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THR Coddfish’s second hip

16 weeks tomorrow. I had dropped onto the second page so thought I had better post again! I am still a bit frustrated with this hip. There’s nothing particularly wrong, I am just not recovering as easily as last time. The soft tissue issues emerge from time to time and it’s still quite tender deep under the scar. I stiffen up after activity (muscles and tendons, not the joint) and when I first stand up after sitting my glute needs coaxing to fire. Range of motion good, no pain, walking is straight forward once I have started. Annoying!
 
Wow... 16 weeks, that's about 3.5 months in old money. Still relatively early for soft tissue healing. Compared to your last hip, it must feel like an eternity though and your frustration is understandable. We can't help but have expectations based on previous experience... It's literally a foundation of learning and development.

How do your wound scars compare in terms of length and position to each other? I have a personal theory that incision location and any existing soft tissue issues can be a component explaining some of the difference in recovery experience.. Just a lay theory based on my own experience to partially explain the whole... Every hip is different, mantra.

My #1 left side was so painful I couldn't touch the skin with my fingertip. It's only been the last month that I could tolerate even a very light massage anywhere from the knee up. I can already enjoy a light massage on #2 right side. Every time I got into ODIC on #1 it was severe, mid thigh pain yet the left hip always felt structurally strong, willing and able. With #2, the hip feels weak and tender but the leg is great and the muscles quite willing.

I am wondering if a lot of it relates to the surgeons choice of direction, positioning and angle of access to the joint. Also taking into consideration any existing soft tissue problems that may have developed because of pre surgery posture and activity or lack thereof. Think about how that would involve upsetting different areas of soft tissue and their interrelationships. For example #1 incision for me is much lower and shorter, #2 incision much higher, further back and longer. I'm imagining everything that is below that incision and different types of trauma. Same surgeon, same procedure on paper, same person but different hips with a varied surgical approach to the joint. Food for thought offered to maybe provide an explanation if not an answer. Are you working with a physio? All my waffle above was geared towards thinking you may benefit from a bit of a tune up and assessment of your current soft tissue health from knee to hip. A bit of help with the direction to take with your rehabilitation.
 
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Yes it’s interesting isn’t it. I am not aware of having had any soft tissue problems pre-surgery. Scar placement is different. Hip number 1 has the classic curved posterior scar I have seen on lots of ladies at my Aqua class. It’s quite short. Hip 2’s scar is straight and even shorter than the other, and the images would suggest it was a lateral rather than posterior approach. Scar 2 healed faster at the surface, presumably because it’s a straight line. I know from chatting to the surgeons (my first surgeon couldn’t do the second hip because he is recovering from a nasty cycling accident / head injury) that they both cut a tendon for access, but I can’t remember the name or names. I presume the tendon involved in hip 2 somehow relates to why my glute is lazy when I stand up.
 
Probably worth saying I was discharged by the Spire’s physio about 7 weeks after surgery when my progress seemed exceptionally good. I have the ability to go back to them within my inclusive package, but have left it for now, feeling it needed time to heal. There’s a physio I know well who I have used from time to time on other issues. I have talked to him about this but not been to see him. At the last chat he also thought leave it a little longer.
 
It's all fascinated speculation on my behalf but in my failed attempt to avoid surgery, I worked with an experienced physio who was very focused on soft tissue at an interconnected micro level, a whole body approach that often pointed to one seemingly small area of weak or overworked having a significant knock on effect. I'm confident you'll be back to normal activity in time but just may be a bit longer for this hip.

Arguably the physio kept me going for longer than was good for me but I think he knew his stuff.
 
I fancied having a long soak in a bath today. Not something I do often, as I am very much a shower person. If I only had a smallish space for a bathroom I would always choose to put a walk-in shower in it rather than a shower over a bath. However we do have baths as well as free standing showers in our house. What has been putting me off for a while is the fear of not being able to get in or out. I had bought a bath transfer board a few months ago, to assist with staying in a holiday cottage that only had a shower over a bath earlier in my recovery. So step 1 was to dig that out and adjust it to fit the huge free standing bath I wanted to use. Then use it to get over the high sides. Then get down onto knees, remove the board, get down onto my front and roll over. Reverse process to get out. I think it was worth it!
 
