THR Charlie's RTHR Recovery Thread

Thanks for response. Yeah if it zapped and went away all would be fine, but residual soreness hanging out. Might be sadly like shin splints masking sciatic nerve pains a month ago LOL! Well, not funny gotta laugh..but did resolve.

On another note I found a new PT who actually understands that lower back and hip connected in some strange cosmic way! LOL again….Banda bing!
 
Hope that new PT can help you, @Charlie33. I was at the PT this morning, and noted a new poster on the wall. Just of the lower back and buttock and hip muscles. I marched over to it, slapped my hand on it like a weather girl, and said, "That's what I'm talkin' about, fellas!"
 
On another note I found a new PT who actually understands that lower back and hip connected in some strange cosmic way!

Ya don't say?! LOL. I'm glad to hear you've found a PT with more of a whole body perspective and a basic understanding of...oh, I don't know...things being connected to each other? Sorry it sounds like it's been a bit of trial and error and effort to track down some effective help, but you're being your own best advocate and that's great to hear. Keep going, fellow puckmate. I'm rooting for you!
 
Thanks all! @thepuckhead I've decided that I'm bad at recovery lol. My new PT said we have a lot more work to do related to flexibility and range...but also said I've achieved a lot as well...my wife thinks I'm fine because I'm walking around and moving normally...who's right? Bit of both. Just depends what you want out of recovery. I think the more you want (like hockey) the more you have to invest and just extends the timeline a bit. I know people who hit the ice again in 3 months, others in 6. Very individual!
 
My friends also say that I "walk well now" and "look strong." But appearances can be deceiving. I still feel weakness in my nonoperative hip, and some days I feel pain. As long as that's the case, I still choose to walk the road to what I call recovery. If my road is longer, it's longer. As you say, it's all individual! Hang in!
 
I've decided that I'm bad at recovery lol.
Well, to borrow from an old joke..."there are no bad recoveries...just troubled ones..." LOL - it's really heartening to see you determined to get all you can out of recovery. It's your journey and your body and you're making recovery work for you.

Cheers!
 
Sorry guys…hate to post like this, but just feeling feeling really discouraged and down today.

Every day wake up with pain/tightness/stiffness on opposite, right non operated hip. Extends down behind buttox to inner knee. More or less same stuff I’ve been posting….feels like I’m stuck for the last 4-6 weeks..like nothing working.. and won’t tolerate increases in activity.

What’s throwing me over edge today: took a short trip to a wedding and between rides to airport, flight etc. I just don’t feel comfortable or normal at all (left operated butcheek screaming after sitting at wedding reception, even getting up to take breaks). Out of my comfort zone, pain levels up on both sides and don’t feel in control to have a normal day and I’m just talking about a combination of walking and sitting basically.

I feel like I’m following all the rules, not overdoing it, trying acupuncture and massage, new PT…trying to progress but not really seeing any material gains. The OS said by 12 weeks you pretty much feel normal and seems surprised at what’s happening. My better half is equally perplexed and frustrated. Like why did I get the really surgery in the first place?

As per previous posts trying to stay positive and cool, but now I feel this is just going to be the way it is: a new, very limited life flying sideways. Sick and tired of feeling this way. And in fairness I know I don’t have it as bad as others and shouldn’t be venting this badly.

I’ve read enough here to know better than post like this: it takes up to a year etc. but I’m angry, tired frustrated and honestly a little scared about prospects for future.

Ok rant over. It’s been building for a month. Thanks all.
 
Your post breaks my heart, @Charlie33
I know how hard you've worked and how many treatments and therapies you've tried. I wish I could offer advice, but, to be honest, since Tuesday I've been in the same place. Developed a pain deep in the calf of my operative leg which my PT chalked up to my weight shifting from the nonoperative hip to my operative knee, which is knocked. I did feel better after he did some TPP on the calf, but I won't be seeing him for another week, and the pain today is bad and referring back up to my hip. Not sciatica -- I've had that and this is different.

Like you, I'm questioning why I had the surgery. It's been like dominoes falling -- new hip, then new lumbar pain, and now this. I was walking much better at month 2. On the 19th, it will be month 4. So, like you, I'm asking what this means for my future. Some days are hard to get through physically and emotionally. I get what you're going through and how hard it is to remain hopeful.

Meanwhile, I keep icing, resting, elevating, going to therapy, limping, and living with pain. I wish I could reassure you, but I'll let others do that. All I can offer in the way of comfort is reassuring you that you're not alone. Feel free to vent to me!!! :sorry:
 
The OS said by 12 weeks you pretty much feel normal and seems surprised at what’s happening.
Has your OS had THR - probably not. There is not timeline for this recovery. Your hip will heal at its own rate. Please don't get discouraged. What you are feeling is normal for this point in your recovery.

BTW anything new will set that hip complaining. Sounds like you had a very active trip. Airport, flights and the event are all new to that new hip. Don't be so hard on yourself. This will not be the norm forever.

All temporary @Charlie33 !
 
Sorry you are discouraged, my hippy pal:console2:
I always look at back at my recovery thread when I read posts like yours when trying to remember what I was still dealing with in that point in my recovery...

Here is a post at approximately 3 months


Reading some old threads from folks who are now hippyhappy can be helpful.
I also go forward and see niggles like groin pain, buttock pain, thigh soreness...
 
