet any more and touching the floor isn't a problem. One of the best exercises I do is marching in place raising each knee up high and holding it there for 5 secs. It loosened me up quite a bit and really helps my balance. I raise each leg 20x and the goal is to do it eyes closed for balance. I'd get burning knee pain but it's actually muscle pain where the muscle attaches at the knee.
 
Hi Bumblebee....glad to see you're still progressing well, and the previous pains are becoming more sporadic. I think I'm catching up with you now I'm walking more, and getting similar niggles.....looking on it as a rite of passage :doh:

Question: you mention 'groin inner thigh' pain, and I'm not totally clear where 'groin' is for ortho purposes (never had classic groin pain pre-op) so is it at the top of the leg where it joins the trunk, or just over the crease actually on the trunk....or both? Feel a bit silly having to ask but wondered if it's a specific area or different to different people

I admire your tennis playing skills....you hit every shot :wink:
 
That's a good question and I don't mind you asking. If you google groin pain images you find a wide area, so this is the best pic I could find where my pain is. .
[Bonesmart.org] Bumblebee in Recovery
My pain is high up inner thigh and aggravated with walking or lateral leg raise, and definitely with some stretches like lying on edge of bed and trying to dangle the leg over (a classic stretch that therapists ask you to do but produces pain!) I think it's adductor muscles that are very tight. I'm at wits end as to how to loosen and strengthen this muscles when everything I try just makes it worse. Pre surgery I had tried different types of massage therapy, active release, and that also made it feel worse. My therapists said I had tight glutes too.....gee, to me they arent "tight", :heehee: weak if you ask me. Tried several chiropractors, that also did not work. I tried the foam roller pre surgery too. I'm taking Celebrex as an anti inflammatory. If anyone on the forum has suggestions please let me know.
 
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I've had (and continue to have some) issues in that same area - it has been described by PT and trainer generically as "hip flexor" or more specifically as "psoas". My first suggestion is to let it completely settle down - if you start feeling a twinge, note the activity and put it on the shelf for awhile. Long walks, knee ups etc. set mine off (and it usually feels much worse later than during the motion) so I stopped those for awhile. It's better now and I'm lengthening the walking but still avoiding the exercises I know puts stress on those muscles. One of the things my PT suggested that I find helpful when it is hurting is to do a stretch that looks like a shallow lunge with the " bad" leg in back but lean back so that you feel the stretch in the top part of the bad leg. Hold for about 15 seconds and repeat a few times. Another thing that helps me is walking backwards (I usually do on treadmill). Again, that reach back helps to stretch it out and the treadmill is moving it forward for me (assisted movement never hurt like when I engaged the muscle). I don't go as fast, but I could walk backwards farther than I could forwards!
 
@Bumblebee
Hate to hear you are plagued with the groin pain. Has this been ongoing since your surgery or has it become more pronounced since you have increased activity after you surgery?
I had this prior to surgery and it has lessened post op but I can bring it back if I overdo. When the PT strapped the little leg weights on me at two weeks post op, that was the major trigger. Took me three weeks to get back to where I was just prior to that one session!
Years ago I had muscular neck upper back issues (lifting too many bales of hay) and went through weeks of PT, chiropractor, ultrasound, TENS etc. muscle relaxers, nothing helped and I was still unable to turn my head to the sides.
I was sent to a pain specialist, physiatrist. She did muscle lidocaine injections into my neck and shoulder muscles. She said "think of it as meat tenderizing, you are full of knots" maybe 20 injections at one time.
By the time the numbness wore off, I had no more pain or ROM issues. Some stiff muscles but in a few days after heating pad I was a new woman. It was great. Problem solved.
I have also had platelet rich protein injections into tendons. ( prolotherapy) for my low back/hip - bought me some time (4years) prior to surgery. These are not covered by insurance and are concidered outside the norm but this was very effective for me.
What does your OS say about the continued groin issue? I would obviously start there first since you are still recovering from the hip replacement and groin pain is a hallmark symptom of hip issues.
Just wanted you to know of some alternative ideas that worked for me.
 