I dream of a long soak in the bath! When last I did manage a bath with my limited mobility before surgery, I did exactly what you described :bath:
 
Deni444 said:
I dream of a long soak in the bath! When last I did manage a bath with my limited mobility before surgery, I did exactly what you described :bath:
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It’s been my method since before my first hip replacement. I had been needing a couple of yoga blocks to stand on to get my legs over but the transfer board has provided a safer way of achieving the same thing. Today was my third attempt, I chickened out at 1 month and 2 months once I had got onto the board and my feet in the water. Each time the underlying need has been to soak my chemo damaged toenails to the point where it is possible to cut them. It’s the only reason I ever have a bath!
 
1757122297867.webp

They sell these steps for the bath on Amazon, wondering if something like this may be helpful for you. The steps can be used along with the type of bathtub grab bar below that secures to the bathtub, not the wall, or can be used with a properly installed wall grab bar, not the suction type though.



1757122449377.webp
 
The grab bar wouldn’t work on my free standing roll top bath, unfortunately. The steps might help, but I don’t need them so long as I use the bath board. It will probably be some weeks before I attempt it again anyway, I prefer showers so only usuallly have a bath to soak my toenails when they need cutting. Chemo has turned them into ridged distorted monstrosities. Each cut takes me closer to normality!
 
Those steps would not be a good idea unless you had a firm railing to use when going up and down. Just holding on to a wall would if that was close by would not be a good idea as you could fall if you lost your balance.
 
@Jamie
It’s a free standing bath in the middle of a room. No walls, no railings involved. My only challenge is it’s a bit high to swing my operated leg over from a free standing position. I am not worried about balance. However I have a bath transfer board which I can sit on and then easily swing my legs over and inside. None of this is an issue that I need help with, I just mentioned I had had my first bath since the operation!
 
That's a great milestone, congratulations #1... Get it to give #2 a bit of a talking to! Seriously, I'm pretty sure you'll be pleased looking back when #2 is celebrating its 4th Birthday :)
 
Coddfish said:
Just realised hip number 1 is 4 years old today. It’s never given me any trouble. Here’s hoping hip number 2 can do as well.
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Happy Four Year Anniversary, Righty!

Betting Lefty will do just as well, in due time. Have a great Sunday and week, Coddfish. :SUNsmile:
 
Coddfish said:
@Jamie
It’s a free standing bath in the middle of a room. No walls, no railings involved. My only challenge is it’s a bit high to swing my operated leg over from a free standing position. I am not worried about balance. However I have a bath transfer board which I can sit on and then easily swing my legs over and inside. None of this is an issue that I need help with, I just mentioned I had had my first bath since the operation!
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I understand. Your bath solution sounds perfect. I was just mentioning the potential risks of those steps that were pictured for others that might come along and read your thread.
 
4 months today. This recovery hasn’t been as easy as hip number 1, largely I think due to the impact of the other health issues I have had in the intervening years. I also had an oncology review today and am delighted that my scans remain stable with no new disease. It’s been 2 years since I finished immunotherapy / chemotherapy, 18 months since my last interventional procedure, and over a year since I managed to get off the steroids used to recover my kidneys. So it’s time to break free of the various forums, including this one, and try to get on with my life. My hip is in no way the limiting factor on what I can do, and I do need to keep on working on my fitness. Thanks to everyone for your support. I hope not to be back but I do wonder if I should get my arthritic shoulders looked at - maybe next year!
 
Congratulations, I'm overjoyed for you :flwrysmile: All the very best and I wish you all happiness, success and wellbeing as you step forward into your next chapter. I do hope free from health and mobility being top of your agenda. Once a hippie, always a hippie. You know we'll all be over the moon if you pop back in to say hello but let's hope it's just a social call. Remember the New Year get together:yes!:
 
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