THR Cracked femur and hip #2

Atkinson8

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Greetings, love the forum! I’m 2 weeks post op and only partial weight bearing due to femur crack during anterior hip replacement. Doing PT exercises but can’t really go anywhere (shoulder arthritis is aggravated by walker use). I go see surgeon next week for assessment.

I’d love to hear from anyone in a similar situation regarding recovery, hints, back to work (I’m a teacher), etc. I feel a bit stagnant. Thank you!
 
Just want to give you a cyber-hug. Hang in there and follow doctor’s instructions. I’m 8 days post op and had a fall on day 2. The only injury was some pretty heavy bruising. It’s been painful but getting better. I’m sure a femur crack is rough, especially if putting weight on the walker is limited. You need lots of rest and also time to heal. Always remember it will get better. I’ll be thinking of you and rooting for ya.
 
Hi, Welcome to BoneSmart. Thanks for joining us.
I'm sorry you've had a bit of a rough start. Please read the Recovery Guidelines below and pay special attention to the Big Tip toward the bottom.

Please leave your exact surgery date and which hip was replaced so a signature may be created for you.

Stop back often, you'll find a lot of support and encouragement here.
A great rest of the week to you!


Hip Recovery: The Guidelines
1. Don’t worry: Your body will heal all by itself. Relax, let it, don't try and hurry it, don’t worry about any symptoms now, they are almost certainly temporary
2. Control discomfort:
rest
elevate
ice
take your pain meds by prescription schedule (not when pain starts!)​
3. Do what you want to do BUT
a. If it hurts, don't do it and don't allow anyone - especially a physical therapist - to do it to you
b. If your leg swells more or gets stiffer in the 24 hours after doing it, don't do it again.​
4. PT or exercise can be useful BUT take note of these
5. At week 4 and after you should follow this

Pain management and the pain chart
Healing: how long does it take?
Chart representation of THR recovery

Dislocation risk and 90 degree rule
Energy drain for THRs
Pain and swelling control: elevation is the key

Post op blues is a reality - be prepared for it

Myth busting: on getting addicted to pain meds
Sleep deprivation is pretty much inevitable - but what causes it?

BIG TIP: Hips actually don't need any exercise to get better. They do a pretty good job of it all on their own if given half a chance. Trouble is, people don't give them a chance and end up with all sorts of aches and pains and sore spots. All they need is the best therapy which is walking and even then not to excess.

We try to keep the forum a positive and safe place for our members to talk about their questions or concerns and to report successes with their joint replacement surgery. While members may create as many threads as they like in a majority of BoneSmart's forums, we ask that each, member have only one recovery thread. This policy makes it easier to go back and review history before providing advice. @Atkinson8
 
@Atkinson8 Sounds like you had a bit of a bumpy start to this recovery. The good news is this too shall pass. Once you are weight bearing you will feel much less "stagnant". For now let your body heal. Ice, elevate and take those pain meds. You will soon be mobile again.

Returning to work - the recommended time off work is 10-12 weeks and then a phased return. For you the time will be longer as you are not yet weight bearing. And don't forget the energy drain (see the article Layla left for you above). It's real and you can fight it.
 
Date of surgery 8/29/18. Total left hip replacement Anterior. Thanks.
 
Sounds like a rough start! My shoulders are worn out but while I was recovering post hip surgery I would do a little PT for my shoulders and they felt much better. Most of my joints are worn out and that's the funny thing about the THR forcing you to relax a lot much of my body was happier than it had been in a long time. Unfortunately now that I'm active each joint is sounding theur warnings again.
My opinion on being able to function at a job is 3 mos, and even then you'll be restricted physically at some levels.
 
I'd really like to offer you some structured advice but in order to do that, I also need to ask you some questions. Are you willing for me to do that?
 
:wave:welcome to the forum.
Sorry there was the complication.
If you give Josephine the green light, she has worlds of experience in orthopedic surgery and will be a great resource for recovery advice!

@JoeKnows had a similar incident but don't think he has same restrictions.
Do mind what your OS suggests.
Hope today is a Good Day!
 
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@Atkinson8 I'm not sure my situation is exactly the same, but I'll relay my experience in case it helps. When I woke up from surgery 9/6, my wife told me that the doc told her he discovered a crack in my femur once the joint was exposed (meaning it didn't happen during surgery, but rather some time between the pre-op x-rays and surgery, or it just didn't show on the xray). My wife and I then proceeded to argue about whether a "crack" and a fracture were the same thing, and in my half-sedated state, but that's beside the point.

