THR Dull ache after fall

[Ian C]

I'm back on my drum kit after a couple of years off after 3 hip replacements in under 2 years. I am 6 months post op from my last one which was revision on my right side and although I am still getting muscle pain playing is very therapeutic and still one of the few exercises I can do, good
Good luck in your recovery.


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[jerryj]

I was in the shower this morning and I just slightly bent over to grab the shampoo and I could feel the hip just a little bit, feel like it's getting caught in a wrong position - feels like it's slightly dislocating - it's weird.

 

[Josephine]

I expect it's just a strain that is relieved as soon as you straighten up. Nothing to worry about.

So your pain is here then?

Here y'go then!

It would be very helpful if you would answer each one individually - numbered as I have done - in as much detail as you can then I'll come back as see where you are

1. what approach did you have for your surgery? Anterior, posterior, lateral? You can look here to see the various types THR approaches or incisions

2. what are your pain levels right now? (remember the 1-10 scale: 1 = no pain and 10 = the worst you can imagine. And don't forget to factor in other forms of pain such as soreness, burning, stabbing, throbbing, aching, swelling and stiffness).

3. what pain medications have you been prescribed, how much are you taking (in mg please) and how often?

4. are you icing your painful area at all? If so, how often and for how long?

5. are you elevating your leg. If so how often and for how long?

6. what is your activity level? What do you do in the way of housework, cooking, cleaning, shopping, etc., and

7. are you doing any exercises at home? If so what and how often?
This is the most crucial question so please help me by using the format I have left as an example
(which means please make a list and not an essay!)

Exercises done at home
- how many sessions you do each day
- enter exercise by name then number of repetitions of each
etc., etc.

Anything done at PT
- how many times a week
- enter exercise by name then number of repetitions of each
etc., etc.

 

[jerryj]

Hi,
I hope these answers are ok:
1. Anterior
2. Pain level is a 2 or 3 when an episode happens. When I straighten out my leg, it goes to 0 or 1 as I can feel a residual bit of pain. Then soon after that it's back to 0.
3. Taking no pain meds now.
4. Not icing anything now.
5. Not elevating my leg at this time.
6. As long as I walk up steps or an incline one step/leg at a time, I'm doing lawn mowing, grocery shopping, cooking, cleaning and so on. I'm also back to playing drums (right leg is playing the bass drum).
7. Not doing any exercises at home now.

 

[Josephine]

Oh! Well not much for me to comment on there! And since you are around 15 weeks out, there's not an awful lot you are doing at all. However, would you now be an absolute dear and answer those questions for what you were doing between surgery and week 8?

 

[jerryj]

I didn't get any episodes like I'm getting now from the surgery date through week 8, but I was using the leg a lot less and going upstairs one at a time.
3. I did oxycodone 5 mg every 6 hours for probably the first 6 weeks, then went off them.
4. I did ice packs through the first 5 - 6 weeks - twice a day.
5. I didn't really elevate my leg at all.
6. I used my walker for the first 2 to 3 weeks, then switched to a cane. I didn't do anything other than walk and leg exercises through week 6. By week 7 I was back to playing drums, doing some shopping, cooking and other household chores. By week 8 I was using the snow blower and shoveling snow - putting minimum weight on my hip replacement leg.
7. Did my strengthening exercises up to week 6 I think. 8 exercises from 10 to 25 reps each twice a day - ankle pumps, thigh squeezes, buttock squeezes, heel slides, leg slides, lying kicks, straight leg raises (by far the hardest - couldn't do them at all before the surgery - too painful) and sitting kicks.

 

[Mojo333]

7. Did my strengthening exercises up to week 6 I think. 8 exercises from 10 to 25 reps each twice a day - ankle pumps, thigh squeezes, buttock squeezes, heel slides, leg slides, lying kicks, straight leg raises (by far the hardest - couldn't do them at all before the surgery - too painful) and sitting kicks.

This has probably slowed things down.
Way too much to early...they just don't need to push PT like that if that was what you were instructed to do.