SaraK said:
(and it usually feels much worse later than during the motion)
Click to expand...
Mine feels worse during the activity. The lunge aggravated the BACK upper thigh area that I also have pain in. That traveling pain salesman at it again.

BeBe said:
@Bumblebee
Hate to hear you are plagued with the groin pain. Has this been ongoing since your surgery or has it become more pronounced since you have increased activity after you surgery?
I was sent to a pain specialist, physiatrist. She did muscle lidocaine injections into my neck and shoulder muscles. She said "think of it as meat tenderizing, you are full of knots" maybe 20 injections at one time.
By the time the numbness wore off, I had no more pain or ROM issues. Some stiff muscles but in a few days after heating pad I was a new woman. It was great. Problem solved.
I have also had platelet rich protein injections into tendons. ( prolotherapy) for my low back/hip - bought me some time (4years) prior to surgery.
What does your OS say about the continued groin issue? .
Click to expand...

Yes, I had adductor issues prior to surgery but not this pain just decreased range of motion which I thought was related to hip arthritis. I am familiar with prolotherapy as I had it many years ago for other pain, they weren't platelet injections though at that time. Never thought of lidocaine injections, that's a thought. Was that with a steroid? I am a bit scared of any injections now introducing infection in the prothesis...how does one get over that apprehension? OS says "xray looks fine, just don't do what hurts and I will see you in 6 weeks."
 
@Bumblebee
The lidocaine injections were just that, no steroid and only in muscle short needle. She likened it to acupuncture but for muscle pain. This doc moved and I have been unable to find another who will do it, this was 15+ years ago.
I think because we are so fresh out of surgery at this early date, backing off all exercise other than necessary for ADL is what would be recommended, like your OS said. Then gradual easing back in to movements.
I must have done something else last week to aggravate my IT/bursitis issues, so I get how aggravating it is to have certain movements just stop us from being somewhat active. Frustrating. So today I am on day 3 of couch potatoing!
Not sure I would do any injections this early without OS approval, I did not consider infection as an issue but yes it's a concern.
As for me no more cortisone injections. I had minimal/no relief and some adverse reactions to boot!
 
BeBe said:
I think because we are so fresh out of surgery at this early date, backing off all exercise other than necessary for ADL is what would be recommended, like your OS said. Then gradual easing back in to movements.
Click to expand...

I agree:yes:
 
ahhh....thank you for that Bumblebee....I had thought 'groin pain' was more in the knicker area and therefore the top of leg stuff didn't count! :heehee:
 
Hi @Bumblebee ....had to search for your thread, hope all is going well for you :yes!: Have a good weekend :flwrysmile:
 
Hi Anny! :) I'm doing well actually. Still have some achiness, comes and goes, not real pain. Trying to work on my ROM... stretching these tight muscles that have been stuck for soooo long before surgery.
 
Just a quick update. I guess after 3 1/2 months one can still overdo. Went swimming for the first time yesterday doing some leg exercise under water and now paying for it with inner thigh pain when I walk. Oh well, someone pass the ice.
 
Aww, I'm sorry, that's too bad. Can't a girl even have a little fun?!! :tantrum:
Hope with some rest and icing today you're feeling better.
Wishing you a good week!
@Bumblebee
 
Hey @Bumblebee
I spotted you buzzing around and am happy I did.
Just thought of you the other night, was going to hunt you down and
got sidetracked. How are you doing? Give us an update if you feel like it.
Would love to hear :yes: Wishing you a great week in sunny Cali :flwrysmile:
 
Hi Layla! Yes, you spotted me buzzing around the boards catching up on my fellow bonesmarties.
I have been attending Tai Chi Classes for flexibility and really enjoying them but some poses still difficult. I can get my socks on without an aid....great achievement!:snork:

Still having that inner upper thigh pain when I get up from sitting and start to walk, but after several steps its fine. My hip flexors just tight and short....hopefully the Tai Chi will help....that and not sitting too long. Reading everyone's threads makes me feel not as bad as lots of us still have some sort of pain or discomfort even several months post op. We arent getting any younger! Onward and upward. Thanks for checking on me!
 
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