THR LLD Due to Pelvic Tilt

Hi @Diane60,

You are in my thoughts and prayers as you recover fully from your May 20th hip replacement.

You are brave (to me, being brave is persisting and overcoming, in the face of fears and worries), and thank you for sharing your story.
 
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Hi @Diane60 ,

Im sorry to hear all your sufferings, how I hope you are nearby so I can help you a bit on your daily living :(

Right after I left hospital, I went straight for physical therapy.
a therapist was coming to my house 1H everyday and that helped me a lot. After 2 weeks he advised me to use stationary bike which is another useful. I had as well Leg length difference, but my doctor and therapist told me that there are cases that it will be corrected on its own, and in my case that was corrected after 6 mons. Also if in case that wasnt corrected, I have options as well to go for orthopedic shoes which will be customized according to your length.

Big hug and I hope everything goes well with you and your mother

KR
Sandy
 
This new hip feels good, unlike the feeling I had before each dislocation

I plan to continue with an update tomorrow after seeing my doctor to all you amazing folks from the BoneSmart forum that have reached out and given me so much support and confidence to continue on with this journey. I just can’t say enough. God bless you all and thank you. I couldn’t do this without you.
 
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You sound so much better @Diane60 ! Please do keep us updated. Hope your appointment goes well tomorrow.
 
So glad to read your recent post about the hip feeling more stable.. wishing you a great follow up visit with your OS tomorrow!
 
My follow-up went well. The X-rays showed the bone growing and healing. I am now 50% weight on my foot and I go back in 6 weeks for another follow-up. They said I still have to be very careful due to so many dislocations.
I’m a little depressed after going to PT yesterday, realizing there is not much I can do yet. The muscle in my leg is so week that I can’t even lift my leg. Will that ever return? My butt or glute hurts so bad That I have to take a pain pill and even that doesn’t seem to help much. They’ve operated and cut me so many times. I guess that will take time. I’m so sick of laying around it’s just making me depressed, realizing I still have a long way to go.
 
Good Morning and Happy Friday Diane!
This new hip feels good, unlike the feeling I had before each dislocation

Wonderful and so encouraging!

You had some very generous words for all in one of your posts above. You’re very kind, Diane.
The X-rays showed the bone growing and healing.

Such fabulous news. This is what you want to hear. I’m happy for you!

I’m wondering about PT, questioning who recommended it and whether it can wait a bit longer? I do believe you’ll regain strength enough to lift your leg, but due to all you‘ve been through, you’re going to need to give it time. It’s only been about six week into a recovery that can take up to a year, even up to two years for some. But you will notice progress all along. Keep in mind something my surgeons PA shared with me - A prosthetic hip will never match your natural hip, but it gets pretty close. While I am three years post op, I find this to be true. My hip functions fine, I forget about it often, but then am reminded the flexibility is not totally the same as my natural hip. I’m all good with 90 some percent better because I’m no longer living with that horrid pre-op pain, or it’s limitations.

If you didn’t discuss it while there today, I’d call your surgeons office and speak to a member of his care team about adjusting meds. You don’t need to be living with pain which can be exhausting and depressing.
I’m so sick of laying around it’s just making me depressed, realizing I still have a long way to go.

I‘m going to suggest how I monitored my recovery. I did it by weeks, only. I didn’t look at the day to day, I felt it was too much pressure. I chose a weekday and for me it was a weekend day. THEN I’d look back at the progress I made since the prior weekend and would notice, I was doing something new, or something felt easier etc.

If you’re feeling down, it’s understandable. You could be experiencing Post Op Blues (reference article in the Recovery Guidelines you received) or you could be bored because you’re currently unable to do all you want to do. Try to keep your mind engaged since it's impossible to be as active (currently) as you’re wishing you could be. A few suggestions: crossword puzzles, adult coloring books, read a good book, research and plan your next vacation, Pinterest, Houzz...if you have any interest in perusing homes / decor, start a recipe collection, play online games, page through magazines, call an old friend, catch up on emails, organize a photo album, watch a Netflix series or some uplifting movies. All to help pass the time and occupy your mind. It’s so easy to hone in on physical limitations, or pain, when our mind is left free to wallow in negativity. I’m sure you agree.