Doc ended up expanding my mini posterior incision and putting a band around the femur. Surgery otherwise went smoothly, and he let me get discharged the same day with no weight bearing restrictions except "don't do anything that makes it hurt more."

I never did get the details, mostly because I was focused on getting out of the hospital. My impression is that it was a minor stress fracture or something that occurred before surgery, and he banded it to make sure it didn't expand. Which obviously is quite different than your situation, though he did warn I'd have more thigh pain due to the band / more muscle getting pushed around.

At first I was skeptical that he might just not want to admit he caused the fracture, but that's unfair of me. My doc is very forthcoming, and he knows I'm the type to eventually get a copy of the operative report out of curiosity. It's probably just because I'm my profession, I basically operate from the assumption that everyone is lying, haha. I think I'll ask for the op report today, I hadn't thought much about this until reading your post.

At the end of the day, everybody's recovery is different. I'm moving along pretty well, though I have no basis for comparison (only a week removed from the operation). There's not much to be done to hurry healing along, besides rest, ice, nutrition, and not pushing it too hard (at least one of those pieces of advice is hypocritical coming from me).

Let us know what your doc says, and keep in mind that this will pass at its own pace - we can't speed it up, we can only avoid slowing it down.
 
keep in mind that this will pass at its own pace - we can't speed it up, we can only avoid slowing it down.

Wise words from JoeKnows. Take it to heart.

Hoping today is a better day. Wishing you comfort.
 
Ask any questions ar all. This feedback is wonderful. In my case, femur cracked at the top when the post was being “hammered” into the bone ( my description, not medical). Surgeon says it happens in about 1 in 100 cases. JoeKnows definitely does know! I’m following orders, keeping most weight off leg almost all the time. Haven’t taken pain meds for a few days, so that’s good. I definitely don’t want to slow any progress. Shoulder is creaking but functioning. So, I guess we’re all just letting the healing take place! Thanks again, any other insights are welcome.
 
@JoeKnows needs to see the high praise he received from Josephine above.
He gets a star :thumb:

I hope you have a nice day as you continue healing.
@Atkinson8
 
"Where's me cheque book?"
glassesf.gif
 
Oops, forgot to write the reply. I’ve been following doctors orders and using the walker to keep full weight off the leg. My arthritic shoulder is quite aggravated, so that limits mobility as well because I need it to use the walker. Today it’s been 3 weeks post-op, it feels like 3 months. Tomorrow I see the surgeon for an update. Here’s what I’m hoping:
1. permission to bear more weight, use crutches, and get moving,
2. permission to drive (replacement was on left. Hip),
3. permission to return to work on Oct. 1.​
I hope I’m not being unrealistic!

At this point I’m a rather grouchy patient, the one good thing is I’ve lost weight even though I’m sedentary. My husband has been great, but he’s an unimaginative cook. Pre op I read of so many who were up and walking without assistance in the first week, I guess my expectations were to do the same.

One of the best things we did was get a shower transition bench; I can sit, slide into the shower and take my time, wash hair, and feel human. Because I can’t bear weight, it’s been great.

Okay, so fingers crossed for a good day and positive feedback tomorrow. This forum has given so much info that has really helped my peace of mind, and made me laugh (especially “joeknows”).
 
:fingersx: for you also.
I must admit I am not rooting for doctor to release you for work.:unsure:

That would be one month out and it is so hard to take care of yourself when back to work.
Spoken by someone who went back part-time at 6 weeks from bilateral.
Was way too soon and the energy drain and added activity probably slowed my recovery.:sad:
When you are back you are back!

This femer fracture IS an added trauma that requires your body's energy and care to recover from.
One month out with no added issues would be overly optimistic I'm afraid.
This surgery was done to get your life back.
I wish for you quick healing AND patience!
Hope today is a Good Day!:SUNsmile:
 
1.) permission to bear more weight, use crutches, and get moving, 2.) permission to drive (replacement was on left. Hip), 3,) permission to return to work on Oct. 1. I hope I’m not being unrealistic!
Since you are not fully weight bearing there is no way you can be released to drive or work. You are only weeks out of very major surgery with the added complication of a fracture. Your expectations are too high. I imagine you may be able released to weight bear - but this will also be a challenge.

The recommended time off work post THR is 10-12 weeks and then a Phased Return.
 
Okay, thanks for the frank responses. So now I’ve modified expectations and would just like to start putting more weight on the hip. Maybe I could return to work part time in 2 weeks or so. Maybe I just have to back down and be patient. I’ll let you know what happens.
 

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