@Mojo333 thanks for the post and support. Makes me breathe easier and think all is not lost!

@Jaycey your words always reassure given our similar recovery challenges and path :)

@Merrimay I’m equally sorry to read your update as well.…when we overcome one problem another pops up…discouraging only scratches the surface of how we feel I’m sure. Hang tight hippie bud! Getting knocked down 7 times, but getting up 8 is how we need to keep thinking :)

Sadly I fear I will not regain (as predicted by PT) full ROM…better, but it’s just not going in right direction. Anyway will keep trying.
 
*pulls up chair next to @Charlie33 and orders a round of whatever he fancies*

I don't have any advice, because I'm pretty new here, but I just wanted to say I have every confidence your recovery won't stay stuck and I'm really sorry to hear you're in the thick of a really rough patch. I, for one, appreciate a good, old fashioned, no-BS vent. It helps me understand what may happen further down the road, so thank you for the honesty. If it helps, I've read many posts, it seems, where progress just seems to stall at 3-4 months when it's clear there's much further to go. And then it gets better. Plateaus suck. Hang in there. I cannot imagine you ever having to say "oh well, so short trips tire me out and cause too much pain. No prob! All good! Why expect anything else?" Not a single (good) health care professional wants that and you're too strong an advocate for yourself to ever consider that.

*buys another round. You can get the round when I get to my own plateau and vent...yes, I"m holding you to that*
 
Keep the faith, Charlie.
Sadly I fear I will not regain (as predicted by PT) full ROM…better, but it’s just not going in right direction. Anyway will keep trying.
Wonder why the PT reckons that?
Something particular at not even 3 months post-op?

I just had to remind myself often -
Tightness is a normal occurrence after this kind of major surgery. Your surgeon did major carpentry work and disturbed every millimeter of soft tissue in this area.I'm You're tight because your tissue is still healing...and can be easily aggravated.

If a long full step right now is causing pain and limping, don't take long full steps. Take smaller steps. Take a short walk several times a day, instead of longer walks. Use ice. Rest when necessary.

This isn't the time to do anything to excess. Baby steps now, and lots of patience, pays off big time later. Recovering from self-induced tendinitis can end up taking weeks or months. Consider yourself as still recovering from surgery and structure your return to your life as a slow, gradual process where you introduce very small increments in activity, and then give yourself time to see how you react to it.

All temporary, and worth the patience. I am certainly glad I am able to get back to a full happy life hip pain free life.
 
@thepuckhead sounds like we are in the locker room post game with a 30 pack!!

I won’t lose faith I promise. Tough trip and will be ready for your rant with a bottle or can of whatever suits best!!
 
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Sadly I fear I will not regain (as predicted by PT) full ROM
There is no way PT can predict this and frankly talking like this to someone just out of surgery is just not right! Hardly motivational! I'll share some of our members reports on gaining ROM here:

Here is betrtschb's record of how his flexion developed over time:
I'm 12 months out from my surgery and have some advice based on my experience:
1- Stop going to PT (all it will do is make your knee swell and reduce ROM)
2- Don't worry about your ROM
3- Be patient - VERY patient!!!

Here is my ROM history (more or less):
1 month - 60 degrees
2 months - 80 degrees
3 months - 85 degrees
4 months - 90 degrees
5 months - 90 degrees
6 months - 110 degrees
7 months - 120 degrees
8 months - 125 degrees
9 months - 130 degrees
10 months - 135 degrees
11 months - 140 degrees
12 months - 140 degrees

I spent waaaaay too much time worrying about ROM. I thought I'd be riding my bike a couple months after surgery but it took SIX months! Looking back on my surgery, if I knew then what I know now, I wouldn't have wasted my time with PT and I wouldn't have worried about ROM.


And I have another record, from Campervan - she discovered that her flexion had increased even at 6 years post-op:
"I had a slow recovery. Here's my flex measurements at various points:
92 - 8 weeks post op
105 - 10 weeks
107 - 5 months
110 - 6 months
112 - 7 months
116 - 9 months
119 - 11 months
118 - 1 yr
120 - 1yr 2 months
125 - 1 yr 8 months
128 – 6 years "
 
Flying and sitting after only 3-4 months is very uncomfortable, then add airport walking.
I flew at 4 months and had to keep getting up cause same thing my operated side would become numb. But overall I did fine.
I still cannot sit for long periods of time, I can stand, walk or lay no issue but sitting too long gets to me, I get so stiff.
Take the rest and ice approach for today, watch the Superbowl and chill.
 
@Jaycey
I’m interested in the ROM measurements. Is this a measure of how far out to the side you can move your upper leg? I haven’t even tried to see how far it will go, too scared
 
@Gloucestergal65 i think those are knee to chest hip flexion measurements.

So for me I’m at about 85-95 degrees right now. Pre op I was at about 60-65. Also, I couldn’t do knee to chest with both legs at same time. No joint space in front of left hip. Now I can do it, but only to limit of 90-95 degrees bilaterally. Ideally I’ll get to 110+.

Also my lower back flexion went to virtually nothing and trying to rebuild that due to hip. Basically everything froze up over years of compensation and bad biomechanics. That’s what I’m ‘unwinding’.

Hope this helps.
 

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