Also, check out the BoneSmart Social Room here where you'll find a lot of interesting and entertaining threads to read - https://bonesmart.org/forum/view/social-room.11/

Keep smiling and keep the faith that brighter days are coming! :SUNsmile: Know we’re here for you and we care. Sending a hug :console2:
 
@Diane60 I can't tell you how happy I am for you that the new hip feels good, and your xrays are showing the right stuff! As to the rest, particularly PT, I agree with Layla.

You will get your strength back, and the progress will be invisible for some time. Let that hip heal up completely before you ask it to regain all the strength it's lost over this whole mess. I am sort of preaching to myself here-- I have a 4-week-old mesh hernia repair, and have been instructed that starting today I may lift more than 10 lbs and go back to my barre classes (online of course) "low and slow". My mesh implant is approaching 60% healing (the tissue grows into the matrix!!!) and will take up to a year to complete "remodeling" as they call it. My whole belly sticks out, and where are my flat, "barre-ified" abs?? Is it going to take me a year to have good breath support for my flute?? We are in the same boat, you and I. I heartily sympathize. But let's both be patient. :yes: :SUNsmile:
 
Some great news from your x-rays and your OS. 50% weight bearing- next steps to more recovery and being able to do more. You have had a long and difficult journey and frustration and depression is normal. You will get to be able to do more but it will take more time. You are remarkable in the things you have gone through and persevered so I believe you will resume your normal activities.
 
Thank you for all your support. To answer your question, I asked the OS for the prescription for PT. I guess I just wanted to get back to normal and get my mind off my disabilities. So you think I’m moving to fast with PT? I’m only going twice a week except next week I have only one appointment. You know, I questioned myself after my first PT appt. I couldn’t or I can’t even lift my leg or pull my foot up. Do you really think my muscle will return on its own without PT? I’m scared I’ll never be able to move my ankle or lift my leg again. Should I wait on PT? I’m confused on what I should do. I really trust your judgment And appreciate your concerns.
 
I’m sorry for all the questions. I can read and what you’re saying is yes, let my body heal. Slow down.
 
Hello again Diane,
My opinion is let your body rest and heal for a bit. Your leg will heal slowly...and it is healing. There was a lot of soft tissue disturbed through the surgery. Your leg needs some TLC. Try to view it this way, if you sustained similar injuries from a car accident, would you feel you should be exercising your leg? Doubtful, right? It won’t hurt to see what stepping away from PT for several weeks does. It is your choice.
Wishing you a peaceful night and pleasant weekend.
 
Dear @Diane60,
My hip was quite weak and painful after my right posterior hip replacement. My weak gluteals and lateral hip ached stiffly (though icing gave me temporary relief) and at six weeks out from my surgery, I tried a PT group. After going for several weeks, I found they rarely touched my painful leg.

With my muscular pain and weakness continuing to be problematic, I looked for a new Physical Therapist. This PT was interested in touching my leg and has extra training in manual, hands on PT, with a CFMT certification, certified functional manual therapy.

Some of what my PT does looks like massage, but his hands on work focuses on getting my muscular soft tissue irritations and adhesions to heal, referred to as soft tissue mobilizations.

I have been with my PT for almost 5 months. As I healed, I began supervised strengthening and range of motion exercises, and am now doing very well.

My pain has resolved and I am active once again (I walk several miles a day, sometimes doing a longer hike, which thrills me).

Please note that I waited until about 6 weeks to start outpatient PT, as this is what my OS directed me to do, as she is concerned that nothing be strenuous while the leg was initially healing.
 