 

[Josephine]

twice a day
ankle pumps 10-25 reps
thigh squeezes 10-25 reps
buttock squeezes 10-25 reps
heel slides 10-25 reps
leg slides 10-25 reps
lying kicks 10-25 reps
straight leg raises 10-25 reps

This all adds up to 350 reps per day! And none of them are appropriate for a hip. I think this may well be where your problem started.

 

[jerryj]

So do you think it's something that will get better in time? My x-rays look pretty normal according to the doctors - it doesn't look any different than the one after 3 weeks other than some calcification they said.
Unless there is a railing, I've been going up the stairs one step at a time and I don't get that weird pain/disclocation feeling. If there is a railing, I go up the stairs normally, but put a lot of weight on the railing when I go up with my right leg. Going down stairs normally is no problem.
Today I tried one stair without a railing and I could feel that feeling coming on.

 

[Josephine]

So do you think it's something that will get better in time?

Yes I do. But only if you stop ALL those exercises because they are what is giving you this pain. You see, all this (below) was far too much as well. So combining all this is what got you this problem.

By week 7 I was back to playing drums, doing some shopping, cooking and other household chores. By week 8 I was using the snow blower and shoveling snow - putting minimum weight on my hip replacement leg.

Most everyone who comes on here complaining of pain and fearful that they have something going wrong, when I get to the bottom of it, have simply done far too much too soon.

 

[Layla]

Somebody needs to chill, I wonder who?
Begins with a j and ends with a j......can you guess who?
Maybe a little couch potato time with some icing once in awhile will get you back to normal.
Betcha it will. Keep in touch we'd love to hear when you're all better!
@jerryj

 

[jerryj]

Hey Folks, Thanks for the input - I really appreciate it! I will be taking it much easier for the time being.

 

[jerryj]

Hi Folks,
I had a really bad fall 3 weeks ago. I stepped off a curb not realizing I was stepping off a curb and fell super hard on my knees. I thought I broke my knee caps, it was so hard. I hit my right knee the hardest - and the right side is also where I had my hip replaced 2 years ago. I got up and I thought everything was fine - other than the pain in my knees, but the next day I could feel a dull pain in my right buttock. The pain mostly goes away when I sit down, but when I walk it really starts to act up and I have to sit down. Funny thing - later in the day I can walk way more with hardly any pain. And I also get some pain when I sleep. Has this happened to anyone? I called the Dr. and he doesn't feel anything should be wrong with the implant. He tells me to call in another week. I was hoping the pain would go down - but it seems to be the same continuously. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Thanks,
jerryj

 

[Jaycey]

@jerryj Welcome back to BoneSmart. You can see I moved your latest post to your recovery thread and changed the title for you. This way we have all your history in one place.

Falls are just plain scary. Sounds like you had pretty major jarring that is bound to effect many areas. Does icing help ease this at all?

A couple of years ago I got knocked down to the sidewalk by gale force winds. I landed on my most recently replaced hip. It was very sore and bruised for quite awhile. I had aches and pains everywhere for weeks.

I doubt your fall did anything to your implant. These things are pretty tough. Just take things easy for awhile. Ice and elevate. And do follow up with your surgeon if this does not ease.

 

[jerryj]

@jerryj Welcome back to BoneSmart. You can see I moved your latest post to your recovery thread and changed the title for you. This way we have all your history in one place.

Falls are just plain scary. Sounds like you had pretty major jarring that is bound to effect many areas. Does icing help ease this at all?

A couple of years ago I got knocked down to the sidewalk by gale force winds. I landed on my most recently replaced hip. It was very sore and bruised for quite awhile. I had aches and pains everywhere for weeks.

I doubt your fall did anything to your implant. These things are pretty tough. Just take things easy for awhile. Ice and elevate. And do follow up with your surgeon if this does not ease.

Hi, Thanks for the response. You know, I haven't done any icing. I should start. I guess I thought the pain would go away in a few weeks. Sounds like it's going to take longer. I really need to be more careful.