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:hi: @Diane60
Sorry this has been so tough but echoing all the sentiments from the others recommending patience and rest....yep, definitely the passive booooring part of recovery.:bored:
My opinion is you don't need to seek a PTs help right now as this is your second go around with a new custom hip now in place...and lots of healing is happening.
Too much too soon will definitely slow things down.
Hope today is a good day and I'll be sending healing vibes your way.:flwrysmile:
 
@Diane60 :wave:

Soooo happy to read your update and that your new hip looks so promising on film.. that had to be so encouraging!
course you are discouraged and worried about the hip and leg's weakness ( you have every right to feel that way) but wanted to add my name to the list of ones thinking that maybe you should let your new hip heal a while longer before attempting PT.
I bet you will have a different experience with doing the PT work after you have several more weeks of healing under your belt. (hmm, an unintentional pun)

Please take care of yourself, and I hope you can enjoy your recovery a little more now that you know your hip is healing nicely. time is on your side and you will continue to heal and improve. ((hugs))
 
@Diane60 I hear your distraction and confusion and anxiety, and it is very natural. Myself, I don't know how you have kept it together through all this! You and new hip are doing beautifully!

Mojo is right, this is the booorrrrring part of recovery! And as Layla says, it cannot hurt to step away from PT for a few weeks while all that soft tissue regains its equanimity after the trauma of the surgery. You won't lose a thing-- in fact, you will gain in energy, and even likely in strength, simply as time goes by. Actually lots of us can't lift our leg for a bit after THR, so you are in multitudinous company!

How about seated or standing upper body work? Or core work although it is VERY difficult to keep the hip flexors out of the abs. You are very right that activity will keep your mind off your current "disability", but if you can recast that disability as an invisible healing work your body is doing while you leave it alone, perhaps it won't be quite so depressing.

And there's always some red-white-and blue dessert that needs fixing! :snork:
 
So I found out from my OS after looking at my X-rays that the femoral head (balls) of my hips are even and that it’s my pelvis that is tilted which is what is giving me LLD. Any suggestions? Should I still use heel lifts, see a chiropractor or will stretching exercises/PT correct my pelvis?
 
I wouldn't do anything yet. Your body needs time to adjust and it's quite possible for the apparent LLD to disappear as you continue to heal.

It's too soon to get heel lifts, because your need for them is going to decline as your body adjusts and to use heel lifts will prevent that from happening.

This article explains about LLD:
Leg length differential - LLD
 
Dear @Diane,
In response to your current question, I had lots of problems after my hip replacement, including a large LLD, which made me feel like I was completely unbalanced. I wrote you about some of this my earlier post to you (Friday night, post #33). My amazing PT (with additional training in manual therapies, CFMT, certified functional manual therapy) helped me with my significant LLD (close to an inch), which turned out to be apparent. For me, when my gluteal muscles became strong, my pelvis stabilized, stopped shifting around, and my LLD went away (took about 5 months of PT). NOTE: I started this PT around 2 months out from my surgery, as my OS wants early healing to take place without stress from PT.
 
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:hi:
Dear @Diane60
Decisions such as whether you need a shoe lift or should begin PT can only come from your surgeon who has done this custom work.

I am sure that well meaning members may be trying to be helpful by sharing their experience, however they have not suffered 7 dislocations nor are they as familiar with your situation as your OS.

Shoe lifts should not be worn unless prescribed especially if you are still at only 50 percent weight bearing.

I had some well targeted PT at about 5 months out...and well over one year out, I had PT that also involved some gentle manual manipulation along with exercises to address SI joint, pelvic tilt, and slight LLD. My back was hurting...

Right now, there is way too much healing still happening and things are tight which because there is inflammation from the surgical trauma.
Keep icing and keep being patient with yourself.:friends:

I know you are nervous about how this has worked ..after 7 dislocations, I should say I'd be worried about every twinge.:unsure:
Many of these issues are most likely temporary and you can seek your surgeon's advice about a therapist when he feels you are healed enough to pursue any lingering problems.
Healing Mojo coming your way!!!:SUNsmile:
 
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